President Who-Gives-a-Shit (Part 2):
All around Left Blogsylvania you can read articles about Cindy Sheehan, the mother of Casey Sheehan, a soldier who died in Iraq, fighting in Sadr City back in April 2004, shot in the head. Cindy Sheehan has become one of the leading voices of families of soldiers opposing the war. She now sits a few miles outside of President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, along with other anti-war protesters, waiting to speak to her son's Commander-in-Chief, to tell him to bring the soldiers home. She wants to speak directly to Bush, not to his lackeys and handlers. Cindy Sheehan's nation didn't elect Stephen Hadley, the National Security Adviser, who did talk to Sheehan for 45 minutes this week. No, Bush is the President of citizens of a republic and, as such, in an ideal republic, is merely the equal of each and every one of those citizens. She has met with Bush before and came away from the occasion sickened by it.

All over Right Blogsylvania, the creeping nutzoids are looking for any way to attack and discredit Cindy Sheehan, for, like for so many non-violent protesters before her, the reaction to her silent disobedience shows the true face of those who oppose and wish to silence her.

Let us ponder for a moment the sensibility of a man, our President, who refuses to give Cindy Sheehan the time of day. Trent Duffy, speaking to the sweaty press in Crawford, declared that Bush met with her in July 2004, "and he was glad to meet with her at that time," as if Cindy Sheehan had her one shot and the President doesn't need to give the time of day to her anymore. Maybe if she donated $100,000 to the Republican National Committee, he'd find some more time.

Public relations-wise, this is an easy one, isn't it? If you're the President, you meet with Sheehan. You invite her in. You give her some lemonade. You listen. You say you're sorry. And then you let her go back out. PR problem over, no? Fuck, while she's talkin', you can have monkeys dancin' in your head. But doesn't this seem like a no-brainer?

Unless, of course, you don't give a shit. Unless, of course, you think of yourself as unquestionably right and, frankly, you couldn't give a happy monkey fuck what the opposition says. And, of course, Bush doesn't.

So often symbols of protest are created by the power of the opposition. Right now, Bush is making Cindy Sheehan into a more powerful figure than he could ever imagine. Than he could ever wish for himself. In the end, if Sheehan indeed becomes a new Rosa Parks, then, like the war itself, the President will only have himself to blame.