Brandon

Monday, August 08, 2005

Left Using Dead Soldier's Mother for Political Power Play

How many times have we been lectured by the left that referring to September 11th in ANY WAY is somehow "exploiting the tragedy for political purposes?"

That's a laugh of course! When September 11th is mentioned it is almost always in the context of the national tragedy which we all lived through collectively, and one we wish to prevent in future.

But of course, what we have here is just another example of how lefties demand that we be held to a higher standard than they themselves would uphold.

The Drudge Report today has a story on the mother of slain soldier Army Spc. Casey Sheehan who died in Iraq in April 2004. Along with other families who have suffered losses in this war to free all of us from the threat of Islamo-fascism, Mrs. Sheehan and family members met with President Bush in Seattle in June 2004. It was a "gift of happiness" she said after meeting the President.

"'I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis,' Cindy said after their meeting. 'I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.'

"The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.

"The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.

"For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.

For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.

"'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,' Cindy said."

Well apparently, Mrs. Sheehan's views have changed. She is now camped out on the road near the President's ranch in Crawford, Texas demanding another meeting. Giving interviews to the media she now gives quite another view of that June 2004 meeting:

"He wouldn't look at the pictures of Casey. He didn't even know Casey's name. He came in the room and the very first thing he said is, 'So who are we honoring here?' He didn't even know Casey's name. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear anything about Casey. He wouldn't even call him 'him' or 'he.' He called him 'your loved one.'
...
Every time we tried to talk about Casey and how much we missed him, he would change the subject. And he acted like it was a party.
...
Yes, he came in very jovial, and like we should be happy that he, our son, died for his misguided policies.
This transformation from a greiving mother, appreciative that the President would honor their son's memory and console their family to ardent political opponent won't surprise anyone in Sheehan's hometown of Vacaville, California. A few weeks after meeting with President Bush, Mrs. Sheehan recorded a commercial for Real Voices.Org entitled "A Mother's Tears" where she sobs about how unfair it was that her son had to die in this war. She openly criticizes President Bush and tearfully asks "How do you think we felt when we heard the Senate report that there was no link between Iraq and 9-11?"

Never mind Mrs. Sheehan that there is plenty of evidence, enough to convince both Senate Democrats and the Democrats on the September 11th Commission, to conclude that Iraq had extensive links with Osama bin Laden and al Queda. (Read this blog if you are clueless on that one.)

Mrs. Sheehan's tearful advertisement came out weeks before the Presidential election of 2004. But Mrs. Sheehan has gone on from that initial foray and created what amounts to a political franchise of Bush bashing. Her local paper, The Reporter, has a series of letters (abstracts here) from town folk documenting her calls for Bush's resignation or impeachment. Sympathizers in town have even gone so far as to contribute materials and labor to remodel the family home. Any questioning of Mrs. Sheehan's political motives is viewed as an attack on Mrs. Sheehan's right to "free speech."

Frankly, this is a sad story from beginning to end. We have a fallen solider who volunteered for service in the Army and who served honorably. A greiving family has a right, as does anyone, to express their views on the war and the President. But for the left to so crassly manipulate and use Mrs. Sheehan, in a way that is so evidently transparent is sadder still. The conflicts in the Mother's original description of her meeting with the President and how she recounts it now raise additional questions of veracity.

Look Into The Man's Eyes and Tell Me What You See


Here's a contrast for you: Meetings with family members who have died in the service of their country are kept private by the White House. But in a campaign appearance in Lebanon, Ohio, the press witnessed a moment that was not reported widely at the time, few but the Cincinnatti Enquirer picked it up:

In a moment largely unnoticed by the throngs of people in Lebanon, Ohio waiting for autographs from the president of the United States, George W. Bush stopped to hold a teenager's head close to his heart.

Lynn Faulkner, his daughter, Ashley, and their neighbor, Linda Prince, eagerly waited to shake the president's hand Tuesday at the Golden Lamb Inn. He worked the line at a steady campaign pace, smiling, nodding and signing autographs until Prince spoke:

"This girl lost her mom in the World Trade Center on 9-11."

Bush stopped and turned back.

"He changed from being the leader of the free world to being a father, a husband and a man," Faulkner said. "He looked right at her and said, 'How are you doing?' He reached out with his hand and pulled her into his chest."

Faulkner snapped one frame with his camera.

"I could hear her say, 'I'm OK,' " he said. "That's more emotion than she has shown in 21/2 years. Then he said, 'I can see you have a father who loves you very much.' "
"And I said, 'I do, Mr. President, but I miss her mother every day.' It was a special moment."

Special for Lynn Faulkner because the Golden Lamb was the place he and his wife, Wendy Faulkner, celebrated their anniversary every year until she died in the south tower of the World Trade Center, where she had traveled for business.

The day was also special for Ashley, a 15-year-old Mason High School student, because the visit was reminiscent of a trip she took four years ago with her mother and Prince. They spent all afternoon in the rain waiting to see Bush on the campaign trail. Ashley remembers holding her mother's hand, eating Triscuits she packed and bringing along a book in case she got bored.

But this time was different. She understood what the president was saying, and she got close enough to see him face to face.

"The way he was holding me, with my head against his chest, it felt like he was trying to protect me," Ashley said. "I thought, 'Here is the most powerful guy in the world, and he wants to make sure I'm safe.' I definitely had a couple of tears in my eyes, which is pretty unusual for me."

Is this the man that treats the sacrifice of American lives as a "Party?" When will the left stop their gratutious personal attacks on President Bush and join their fellow Americans in FIGHTING and WINNING this war? When will they stop undermining the sacrifices of thefew for the many and support a more unified, effective approach in this war?

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