I guess I shouldn’t expect more from someone who calls himself RudePundit, but this line of nonsense needs to be addressed:
Let’s get another thing straight: the moment when Safia Taleb al-Suhail embraced Janet Norwood, whose son was killed in action in Iraq, resides in a stomach-churning netherworld between revolting and disturbing. It was revolting for its exploitation of the pain of this mother as a political prop for Bush’s speech. Byron Norwood, a Marine Sergeant from good ol’ Texas, was killed in the destruction of Fallujah. It was disturbing because the media’s perception of the hug was such a product of desired delusion: please, please, please don’t let this mother’s son have died in vain, please don’t let that man on the podium have sold us a bill of goods.
A.) The Norwood’s wrote to Bush, not the other way around. I seriously doubt that the letter read “Please, please, exploit my pain for political purposes.” They were proud to be there, and they have this moment to help them remember their son for the rest of their lives. Fuck you for trying to cheapen it or take it away from them.
B.) For two years, you wingnuts have been dishonestly stating that Bush has been hiding the pain and sorrow of the families of those who have been injured or killed, to includ your despicable campaign to claim that Bush avoids visiting war injured and refuses to go to military funerals. Now, Bush honors our war dead, acknowledges the loss, and you call it poison politics.
C.) It is no wishful delusion on the part of the media or the Norwood’s that their son did not die in vain. He didn’t- ask Taleb al-Suhail.
Jerk.
(via Atrios, who links uncritically to this bile)
caleb
Well….it could have been worse.
There could have been an Iranian spy up there.
Mikey
You expected better?
Sorry to have to say that I don’t.
nick
asshole
Bush EXPLOITED the women
can you even spell exploited?
I doubt it
or anything that sheds light on your president lack of morals – 3 DUIs as long term proof
Terry
Hey, look…another snotty comment by the phlegmatic “nick.” Apparently the sewer has backed up at DU and Eschaton, and the slugs are roaming the blogosphere.
Jo
From what I heard from Rush – the parents were on Good Morning America and Diane Sawyer asked them if it was “staged”, and they said no. They met her beforehand yes, but did not know about her father being killed until it was brought out in the speech, as it was the Iraqi women did not know about their son.
The reason people claime it was “staged” and they were “props” is because they can’t get their pea brains around the fact there actually people in this world grateful for what the US has done for them, and there are actually people who have children who choose to “serve” their country and yes, even die for it.
These people will never understand until they walk in someone’s shoes in that situation, but since they never would even think about lowering themselves to do that – they will continue to sputter garabage like this.
I watched this interaction with tears in my eyes – then looked at the wonderful man I’m married to and saw he too had tears in his eyes. Oh — yeah, btw — he’s in the Army too.
Paul
That the feelings and reactions of those women were CLEARLY sincere and heartfelt could only be doubted by the shallow, emotionally stunted, perennially disingenuous losers who would be snowed by Billy Zipperpants phoney lower lip biting displays of transparently manufactured empathy.
It’s a pleasure watching these assholes drive themselves farther and farther into political wilderness with these tin eared and offensive proclamations. They’re showing normal, emotionally balanced Americans of all stripes just what vile, despicable scumbags they really are.