The Manipulation of Cindy Sheehan
Last night I caught an interview with Cindy Sheehan on Hardball with Chris Matthews, and I have to say that for the most part I forgive this grieving mother for the contradictions and stupidity of her statements. Why? To be brutally honest, it’s clear that this isn’t the most intelligent woman in the world. Thus it’s quite sad to see her interviewed; asking her difficult questions with tough follow-ups would be the journalistic equivalent of picking a fight with a retarded kid.
But shame on those who are manipulating her to push an anti-Bush agenda. Having an anti-Bush agenda is one thing, but to use this woman as a pawn is inexcusable. I’ve been a consistent defender of Chris Matthews, but after 15 minutes of asking non-questions notice how he ended his interview with Sheehan:
MATTHEWS: Are you considering running for Congress, Cindy?
SHEEHAN: No, not this time. I‘m a one issue person. I know a lot about what‘s going on in Iraq but I don‘t know anything about anything else. And I want to focus my energy on bringing the troops home.
MATTHEWS: Okay. I have to tell you, you sound more informed than most U.S. congresspeople so maybe you should run.
That’s either the most disgusting form of pandering or Chris Matthews is scarcely more intelligent than Cindy Sheehan. Perhaps both.
You omitted the 3d possibility, that Matthews was making a perfectly correct observation about most people serving in the House.
Well, Anderson, if you’re talking about Cynthia McKinney, Baghdad Jim McDermott, and Red Bernie Sanders, you might be onto something.
But I’d have to say I think Leopold’s second answer satisfies Occam’s Razor better than yours does.
Anderson, that’s wonderfully astute, and for many reasons. I do tend to agree with the “both” answer, though… I wouldn’t want to blindly condemn the whole of a branch of government. (!)
‘I have to tell you, you sound more informed than most U.S. congresspeople so maybe you should run. ‘
– said of First Daughter’s Jenna and Barbara, “let George Bush send his two little party animals to die in Iraq.”
– acted as an opening speaker for a convicted terrorist supporter, Lynn Stewart.
– declared that the U.S. system of government is a “morally repugnant.”
– says Islamic terrorism will stop if you “get America out of Iraq and Israel out of Palestine,” blaming Americans and Israelis for Islamic terrorism.
-said that without the Internet “we would already be a fascist state.”
– said that her son “died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana”.
Based on these maybe Matthews would want to reconsider? Well, probably not.
You forgot to mention her statement that we should not have invaded Afghanistan. It was utterly amazing and disgusting all in the same breath. Matthews is pandering for an audience, any audience. His ratings suck. Everyone outside of Fox News Channel are trying the “Lou Dobbs” approach of appealing to the angry left, essentially an anti-Fox strategy. Matthews, and most other MSNBC programs, try it out from time to time with results like the program we saw with Cindy. Not pretty, not pretty at all.
Cindy Sheehan, has revealed the true beliefs of the left. That theirs is the only way. Anyone who thinks differently is a danger to their aims. She explains how our form of government is wrong (I think she would prefer communism), thinks America should not spread peace and democracy and innocent people should be sent to Iraq to die, because he son, who volunteered for service, died in a cause she does not agree with. I feel we should take up a collection and sent Cindy one way to the communist country of her choice. Matthews says spin stops here on his show. I stopped watching Hardball about six months ago, when I could no longer stand the pandering to the left. I don’t miss it.
Our foreign policy in the middle East is based on the state of Israel, not the oil or freedom of the people. United States and Israel must get out of the middle East. After World War 1 England insisted that the Jews settle in Uganda, Africa, but gave in to the Zionist Economic power that took land away from the Palestinians and make their settlement there. President Nixon when asked “what will happen to Israel?” with his both hand he jested “two thumbs down”.
Leopold Stotch, you are incredibly rude and unfeeling when it comes to the issue of Cindy Sheehan. Why say things like, “asking her difficult questions with tough follow-ups would be the journalistic equivalent of picking a fight with a retarded kid.”??? That is totally uncalled for, especially after what she’s been through.
Who died and left you critic of the political world???
May God Bless and support Cindy Sheehan for her efforts to end the war in Iraq, a war in which a clear majority of Americans no longer want continued.
I’m amazed at how cold hearted conservatives have been toward a grieving mother who simply wants to protest this war.
Pam & Rog’s heartfelt missives have opened my eyes! I’m going to change my affiliation to Democrat today!
Isn’t it just dandy when leftists invoke God? Nice touch there Rog (if that is your real name).
She doesn’t have the high ground. Face it, this is going to fail, just as everything else has so far. No one in this administration should be concerned about the polls and I truly believe that they aren’t concerned. I would have serious doubts that anyone could convincingly argue that President Bush is trying to build a legacy, unlike his predecessor.
Cindy will give you a little ammo in the 2006 race, but as it has been stated here and elsewhere, this is going to do more damage to the Democrats and leftists in the long run, than any short-term gains achieved.
Ms. Sheehan has every right to grieve for her lost son and to exercise her constitutionally afforded freedom of speech to protest the war. It doesn’t make her any more informed or insightful. As an adult, her son made a choice to exercise his rights and join an all volunteer organization that then resulted in his going to war and ultimately dying. She and her now estranged husband do deserve credit for having raised a patriot. She only does him a disservice by saying that he was wrong in the choices he made.
While Ms. Sheehan did experience a loss, it was her son who chose to put his life in jeopardy through his service to his country. Therefore, the sacrifice was his, not hers.
You ought to read what Cindy really said before commenting. She did say Afghanistan should not have been attacked as the country of Afghanistan did not attack the USA. Yes, your President did say something about going after countries who harbour terrorists, didn’t he? And by the way, The USA harbours terrorists. Did you know that?
Anyway the rabid right are at it again – they are the ones in power, the ones who control the media but as soon as anything is reported that they don’t want to hear the media, ALL of the media is liberal, communist, America-hating. What are these conservatives so afraid of to get so hysterical over a woman who is figure-heading a new peace movement? Is it the fact that the majority of people are actually decent people who don’t like unnecessary wars, who are sick of the lies, thievery and the machinations of a group of gangsters who took over their country?
Perhaps America is really waking and this is what scares the conservative ghouls
(British expat)