Remember all the Democrats screaming and clammoring for President Bush to meet (for a second time) with Cindy Sheehan? All the protests, all the sit ins, the camping out near Bush's private home? So, how do they react when the shoe is partially on the other foot?
(CNSNews.com) – Leading Democratic proponents of setting a timetable for pulling troops out of Iraq have refused to meet with the father of a dead soldier who believes a withdrawal would mean his son's life was "wasted."
Army SSG Joshua Hager was wounded near Ramadi when an improvised explosive device blew up under his vehicle on Feb. 22, 2007. He died the next day from his injuries.
Hager's father, Kris Hager, wants opponents of the war to rethink their position because he believes ending U.S. involvement would mean his son's life was wasted there.
"How do I tell my grandson his father's life was wasted by Congress?" Hager said in an email.
Hager has tried — without success — to schedule meetings or phone calls with some of the leading proponents of a military withdrawal, including Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania.
I say the shoe is partially on the other foot because Hager has never had a meeting with any of those Democrats, while Sheehan did have her meeting.
Now, Joshua Hager is from Colorado, his Dad is from Florida, meaning that Kerry, Pelosi, Murtha, et all are not in Hagers precint. But, you would think that one of them could make time for one meeting. Sadly, no.
"Each of their offices said they were too busy to speak with me," Hager said. The Florida resident's own elected officials — Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, and Republicans Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Vern Buchanan — all spoke with him over the phone to express their sympathies.
A spokesman for Sen. Kerry said he does not have a policy on meeting with families of fallen soldiers. "However, Senator Kerry meets with families when he can and has talked with members from his home state and outside the state as well," the spokesman said.
Hagel said he feels entitled to meet with prominent opponents of the war, even if he is not one of their constituents, because "they have taken a national stance."
Kerry has no policy? The man who wanted to be President has no policy for meeting the families of fallen soldiers? Well, I must say I am not really surprised, considering his past when he bashed the troops he served with repeatedly. And, yes, Kerry and the others have taken a national stance, each calling for cut and run in their own way.
"I've seen them embracing Cindy Sheehan," Hager added, referring to the prominent anti-war activist whose son was killed in Iraq. "They make themselves accessible to people who agree with them. I think it's a small enough club of fathers who have lost sons that I can get that access, at their convenience."
Heck, the Defeatocrats are scared to meet with those who agree with them as of late, because they haven't pushed for retreate from Iraq fast enough. They'll meet with terrorist leaders, but not a Gold Star dad. Figures.
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