What if Bush gives in and actually meets with Cindy Sheehan?

[Armstead]

Now what would I do if I were Karl Rove? Hmmm...

I'd have Bush make a surprise appearance and actually have a meeting with Cindy Sheehan....Sorta like when Bush arrived in Iraq unannounced at Thanksgiving.

It's a long shot, because Bush is too stubborn and conmcerned about losing his "pride." But it could be a way to simultaneously look "caring" to the blind faith supporters, and defuse an embarassing issue of the anti-war movement.

What would the reaction be if this were to happen? Something to think about?

[geomon666]

1. There's nothing to give in to.

There's no pressure on Bush. Please. He's probably in his little game room right now or whatever trying to catch the last Pokemon.

[mark11727]

2. Would * bring her out a turkey...?

"Sorry about yer son. Here, have some turkee."

[Armstead]

6. A painted plastic Turkey, of course

[evil eggplant]

24. nope

chimpy has never apologize for anything, ever.

[eleny]

3. This is about Cindy Sheehan

I'd take my queue from her after the meeting. I'm hoping he will meet with her. Like Senator Allen said on Sunday - he should meet with her out of decency and respect.

[fob]

4. No way he'd risk that. They may however wait for it to boil a little more

and send for her to be taken into the ranch AWAY from cameras and witnesses and then it doesn't matter if he*s his typical asshole self, they'll just tell the story to pump themselves up anyway.

[fryguy]

5. pigs will be flying by my window - n/t

[O.M.B.inOhio]

7. They'd send out a Bush impersonator, one who HAS a soul.

[Armstead]

16. Or send the warm, and fuzzy Dick Cheney

[Horse with no Name]

19. They can't send Cheney

It's too hot for his ceremonial parka.:shrug:

[tabasco]

8. It would pretty much defuse the situation.

It would be an intelligent thing to do.

But Bush lacks the courage and the intelligence to do the right thing.

[julialnyc]

9. they would only do that

if she signed a confidentiality agreement not to report what he says (what on earth could he say?)

[Brotherjohn]

10. I think it's too risky for Bush. Could be his "I am not a crook" moment.

The entire WH Press Corps, plus many others, are there just waiting to see if just this encounter happens.

If they get anything at all that Cindy Sheehan says on tape, it will look very bad for Bush. These are the reasons they hold the "meetings with families" behind closed doors and release little details.

She'll ask why Casey died, and he'll start into his "noble cause / central front in the War on Terror / killing them there so they..."

At which point he'll get his ass handed to him on a platter. And the majority of American people will shout out in their living rooms "Hell Yeah! Give it to him, Cindy!"

[Brotherjohn]

15. In addition: she should completely refuse to meet with him in private.

He controls the situation there and it would be no different than their previous meeting.

Her point is to call him out. Her point is to start a national dialogue. She doesn't want to meet "the president" for personal reasons. It's way beyond that.

So if he makes such an offer, she should just out and out call him a coward, and loudly, to whomever will listen.

[Junkdrawer]

11. Then he better be prepare to answer the DSM questions...

because Cindy will club him over the head with it early and often.

[ConfuZed]

12. The best thing he can do....

is meet with her with a still and video photographer and without the screaming protesters behind her.

[Cleita]

13. I think then it would prove that he can be

made to pay attention. This could be a good sign for future war protests up until we force him to remove the troops from Iraq and publically admit that he lied about WMD's and used 911 for political gain and as an excuse to invade Iraq.

[Beelzebud]

14. He won't. He's sub-human. n/t

[henslee]

17. He's in a spot. If he meets her, which I doubt he will, he not only

empowers her and validates her. He boosts her cache as a political player and puts her splat all over the world news... but he also rewards her actions which would be a green light for a bunch of other Sheehan wanna-be's to "jump into the fray". No, he cannot afford to have that happen. As it is, he is probably looking for some type of way to reach out to her through third parties like veterans,etc. while at the same time diverting attention from the situation, hoping she will weaken or run out of steam. I think they are planning right now to bus in fake agitators, like they did in Palm Beach during recount during election 00. And then when things get dicey, they will say that for her own safety, they have to remove her from the area.

[charlie]

18. Who? The guy who just deep-sixed

an orchestrated effort by his top echelon to rebrand the War as a Struggle? That petulant little shitbag bends for no one.

[chelsea0011]

20. He can't do it. Cindy hasn't had the questions handed to her.

Bush (Rove)will never allow himself to be put in a position of someone asking him an unscripted question. It is one thing for the press corps to ask a question and have the President blabber on and on. It is expected and the news covers itself by reporting without criticizing. Cindy Sheehan would be something else. A mother who lost her son would generate sympathy from the press and hold the President to a different standard of an answer to her questions. if the President so much as blundered by not knowing her son's name or forgetting it, it would play far differently than anything dumbfounded looks the President always shows at press conferences.

[stopbush]

21. Only if they lower expectations to the point where * actually

showing becomes the story. They'd string out the "* won't meet her* scenario as long as possible, then, when he shows up it's all about showing up, not about the *substance* of Ms Sheehan's complaints.

The RW spin machine will then launch into the "allright, * has meet with this complainer twice...which is more than she deserves and a LOT more than other parents of dead soldiers get, and all she can do is complain. There's no pleasing some people" line of *reporting.*

If similar tactics worked against war heroes like Kerry, then marginalizing a "sore losermom" war parent should be a piece of cake for these knuckle draggers.

[Kali]

22. Unfortunatly I think you are correct

it's always about demonizing the opposition. ALWAYS.

[LibDemAlways]

23. The chimp appear at a non-scripted,

non-prepackaged meeting with the pissed-off mother of a dead soldier? Not in this lifetime.

[no_to_war_economy]

25. i would hope it would play out like in Jaws

when the grieving mother walks up slowly and WHAM! hits Roy Schneider in the face

that would please me greatly