SO THERE WAS NO COLLUSION.
>> YES.
SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU THERE.
KAREN, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
WILLING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY ABOUT
YOUR SON’S DEATH AND THE AIRAQ
WAR AND YOU HAVE BEEN PUBLIC IN
YOUR GRIEF AND FEELINGS OF THE
CAUSE THAT HE LOST HIS LIFE FOR
A LONG TIME.
YOU HAVE BEEN WILLING TO TALK
ABOUT YOUR SON THROUGH DIFFERENT
PRESIDENCIES.
I WONDER IF YOU AND OTHER GOLD
STAR FAMILIES, IF IS A DIFFERENT
CALCULATION OR A DIFFERENT SORT
OF BALANCE RISK AND POTENTIAL
BENEFIT, THE PRESIDENT HAS SHOWN
NO COMPUNCTION AT ALL ABOUT
ATTACKING GOLD STAR PARENTS AND
THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO
DIED IN SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY
AND ATTACKING THOSE WHO HAVE
DIED OR WOUNDED THEMSELVES.
DOES IT CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK
ABOUT WHETHER IS SAFE TO SPEAK
OUT?
>> AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, KEN
WAS MY ONLY CHILD.
I ALREADY HAD THE WORST DAY OF
MY LIFE.
NOBODY ELSE CAN SAY ANYTHING AS
BAD AS WHAT HAPPENED ON MAY
30th, 2004.
I KNOW THE OTHER GOLD STAR
FAMILIES I WORK WITH FEEL THE
SAME WAY.
NOT ALL GOLD STAR FAMILIES -- I
AM NOT SPEAKING FOR ALL GOLD
STAR FAMILIES, JUST FOR SOME.
BUT, THIS PRESIDENCY IS
DIFFERENT BECAUSE HE DOES NOT
SEEM TO HAVE A CONCEPT OF
SERVICE.
THE BUSH FAMILY, THEIR FAMILY
SERVED IN POLITICS AND THE
MILITARY.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, HE HAS
BEEN SERVING STARTING OUT AS A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER SO HE KNOWS
WHAT SERVING MEANS AND
SACRIFICING.
THE MILITARY COULD GET MORE PAY
ON THE OUTSIDE AND BE IN
GOVERNMENT SERVICE GENERALLY YOU
CAN GET PAID MORE, TOO.
THAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE
THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION, I AM
NOT SURE WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS
WHAT SERVICE AND SACRIFICE MEANS.
>> GOLD STAR MOTHER KAREN
MEREDITH JOINS US, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
