Cindy Sheehan and a hundred of her closest friends have converged on Bush's Texas ranch.
The lady by herself is not very important. I'm sure there's no shortage of distraught widows and mothers whose sons have been killed, and they certainly deserve our sympathy, and of course they have the right to protest. Why, though, is Sheehan getting so much more general media attention than, say, the lady Michael Moore interviewed for Fahrenheit 9/11?
I think it is because of a shift in climate. With the bad news coming out of Iraq and Bush's declining approval here at home, the public is in general more receptive to criticism of the war. And Sheehan is somewhat relateable. You can't attack her sincerity, and you can't call her un-American. After all, she sent her son off to fight and die in Iraq.
The fact that the President is on a long vacation helps. The image of mourning widows beating at the gates of the Bush ranch while Bush is inside relaxing, accurate or not, is a useful one.
The NY Times has this to say:
Ms. Sheehan's natural, sincere look and earthy appearance on television do not betray the semiprofessional operation running the show at Camp Casey: organizers from Code Pink, a women's peace organization, and a public relations expert from Fenton Communications, are in constant Blackberry and cellphone communication with the news media and keep careful watch of Ms. Sheehan's schedule.
So this is no Woodstock, really. Ms. Sheehan's public mourning is a useful tool to focus the anti-war protesters, which have been going about their protesting in a rather scatter-shot way. It is in the hands of professional organizers, and is not just a bunch of ladies sitting on tarps.
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Article comments
1 - Marc
"less than spontaneous" is being kind, useful tool is more to the point.
Does this photo of Bush kissing Sheehan taken during her first visit show callousness?I think not. She has had her time with the President if she failed to speak her mind then tough luck. That is way more time than thousands of other mothers have had no matter what side of the issue they stand on.
She has become nothing more than a media whore. Code Pink, Michael Moore, MoveOn.org and the rest of their ilk have latched onto Sheehan's brain stem and won't let go until the media tire of her and them.
Then she will be tossed on the old news pile. Then they can go back to Aruba... oh wait. They never left they are still trying to find one dumb broad who thought it more important to smoke a guys pole than prepare for an early morning flight back to the states..
2 - Victor Lana
This thing has gotten way out of hand. What Mr. Bush should do is have Ms. Sheehan come inside and meet privately with him for ten minutes. No cameras, no media, nothing!
This way whatever is said is between them. Ms. Sheehan can come out and tell reporters whatever she wants; she will have had her meeting.
She is a constituent who lost her son. Since her son made the ultimate sacrifice, ten minutes isn't so much to ask.
3 - Marc
Victor, how does this:
Square with this:It doesn't no matter how you want to spin it. There will be nothing "private" about any possible future meeting with Bush. Sheehan will immediately run to the nearest camera and spew the latest Code Pink/Michael Moore blather. (not to mention International ANSWER)She HAD her time with the President. It's time for her to go home, meet with the more sane members of her family and get a god damm clue.
4 - Nancy
Or, far more likely, HE will use HER to spew HIS bullshit, as he's proven he already has before, many times. Bush doesn't hesitate to exploit anybody, living or dead - even better they're dead, they can't tell the truth & embarrass him.
5 - Marc
And BTW I almost forgot, Sheehan is a god damn liar to boot!
The entire story from her Vacaville paper is here and contains this quote:Now, here's what Sheehan told CNN last weekend (Sunday, August 7, 2005) about her meeting with Bush last year, according to a transcript on Nexis:This wench is lying through he tin-foil hat. She has been corrupted by Code Pink, and the rest of the appesement monkeys for their own use and Sheehan it too racked with grief, or stupid, to realize it.You have to look hard, very hard and all the way to the 18th para but this WaPo story points out the then and now of Sheehan:
Not to mention a lede story on al-Jazzera. Her proud and brave son is rolling over in his grave!
6 - Nancy
How would YOU know, having never served, [edited]? Do something better with your life & talents than trying to cover for Bush; he has Rove; he can fend for himself.
7 - RJ
"they are still trying to find one dumb broad who thought it more important to smoke a guys pole than prepare for an early morning flight back to the states.."
LOL...
8 - Leoniceno
Additional Notes
Salon.com has an interview with Sheehan that expresses
I stand by what I said in my previous posting, but let me also say that I think that there is a need for intelligent questioning about the war, and there is a need for those in the media and those in power to find answers to those questions. Although I doubt Mrs. Sheehan's statement that this is, as she said, "my idea, my mission, my vision," I am not opposed to a popular movement to bring Bush to accountability and to force him to acknowledge that there are problems and that solutions are needed.
What I disagree with is Sheehan's stated goal of a total pull-out from Iraq. This would be disastrous, would lead to total destabilization and a bloody and protacted civil war. Instead of becoming a haven for democracy Iraq would become a source of civilian attacks and insurgent action.
There need to be some protesters that do not want all the troops to pull out now. This is a radical view that realists cannot share, and that the American mainstream will not follow, or at least not until the situation worsens to the magnitude of a Vietnam.
We need the moderates to yell loudest, we need the loudest yell not to be for turning tail and fleeing, but for finding solutions and implementing them. The problem is that the people that protest either want to flee or else they want to keep doing the same thing that they have been doing until either the US military or everyone in Iraq has been ground into dust. Neither side is right.
9 - Leoniceno
Somehow the link was cut out of the comment, here's the address
10 - Marc
Nancy considering you feel using [edited] in describing someone you can't possibly know is accesptable discourse, I feel more than justified in [edited].
Just for info I'm retired US Navy (1981-2004) Question, in posting FACTS and links to the original source how is that "trying to cover for Bush."
Sheehans words speak for themselves and label her as a tool for the leftist appeasement crowd who are quick to blame the US and it's policies rather than the true enemy, jihadist cut throats.
11 - RJ
Thank you for your service, Marc! :)
12 - Dave Nalle
>>Or, far more likely, HE will use HER to spew HIS bullshit, as he's proven he already has before, many times. Bush doesn't hesitate to exploit anybody, living or dead - even better they're dead, they can't tell the truth & embarrass him.<<
So now bush has mind control powerS? He's going to meet in private with this dedicated mom, brainwash her and send her out to do his bidding? Come again?
What's really going on here is that Sheehan's handlers won't let her meet with Bush in private. They want to force a public confrontation to make him look as bad as possible. Just spinning the outcome of a private meeting isn't enough. They want to create a sensationalistic scene.
Dave
13 - MCH
Nancy;
Hard to keep track of the players without a program...It's Dave Nalle, Bobby (RJ) Elliott, Al Barger and David Flanagan who've never served.
14 - RJ
MCH:
How much battle have you seen?
Oh, wait. None.
So, why are you posting here again?
15 - Dave Nalle
Hard to say why MCH ever posts, RJ, since his comment here - as always - was completely irrelevant to the discussion.
Dave
16 - Leoniceno
What I would appreciate is if in discussing things we would stop attacking each other and focus on defending and attacking arguments. This makes for a more civil and productive discussion.
17 - Marc
No need to thank me RJ, it was my pleasure.
Some of those pushing Sheehan into the limelight are not just moonbats and appeasement monkey's, some are frightening.
I extend my apologies for the portion of my previous comment that was edited. If someone is that stupid to send their/his/her vicious little comments my way that will be returned in kind.