Schieffer on Sheehan: "I Wonder Why” Bush “Doesn't Meet with Her?"

The CBS Evening News on Wednesday devoted a second segment to promoting the vigil of Bush-hater Cindy Sheehan. Bill Plante noted the obvious as he provided more publicity: “She's gotten a lot of media attention by camping out on the road that leads to the President's ranch.” He pointed out that she “understands that it's very difficult for the White House to dismiss anyone in her position” and touted how “she also knows she's not alone. One recent poll shows that one out of three people now say it's time to bring all the troops home." Anchor Bob Schieffer ridiculously asked: "I wonder why the President doesn't meet with her." Plante replied that “you'd think it would be an easy thing to do,” but noted that would lead to him having to “meet with a lot of people.” Plante did point out that Sheehan did meet Bush last year, but “she says that wasn't a satisfying meeting." Plante didn’t note her praise then for Bush.

Full August 11 CyberAlert item follows. For today's MRC CyberAlert, click here.

Other items in today's CyberAlert:

> Approaches from Right on Anti-Roberts Ad, “Un-Reaganesque” Pork
> Limbaugh Cites NewsBusters Blog, FNC Highlights Totenberg Quotes
> Letterman's “Top Ten Strategies of Saddam Hussein's Attorneys”

Now, the rest of the above-summarized lead August 11 CyberAlert item:

As recounted in the August 10 CyberAlert, on June 24, 2004 The Reporter newspaper in Vacaville, California quoted Sheehan after a meeting with President Bush: "I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis...I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith." For more on that see the link inside the August 10 CyberAlert which is linked below.

The August 9 CyberAlert, see paragraph below, reported how Saturday’s CBS Evening News dedicated a story to Sheehan’s protest.

Two previous CyberAlert items on how the networks have trumpeted Sheehan’s cause:

# August 9 CyberAlert: The broadcast networks and CNN on Monday morning trumpeted the vigil outside of President Bush's Texas ranch by a virulent Bush-hater, but didn't really fully convey her hatred. NBC's Katie Couric showcased her at the top of Today: "And a mother's vigil. Her son died in Iraq. Now this woman is camping outside the Bushes' Texas ranch and demanding a meeting with the President today, Monday, August 8th, 2005." On CBS's Early Show, news reader Julie Chen snidely played off of Bush's vacation: "President Bush may be on vacation in Crawford, Texas, but one mom wants to make sure he doesn't forget there's a war going on in Iraq." On Saturday, CBS anchor Thalia Assuras had noted how "while President Bush has heralded the sacrifice of the fallen, his words were met with anger today." That story featured Cindy Sheehan's accusation: "I'm never going to be able to enjoy another vacation because he killed my oldest son." See:

# August 10 CyberAlert: Over video of Bush-hater Cindy Sheehan yelling at a Sheriff’s deputy near Bush’s Texas ranch, Charles Gibson opened Tuesday’s Good Morning America by touting: "Standing her ground. She lost her son in Iraq, she opposes the war, now she's camped out at President Bush's ranch and says she won't leave until he meets with her. An exclusive interview on Good Morning America." Gibson at least forced her to react to a parent who wants the U.S. to complete the mission in Iraq and raised how she already had a meeting with President Bush, though he didn’t point out how at the time, in June of 2004, she praised Bush. See:

Schieffer set up the August 10 CBS Evening News piece: "President Bush is headquartering this month at his ranch in Texas, and Bill Plante is there tonight. Bill, I understand the Secretary of Defense is coming down there tomorrow. Are we going to see some sort of a strategy session? Is there any kind of change in policy coming?"

Plante checked in from Crawford: "I don't think so, Bob. I think what you're likely to see is more of a coping strategy session. With the President's ratings continuing to drop, as the casualties in Iraq continue to rise, some of the President's closest allies outside the administration are grumbling very publicly about Defense Secretary Rumsfeld wondering whether he has an actual plan for getting out of Iraq. The insurgency continues, Iraqis are facing a deadline of Monday to write a new constitution, and U.S. officials tell me that they think that's going to slip at least by a little bit. Bob?"

Schieffer: "And at the same time, we had this mother of a soldier who was killed in Iraq sort of camping out there down in Crawford. What's that all about, Bill?"

Plante: "Well, Bob, Cindy Sheehan lost her son last year in Iraq, and she now wants the President to withdraw all the troops from Iraq. She's gotten a lot of media attention by camping out on the road that leads to the President's ranch. She knows that the President isn't likely to meet with her, but she also understands that it's very difficult for the White House to dismiss anyone in her position. And she also knows she's not alone. One recent poll shows that one out of three people now say it's time to bring all the troops home."

Schieffer: "I wonder why the President doesn't meet with her."

Plante: "Well, you'd think it would be an easy thing to do, but I think they fear that he would meet with a lot of people. They say he did meet with her once at Fort Lewis with other families. She says that wasn't a satisfying meeting."