George Bush — Again — Meets With Families Who Have Lost Someone In Combat

by John Hawkins | June 17, 2004 8:34 pm

The left will tries to portray George W. Bush as a vicious warmonger who would happily send American soldiers to die in Iraq just to fatten his business buddies bottom line. But, anyone who takes the time to look into what type of man[1] George W. Bush is, won’t believe that for a second. Heck, I don’t see how anyone but a partisan hack could believe that after reading this story[2]…

“…. (W)hen the (Ron Ginther) was killed by mortar fire last month, Donna Ginther worried how she would carry on without her husband. She was terrified her daughter would grow up to be a different adult without Ginther to lead the way.

Donna Ginther told President George W. Bush about her fears Wednesday when he met with families of fallen servicemen following a speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

“When I told him that, he pressed his forehead against mine and said, `You can do it, and we’ll all help you through it,”‘ she said.

Donna Ginther took his words to heart.

“It wasn’t something he was saying to make me feel better. Like trying to pacify me and walk away and forget it,” she said. “He wasn’t afraid to touch you. It wasn’t like he was better than us. He kissed us. He cried with us. When I was crying, he cried.”

Ron Payne of Lakeland was just as taken with Bush.

Payne lost his son, 23-year-old Ron Payne, last month during an ambush in Afghanistan.

Payne saw a sensitive president when Bush tried to comfort a distraught father during his meeting with grieving families.

“President Bush just kept hugging him and hugging him,” Payne said. “He came across as very personable, a caring man. I didn’t see any politics in any of this. I was very, very impressed.” Bush talked separately with each of the 10 families, going over the contributions of young men like the 6-foot-7 Ron Payne who played basketball for Mulberry High.

Bush posed for pictures and signed autographs. Payne gave him a photo of his son, and Bush took it with him. The president said he was going to put it in his library.

“He was very compassionate with everyone,” Payne said. “He said, `I want to cry with you, laugh with you. Take as much time as you need. We’ll shed tears. If you want to, laugh. I’m here for you.”

Lakeland’s Kathy Seymour, Ron Payne’s mother, was overwhelmed by Bush’s gesture of support.

The mother had gone to Tampa not knowing what she might say, admitting beforehand that she was torn about the role of American military in the Middle East.

“He (Bush) just hugged me, patted me on the back and told me to hang in there. And said he was sorry for my loss . . .,” Seymour said. “A lot of the mothers cried. And wives, they cried. Nobody yelled. Nobody was angry. In fact it went really well.”

Seymour said she was touched by Bush’s sincerity, concern and sympathy. And his teary eyes.

“I feel a little bit better now,” she said.

Bush also managed to lighten Donna Ginther’s burden.

He did it by not only offering help but by making her daughter happy.

President Bush made his way over to Alayna and…said he hoped she had a happy birthday.

After listening to President Bush talk about fighting terrorists on their turf, Donna Ginther said she better understood why her husband was so determined to go to Iraq because he also thought it might prevent another 9/11.

“She (Alayna) was telling me on the way home, `I’m so proud of Daddy,” and I said, `Yes, he’s a hero,” Donna Ginther said. “And she said, `I’m proud of him because he let us meet the president.’

“I said, `He sent (Bush) right to us, and she said, `He knew we needed somebody like him in our lives.’ And it’s true.”

I’m going to tell you something else too — this isn’t the first time Bush has met with the families of the fallen either, not by a long shot[3].

Remember that when the left tries to convince you of what a monster George W. Bush is…

Hat tip to Betsy’s Page[4] for finding this story.

Endnotes:
  1. type of man: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/category.php?ent=2003
  2. this story: http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040617/NEWS/406170396/1004
  3. not by a long shot: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/archives/week_2004_04_25.PHP#001976
  4. Betsy’s Page: http://betsyspage.blogspot.com/2004/06/read-this-story-and-then-put-to-rest.html

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