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August 15, 2005

Newsweek On The President's Meetings With The Families of the Fallen

Unbelievable... because it's not biased at all.

The most telling—and moving—picture of Bush grieving with the families of the dead was provided by Rachel Ascione, who met with him last summer. Her older brother, Ron Payne, was a Marine who had been killed in Afghanistan only a few weeks before Ascione was invited to meet with Bush at MacDill Air Force Base, near Tampa, Fla.
Ascione wasn't sure she could restrain herself with the president. She was feeling "raw." "I wanted him to look me in the eye and tell me why my brother was never coming back, and I wanted him to know it was his fault that my heart was broken," she recalls. The president was coming to Florida, a key swing state, in the middle of his re-election campaign. Ascione was worried that her family would be "exploited" by a "phony effort to make good with people in order to get votes."

Ascione and her family were gathered with 18 other families in a large room on the air base. The president entered with some Secret Service agents, a military entourage and a White House photographer. "I'm here for you, and I will take as much time as you need," Bush said. He began moving from family to family. Ascione watched as mothers confronted him: "How could you let this happen? Why is my son gone?" one asked. Ascione couldn't hear his answer, but soon "she began to sob, and he began crying, too. And then he just hugged her tight, and they cried together for what seemed like forever."

H/t to Secure Liberty, which turns one year old today. Secure Liberty comments on that whole jackass affair of the NCAA banning of the Seminoles' mascot, too.

Bias? Lori from PoliPundit doesn't think the article is quite as unbiased as a quick reading might suggest. Her case? Editorializing like this:

Bush likes to play the resolute War Leader, and he has never been known for admitting mistakes or regret. But that does not mean that he is free of doubt. For

I get what she's saying.

posted by Ace at 12:08 PM

Comments

Bush has had 272 meetings with families, usually several at a time. However, Sheehan and her husband had a one on one with the president.

Posted by: on August 15, 2005 12:50 PM

Biased? Hell they admitted as much not too long past. You know damn well that if this was Clinton, he wouldn't be 'playing' a resolute war leader, he would be one.

I grew up reading Newseek. It is doubtful I would go back to reading them.

Posted by: Defense Guy on August 15, 2005 01:04 PM

All commanders have doubts. The good ones just don't share them. Nothing will kill a unit quicker than contagious panic.

Posted by: SGT Dan on August 15, 2005 01:30 PM

He began moving from family to family. Ascione watched as mothers confronted him: "How could you let this happen? Why is my son gone?" one asked. Ascione couldn't hear his answer, but soon "she began to sob, and he began crying, too. And then he just hugged her tight, and they cried together for what seemed like forever."

Yeah, the guy's a real cold-hearted bastard, isn't he?

Can you imagine having to hear someone ask why you allowed her child to die? Yet, according to the article, Bush exposes himself to the anger and hurt of these grieving families time and time again.

How many other presidents were willing to this?

And yet Cindy Sheehan, after already meeting with this man, sits outside his ranch and screams to the world that he is a fascist murderer who killed her child to make his oil buddies rich.

And that's her right. But in what insane reality should we expect President Bush to invite this woman back for another meeting so that she can spit her vile lies at his face?

Posted by: The Warden on August 15, 2005 02:08 PM

Hmmm, circulation problems at Newsweek?

Posted by: Bill on August 15, 2005 03:09 PM

900 grieving family members. Can you even imagine? Sometimes with his wife?

I'll bet he's had to hug her a few times too, in private, after they leave those meetings. Call it a hunch.

Sometimes I don't know why anybody would want to be President of the United States.

Posted by: Dave in Texas on August 15, 2005 04:10 PM

It seemed to me that the article sought to portray Bush as being forced to reap the consequences of his sins. Bush the confessor. Bush the humble, the penitent, etc. Bush as a beleaguered leader who is seeking absolution from the bereaved, but is unable to find it.

I was surprised to see you and Michelle treat it as unbiased.

Posted by: SWLiP on August 15, 2005 06:44 PM


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Ascione wasn't sure she could restrain herself with the president. She was feeling "raw." "I wanted him to look me in the eye and tell me why my brother was never coming back, and I wanted him to know it was his fault that my heart was broken," she recalls. The president was coming to Florida, a key swing state, in the middle of his re-election campaign. Ascione was worried that her family would be "exploited" by a "phony effort to make good with people in order to get votes." Ascione and her family were gathered with 18 other families in a large room on the air base. The president entered with some Secret Service agents, a military entourage and a White House photographer. "I'm here for you, and I will take as much time as you need," Bush said. He began moving from family to family. Ascione watched as mothers confronted him: "How could you let this happen? Why is my son gone?" one asked. Ascione couldn't hear his answer, but soon "she began to sob, and he began crying, too. And then he just hugged her tight, and they cried together for what seemed like forever." H/t to Secure Liberty, which turns one year old today. Secure Liberty comments on that whole jackass affair of the NCAA banning of the Seminoles' mascot, too. Bias? Lori from PoliPundit doesn't think the article is quite as unbiased as a quick reading might suggest. Her case? Editorializing like this: Bush likes to play the resolute War Leader, and he has never been known for admitting mistakes or regret. But that does not mean that he is free of doubt. For I get what she's saying. posted by Ace at 12:08 PM Comments Bush has had 272 meetings with families, usually several at a time. However, Sheehan and her husband had a one on one with the president. Posted by: on August 15, 2005 12:50 PM Biased? Hell they admitted as much not too long past. You know damn well that if this was Clinton, he wouldn't be 'playing' a resolute war leader, he would be one. I grew up reading Newseek. It is doubtful I would go back to reading them. Posted by: Defense Guy on August 15, 2005 01:04 PM All commanders have doubts. The good ones just don't share them. Nothing will kill a unit quicker than contagious panic. Posted by: SGT Dan on August 15, 2005 01:30 PM He began moving from family to family. Ascione watched as mothers confronted him: "How could you let this happen? Why is my son gone?" one asked. Ascione couldn't hear his answer, but soon "she began to sob, and he began crying, too. And then he just hugged her tight, and they cried together for what seemed like forever." Yeah, the guy's a real cold-hearted bastard, isn't he? Can you imagine having to hear someone ask why you allowed her child to die? Yet, according to the article, Bush exposes himself to the anger and hurt of these grieving families time and time again. How many other presidents were willing to this? And yet Cindy Sheehan, after already meeting with this man, sits outside his ranch and screams to the world that he is a fascist murderer who killed her child to make his oil buddies rich. And that's her right. But in what insane reality should we expect President Bush to invite this woman back for another meeting so that she can spit her vile lies at his face? Posted by: The Warden on August 15, 2005 02:08 PM Hmmm, circulation problems at Newsweek? Posted by: Bill on August 15, 2005 03:09 PM 900 grieving family members. Can you even imagine? Sometimes with his wife? I'll bet he's had to hug her a few times too, in private, after they leave those meetings. Call it a hunch. Sometimes I don't know why anybody would want to be President of the United States. Posted by: Dave in Texas on August 15, 2005 04:10 PM It seemed to me that the article sought to portray Bush as being forced to reap the consequences of his sins. Bush the confessor. Bush the humble, the penitent, etc. Bush as a beleaguered leader who is seeking absolution from the bereaved, but is unable to find it. I was surprised to see you and Michelle treat it as unbiased. Posted by: SWLiP on August 15, 2005 06:44 PM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Comments: Remember info?	Now Available! The Deplorable Gourmet A Horde-sourced Cookbook [All profits go to charity] Top Headlines Tomorrow is March 25th, "Tolkien Reading Day," because March 25th is the day when the Ring is destroyed in the book. I think I'm going to start the Hobbit tomorrow and read all four books this time. The only bad part of the trilogy are the Frodo/Sam chapters in The Two Towers. They're repetitive, slow, and mostly about the weather and terrain. But most everything else is good. Weirdly, the Frodo-Sam chapters in Return of the King are exciting and action-packed and among the best in the trilogy. (Though the chapters with everyone else in Return of the King get pretty slow again. 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