Should Bush meet with Cindy Sheehan?

  • Context: News 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Skyhunter
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether President Bush should meet with Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq. Participants explore the implications of such a meeting, considering Bush's responsibilities, public perception, and the nature of Sheehan's activism. The conversation touches on themes of personal loss, political accountability, and the role of public figures in addressing individual grievances.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that Bush should not meet with Sheehan again, citing his busy schedule and the impracticality of meeting every citizen who requests it.
  • Others suggest that a meeting could have diffused tensions and that Bush's refusal may have worsened public perception.
  • A few participants express skepticism about the effectiveness of a private meeting, arguing it would not change the situation for Sheehan or the broader anti-war movement.
  • There are comments on Sheehan's personal circumstances, including her divorce, with some questioning the relevance of her activism given her personal struggles.
  • Some participants speculate that Bush's intentions would be viewed as insincere if he were to meet with her now.
  • Several posts reflect on the potential consequences of such a meeting, including the possibility of encouraging similar protests from others.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on whether Bush should meet with Sheehan, with multiple competing views on the implications and appropriateness of such a meeting. The discussion remains unresolved, with no consensus reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about the motivations behind Bush's actions and Sheehan's activism, with some suggesting that personal circumstances may influence public behavior and perception.

Skyhunter
Should Bush take an hour from his busy vacation schedule and meet with the mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq?

Or should he just go on with his life?

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/08/14/20050814wacbushprotest.html

‘‘And I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say.''

‘‘But,'' he added, ‘‘I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life.''
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
Why? Hes a busy man, why should he have to meet with her again?

He talked to her, she had her peace, she praised him, they partied, went into business together, blew up Poland, and now we're at this crap... ok well... maybe they didnt party, but the rest is true! Ok ok... so they did party, i lied.

But no really, they already met, she loved him, he goes back to run the country, case closed.
 
Pengwuino said:
Why? Hes a busy man, why should he have to meet with her again?

He talked to her, she had her peace, she praised him, they partied, went into business together, blew up Poland, and now we're at this crap... ok well... maybe they didnt party, but the rest is true! Ok ok... so they did party, i lied.

But no really, they already met, she loved him, he goes back to run the country, case closed.
Amazing, where do you get your information?

Here is a reprint from her local paper.

http://www.thereporter.com/republished/ci_2923921

Note that she had reservations about the war before the meeting. Her and her husband decided not to ask the president pointed questions.

Well I guess he won the argument and now she wants to ask those questions after Bush said that the nineteen reservists from Ohio died for a "Noble cause".
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Should I have put a [Joke]...[/JOKE] aroudn the whole party and business and blowing up poland thing?
 
Skyhunter said:
Should Bush take an hour from his busy vacation schedule and meet with the mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq?

Or should he just go on with his life?

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/08/14/20050814wacbushprotest.html

‘‘And I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say.''

‘‘But,'' he added, ‘‘I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life.''
No. For obvious, logical reasons, he can't meet one on one with every citizen of the US that asks. He cannot accept this request and deny others. Do we really expect the President of the US (regardless of who the President happens to be) to do this with every unhappy citizen personally?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Evo said:
No. For obvious, logical reasons, he can't meet one on one with every citizen of the US that asks. He cannot accept this request and deny others. Do we really expect the President of the US (regardless of who the President happens to be) to do this with every unhappy citizen personally?
Well that is certainly a better argument than the one the president gave.

Under the circumstances though I think he could have diffused this whole thing by simply granting an audience. And it isn't like he hasn't set bad precedents before.
 
What Bush should do is get off his lazy ass, get in his car and drive right past her... back to the office in Washington and start working on fixing all the messes he's made.
 
Skyhunter said:
Well that is certainly a better argument than the one the president gave.

Under the circumstances though I think he could have diffused this whole thing by simply granting an audience. And it isn't like he hasn't set bad precedents before.
Yes, he just added fuel to the fire. But he's not especially bright is he? :biggrin: He was right in turning her down (for the reasons I stated, but he handled it poorly.
 
Last edited:
Smurf said:
What Bush should do is get off his lazy ass, get in his car and drive right past her... back to the office in Washington and start working on fixing all the messes he's made.
Aw, smurf, always an optimist. Do you really think he can fix all his blunders in one lifetime? :wink:
 
  • #10
He should tell her to write her congressman.

Seeing her once was enough. That's quite a bit more than most of the mothers of dead soldiers get. If she wants to have a voice she should create an organization and share it with the rest of those mothers.
 
  • #11
TheStatutoryApe said:
He should tell her to write her congressman.

Seeing her once was enough. That's quite a bit more than most of the mothers of dead soldiers get. If she wants to have a voice she should create an organization and share it with the rest of those mothers.
Yes, a private conversation with Bush will do nothing.
 
  • #12
Evo said:
Aw, smurf, always an optimist. Do you really think he can fix all his blunders in one lifetime? :wink:
We'll just settle for a suicide so the current stock is IT for his lifetime.
:biggrin:
 
  • #13
Evo said:
Yes, a private conversation with Bush will do nothing.
You'd have to explain all the big words.
:smile:
 
  • #14
The time to address her has passed--now it's too late. And, the reasoning Evo provided was my thoughts as well. Still, I think maybe Rove has been a little preoccupied and Bush actually spoke on his own, expressing his true disconnected view of the world (as always it's good for Americans to see the true colors). And I agree a personal meeting will make no difference for either person. Let's face it, Cindy has been an activist for some time now, and though it may not have been her original intent, it is now an anti-war rally. That is fine with me, since it's about time Americans took to the street...or roadside...or what have you.
 
  • #15
Skyhunter said:
Should Bush take an hour from his busy vacation schedule and meet with the mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq?
Well, if he's concerned about his approval rating, yes. Otherwise, there isn't any reason why this woman should have the right to meet with him.
 
  • #16
Smurf said:
What Bush should do is get off his lazy ass, get in his car and drive right past her... back to the office in Washington and start working on fixing all the messes he's made.
Evo said:
Aw, smurf, always an optimist. Do you really think he can fix all his blunders in one lifetime? :wink:
That's a long drive, even for an optomist... :wink:
 
  • #17
A side note to all of this: Her husband filed for divorce.
 
  • #18
Ivan Seeking said:
A side note to all of this: Her husband filed for divorce.

Yah that's stupid. Do we REALLY need to know that information from the media? It was in the works before she decided to start protesting so its not like there's any value in knowing it.
 
  • #19
Evo said:
Aw, smurf, always an optimist. Do you really think he can fix all his blunders in one lifetime? :wink:
Well yeah, he should be.. you know, theoretically..
 
  • #20
Pengwuino said:
Yah that's stupid. Do we REALLY need to know that information from the media? It was in the works before she decided to start protesting so its not like there's any value in knowing it.

It may or may not be related to her current actions. It does show that in addition to losing her son, her life is not stable.
 
  • #21
Well I read when the first reports about that were coming out... the husband supports her but doesn't 'want to be as vocal' as she is. But really... you lost your son... your going through a divorce... what the hell are you doing protesting the war? She seems to have more pressing issues... The President will be around for a few more years but divorces and personal issues need to be settled as they arrise.
 
  • #22
After all this time, Bushy shouldn't talk to her because his intentions will not be considered pure. If he does, people will either think that it's a set up, or make a mockery of it anyway.

He can't win... so why waste the effort?

What else it will do is cause more people to want to do the same... I think that would be an interesting display to witness
 
  • #23
russ_watters said:
Well, if he's concerned about his approval rating, yes. Otherwise, there isn't any reason why this woman should have the right to meet with him.
No right? Russ, can you even begin to imagine what it's like to lose a child? Especially when you believe, as this lady did, that ultimate cause of your child's death was a bogus war started by Bush. Evo's reasoning is good, but I personally would want to meet with all the parents of the children I've sent to their premature deaths. Maybe that's why I wouldn't make a good president...
 
  • #24
Terrible as it is, her suffering and grief doesn't grant a right for an audience with the President. I feel very bad for her loss, and I agree with her that the war is wrong, but her I'm sure her son knew what he was getting himself into when he joined the army.
 
  • #25
Is anyone familiar with the statistics of couples who divorce after loss of a child? It's extremely common. That Cindy has been anti-war even before her son was killed shows her feelings about the war are real and not just motivated by grief. The grief is only intensifying her efforts. Once again, it is not uncommon for people who have experienced something bad (cancer, crime, drugs, etc.) to become active in prevention organizations. The media as usual is making the victim a victim again for the sake of a news story, and failing to do real, thoughtful analysis.
 
  • #26
revelator said:
Terrible as it is, her suffering and grief doesn't grant a right for an audience with the President. I feel very bad for her loss, and I agree with her that the war is wrong, but her I'm sure her son knew what he was getting himself into when he joined the army.
Yeh, let this be a lesson to all who might consider enlisting... You might be called upon to sacrifice your life for lies. Er, that wouldn't be why the military is having such a hard time recruiting right now, would it?
 
  • #27
kcballer21 said:
No right? Russ, can you even begin to imagine what it's like to lose a child? Especially when you believe, as this lady did, that ultimate cause of your child's death was a bogus war started by Bush. Evo's reasoning is good, but I personally would want to meet with all the parents of the children I've sent to their premature deaths. Maybe that's why I wouldn't make a good president...
How much time would you ideally spend with each person? How feasible would it be, really? People choose to be soldiers, there is no manditory draft... so in a way they make their own destiny (subject to someone elses decision)...

When working at corporate jobs, we make sacrifices / compromises to our best judgement / moral values due to company needs. We chose to work for the company and do it's bidding. Some soldiers join armed forces hoping to never actually have to fight a war. It's like a gamble for them. Unfortunately, some lose everything.

No, I wouldn't know what it would feel like to lose a child to a bogus war, but I know how it feels to know that lots of people are dying for bogus causes all over the world (literally & figuratively)

Those with the power are supposed to take responsibility.
 
Last edited:
  • #28
SOS2008 said:
... Still, I think maybe Rove has been a little preoccupied and ...

Ivan Seeking said:
It may or may not be related to her current actions. It does show that in addition to losing her son, her life is not stable.

Ahh, that's more like it. He wasn't preoccupied for long. Make sure everyone knows she's going through a stressful enough time that she may be a bit mentally unbalanced. Rove is back!

In spite of that, there really isn't much Bush could accomplish by meeting with her. The only reason would be to put end to the bad press she's getting him - and sitting there and taking it from the media just isn't Bush's style.
 
  • #29
Ivan Seeking said:
It may or may not be related to her current actions. It does show that in addition to losing her son, her life is not stable.
Not like I really want to know (its not any of my business), but it does make me wonder what the cause-effect relationship is there between these events.
SOS2008 said:
Cindy has been anti-war even before her son was killed shows her feelings about the war are real and not just motivated by grief.
Not necessarily true. My mother was against me going into the military and would have opposed damn near any war just based on the chance that it might require my deployment. Mothers are like that (not that there's anything wrong with that, but it did annoy me that she tried to talk me into becoming an accountant).
 
  • #30
kcballer21 said:
No right? Russ, can you even begin to imagine what it's like to lose a child? Especially when you believe, as this lady did, that ultimate cause of your child's death was a bogus war started by Bush. Evo's reasoning is good...
So... you agree that she doesn't have the right, though?
...but I personally would want to meet with all the parents of the children I've sent to their premature deaths. Maybe that's why I wouldn't make a good president...
Ok, so you'd do it because you're a nice guy. Fine. How does that make it a right?
 

Similar threads

News Bush caught staging meeting with troops
  • · Replies 76 ·
3
Replies
76
Views
9K
News Was George W. Bush's Response to 9/11 Justified?
  • · Replies 88 ·
3
Replies
88
Views
14K
  • Poll Poll
News Kerry To Push For Bush Impeachment
  • · Replies 62 ·
3
Replies
62
Views
7K
News Bush Honest & Trustworthy Until How Many Lies?
  • · Replies 65 ·
3
Replies
65
Views
12K
News Is the Bush Administration Guilty of a War on Science?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
4K
Three new books to read about expertise vs. democracy
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
News Should the US Extradite Amanda Knox to Italy?
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
10K
News Can Romney regain credibility after his Cairo/Libya Embassy blunder?
  • · Replies 45 ·
2
Replies
45
Views
8K
News Did Fox News help to motivate the killing of three cops?
  • · Replies 253 ·
9
Replies
253
Views
28K
News Should a captured American soldier be executed by the Taliban?
  • · Replies 44 ·
2
Replies
44
Views
8K