Peggo and Paul Meet with Troop Supporters

It's good to see that Rep. Hodes has decided to meet with folks from both sides of the spectrum on Iraq, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why Peggo Hodes (who I don't remember ever standing for office) would have the temerity to think that she was the "focus" of their "blame."

"I'm not here to be a focus of your blame," she said during the discussion

Nor can I understand why her feelings regarding the how the war is going could possibly matter?

After being interrupted, she said, "I don't want 3,000 more people to die for a war that can't be won."

I mean, yes, Rep. Hodes has certainly now had the advantage of expert counsel at the top secret level, but I would certainly hope he hasn't divulged any of that information to his wife, who I can only assume has not recieved top secret security clearance nor a sound foreign policy or military education during her career as a kiddie pop star.

Aside from my thoughts regarding the incredibly absurd notion of Peggo Hodes having this sort of discussion with any military mother while her own son is busy learning how to be a musician at Berklee where, if his facebook friends are any indication, he's enjoying a life dressing up in bikini's and pretending to receive fellatio from our nation's bygone leaders. I can't help but question Mr Hodes sincerity when he said his vote wasn't political. Why else would he vote for a bill bought and paid for with pork that won't remove our troops from "an unwinnable war" till only a month prior to the next election?

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Hodes chastised for supporting Iraq pullout
By MICHAEL COUSINEAU
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff

CONCORD – Family members of troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan poured out their anger and frustration at U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes yesterday, punctuated by emotional exchanges that illustrated the wars' divide on the homefront.

One woman stormed out of the session; several questioned Hodes' commitment to the troops while supporting a troop pullout deadline; and another woman chided the congressman's wife for picking up a pen to write down her e-mail address.

"My son will never come home," an angry Natalie Healy said of her son, Dan, who was killed in Afghanistan in June 2005. "He would be horrified and ashamed of this country for what it has done to the troops. You can take that back to Congress and tell every single one of those men and women."

Hodes last month joined a majority in the House backing an Iraq spending bill that set a timeline for a troop withdrawal and also included non-war related spending items that some said were needed to get the bill passed.

When Gerry Duncan of Nashua asked Hodes whether the bill would have passed if the non-war items weren't included, Hodes hesitated and said, "I don't know."

"I'm done," declared an angered Duncan, whose husband, Col. Richard Duncan, chief of staff of the New Hampshire Army National Guard, was injured in Afghanistan. She then walked out.
Sue Peterson of Weare, whose son Alex is a member of the 3643rd Security Force in the Army National Guard now in Iraq, said mixing money for the war with farm and other products was a disservice to the troops.

"I am so outraged and I'm trying to be calm listening to everybody," she said. But lumping everything into one bill was to "compare Alex and all the other soldiers to milk, peanuts, fish and spinach."

Family members frequently interrupted Hodes, first asking a question, then interrupting while he tried to deliver an answer.

"I haven't gotten to finish a single sentence yet," he said more than 15 minutes into the meeting.
When Hodes started talking about military health-care facilities, Robert Hodges of Wolfeboro interrupted.

"Don't try to divert us to another area," he said, telling Hodes he had two sons serving in Iraq, Andrew and Danny, the latter suffering a concussion while serving with the 94th Military Police.
"To have you people pull the rug from under them is unconscionable," he said.

The 11-member group represented the first group of family members to request a formal meeting with Hodes, who took office in January.

"I think there are no good options," Hodes said of America's future role in Iraq. "I think that unfortunately --"

"I think winning is," Healy said, drawing applause.
She asked what was the alternative.

"Can we sit by and watch the bloodbath after we pull out? Can we do that as a country?" asked Healy. "The fact of the matter is we've gone into this country. It is now in disarray, and it would be dishonorable of us to leave it as is and leave it to the wolves."

During the hour-long meeting that lasted twice the scheduled length, the congressman's wife, Peggo, asked the group how America could win the war.

"I'm not here to be a focus of your blame," she said during the discussion, which often had multiple people talking at once. After being interrupted, she said, "I don't want 3,000 more people to die for a war that can't be won."

When Mrs. Hodes held pen and paper, one member accused her of trying to quiz the group. She said she was only writing her e-mail address to pass along.

The congressman said he had attended military briefings at "the highest level" and "the military believes that ultimately a political situation, a diplomatic solution, is going to be what's required in order to make the kind of progress we want to make."

Gail Giarrusso, whose nephew served two tours in Iraq, wants Congress to unite behind the troops.

"While they're serving this nation in harm's way 24-7, you get to take vacations," the Stratham woman said. "You should be in Washington until this is resolved, until they have the support that they deserve while they're at war. You should not be paid until this is resolved."
Hodes dismissed talk of playing politics with the war. "For me, this isn't about politics," he said.
Nearing the end of the session, Hodes looked to get in a few sentences. "I've let you folks shout at me for nearly an hour," he said.

Afterward, Healy called the session "very rewarding for everybody," Hodes said he was "moved and touched" by what he heard.