They Are Scared Shitless

Check out the title of this story: The Globe and Mail: Bush ducks mother of dead soldier

Yesterday, Mr. Bush felt obliged to respond himself. "She feels strongly about her position and she has every right in the world to say what she believes," Mr. Bush told a news conference. "And I thought long and hard about her position. I've heard her position from others, which is: Get out of Iraq now. And it would be a mistake for the security of this country and the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long run if we were to do so."

Mr. Bush said he grieves for every death in Iraq. "It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel about the death that takes place."

Yet there was no sign Mr. Bush intends to meet Ms. Sheehan. In fact, there were reports he is travelling solely by helicopter when he leaves the ranch in an effort to avoid racing past the protester in a limousine.

"The President says he feels compassion for me," Ms. Sheehan said, "but the best way to show that compassion is by meeting with me and the other mothers and families who are here.

"All we're asking is that he sacrifice an hour out of his five-week vacation to talk to us before the next mother loses her son in Iraq."

Bush talks a big game about supporting the troops. But what does that mean? Really? What does it mean to support the troops?

A part of that would be supplying our toops with the equipment necessary to complete their mission. He hasn't done that.

Another part of that would be to sit down with a greiving mother of a soldier who was killed in action, and explain to her what exactly her son died for. Answer her questions. Wipe her tears. Look her in the eye and say "We had no choice but to go to war because..." and try to figure out some damn reason. Hell, at least don't avoid her by helicoptering in and out of your compound.

The point is, you can say "He's the president, and he doesn't have to meet with every lowly greiving mother who feels they sacrificed their son for an unjust war. He's a busy man. He's got lots of putting and bike riding to do". Fine. You can make that argument. But don't say he supports the troops. Support requires action, not just lip service.