Saturday, August 27, 2005

The Sheehan PR Machine

The ABC News affiliate station in San Francisco reported on the public relations campaign behind Cindy Sheehan's anti-war protest and the funding sources that support both Sheehan and some of those who oppose her.

Cindy Sheehan kneels before a cross with her son's name on it, touches his picture, wipes her tears. It's an outpouring of emotion that is part of a scheduled news event organized daily for the television, radio and print reporters who crowd in to capture a mother's grief.

CNN reported that there never seems to be more than about 200 people with Mrs. Sheehan in Crawford. Some are PR professionals, of course, and none are leading Democrats.

It's time to end this sad spectacle. Enough really is enough.

9 Comments:

Blogger MaxedOutMama said...

This sorry spectacle is shortly to be complemented by the George Galloway/Jane Fonda tour.

It's like a war against the Democratic party.

8:06 AM, August 27, 2005  
Blogger Ms. Lori said...

"It's time to end this sad spectacle. Enough really is enough."

I agree. We've spent way too much money and lost too many lives to this outrageous "war."

Oh, wait, you're talking about Sheehan, right? ;-)

8:59 AM, August 27, 2005  
Blogger carla said...

Mrs Lori..ass kick of the day!

Sheehan has multiple requests for interviews and people constantly trying to get access to her. So she has people running interference for her and this is a bad thing.

Bush has dozens of PR people that he uses to dodge dissentors (at taxpayer expense). But the "spectacle" is Cindy Sheehan.

Up is down. Down is up.

12:29 PM, August 27, 2005  
Blogger Dee Jour said...

What I find perplexing about this is that all of a sudden one person is utilised by the media and there are a thousand more parents who have lost a child in Iraq. What of them?

Why is it that the media chooses one person, after such a lengthy period of time, to focus on? I don't understand these things at all, and it's hypocricitcal, which is why I don't like the media much.

But the other thing that got me thinking was the fact of George W Bush's privacy being invaded (or semi-invaded) because one person has decided to hoist all the blame on his shoulders when the other reality is that he isn't the sole architect of the war in Iraq. He is the public face, the mouth piece, yes, but to camp outside his ranch, in some way state that he's 'responsible' is a heavy load. So yes, I agree that the media frenzy is a bit too much, that it doesn't really serve a purpose, but to highlight 'one' person's mourning or rather, place one person's mourning on a pedestal when there are plenty of others who equally mourn.

Death, in a warzone, is death, I don't see why a person's death as a mechanic is more significant than the death of a soldier in the front lines.

A warzone is chaos, Iraq is no different and all those considered enemy are targets regardless of their status.

In some way, the media is as fickle as the chaos of war. They dance to the same erratic rhythm but the media is more deceptive I guess. I mean, with Jane Fonda's recent 'stance' on Iraq being quoted in newspapers (coincidentally, after the release of her biography). Will she (and the media) tar soldiers with reformatted comments of them being 'civilian' killers' or will they use the more effective term 'baby killer'?

I don't like the media, and I don't really like celebrities. They're all whores.

12:05 AM, August 28, 2005  
Blogger Tom Carter said...

Ms. Lori and Carla, you're trying to change the subject. The Sheehan spectacle has become just another orchestrated liberal attack against the President, however it may have begun. The conservative response is beginning to look the same way. And perhaps the best non sequitur of the day is to try to defend the PR manipulation of these protesters by observing that, well, the President of the United States has press people and PR people, too. Really?

L'etranger, I'm pretty much with you on most media people and politico-celebrities. Whores all.

10:03 AM, August 28, 2005  
Blogger carla said...

Ms. Lori and Carla, you're trying to change the subject. The Sheehan spectacle has become just another orchestrated liberal attack against the President, however it may have begun.

Bullshit, Tom. Cindy Sheehan isn't conducting a coordinated attack against the President. None of those surrounding her are doing it either. They're attacking his POLICY. They are asking legitimate questions about the President's statements on the "noble cause" and "what we are fighting for".


The conservative response is beginning to look the same way. And perhaps the best non sequitur of the day is to try to defend the PR manipulation of these protesters by observing that, well, the President of the United States has press people and PR people, too. Really?

The conservatives haven't responded to Sheehan. They've attacked her PERSONALLY. They've dug into her personal and family life. This is the fundamental difference between the two sides. One is about policy. The other is about smearing the person questioning the policy.

You're much too smart for this Tom. I know you understand the difference. And as with John Kerry..you choose to buy into the personal attack while fundamentally ignoring the policy issues.

This is more than "Cindy Sheehan has a right to say what she says". She has a RESPONSIBILITY. She truely believes this war is a mistake. She truely believes that the POTUS owes the American people an explanation of what exactly we're fighting for..since the reasons we've been given so far don't exist.

1:40 PM, August 28, 2005  
Blogger carla said...

But the other thing that got me thinking was the fact of George W Bush's privacy being invaded (or semi-invaded) because one person has decided to hoist all the blame on his shoulders when the other reality is that he isn't the sole architect of the war in Iraq. He is the public face, the mouth piece, yes, but to camp outside his ranch, in some way state that he's 'responsible' is a heavy load. So yes, I agree that the media frenzy is a bit too much, that it doesn't really serve a purpose, but to highlight 'one' person's mourning or rather, place one person's mourning on a pedestal when there are plenty of others who equally mourn.

George W. Bush's privacy is completely intact. He hasn't met with Sheehan nor has she been on his property.

Bush is indeed the face of the war in Iraq. He's the President. Whether or not he's the actual architect is really meaningless. He's the one going on TV defending it. And ultimately it's his responsibility. He was elected by just over half of the people of this country do take that responsibility. The buck is supposed to stop with him.

And you're doing to Sheehan exactly what you say is being done to Bush. You're putting sole responsibility for the entire dissent of parents who've lost loved ones in Iraq. She certainly isn't the only one who feels this way. There are many others who've lost loved ones there with her..echoing her sentiments. But Sheehan put herself out there first..so she's the face.

1:45 PM, August 28, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And perhaps the best non sequitur of the day is to try to defend the PR manipulation of these protesters by observing that, well, the President of the United States has press people and PR people, too. Really?

What does that say about those who, knowing that both sides do it, only bring up one side for ridicule?

8:22 PM, August 28, 2005  
Blogger Esther said...

Actually George Bush has met with Sheehan. She's asking for a second meeting with him not a first. There's even pictures of the first, with him kissing her on the cheek.

Bullshit, Tom. Cindy Sheehan isn't conducting a coordinated attack against the President.

You claim it was against his policy. Didn't she call Bush a liar though? That sounds more personal than policy to me.

10:15 PM, August 28, 2005  

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