After Sheehan hung up on him, Conan talked to Gary Qualls, another parent who has lost a son in Iraq, who is now conducting a counter-demonstration in Crawford. Qualls described how, several weeks ago, he called Sheehan to talk about her protest. As Qualls told the story, Sheehan cut off their conversation and hung up on him, in a way similar to the way she had just hung up on Conan.
Conan moved on to Christine Dybevik, whose Marine son died in Iraq. Conan asked her if she questioned the war. No, said Dybevik, who has not taken part in any demonstrations. “My son joined the Marine Corps. He wasn’t drafted. It’s an all-volunteer military. I raised my son to be independent…To question his decision would be to question how I raised him.”
Conan asked about Cindy Sheehan. “She has a right to speak out,” Dybevik said. She does not have the right to stand on my son’s grave to make her point.”
Finally, Conan moved on to Sharon Westbrook, whose son was also a Marine in Iraq. She said her son had long wanted to join the military, especially after the terrorist attacks of September 11. In 2003, he did. “He called me the day that Bush said we were going to war and he said he was headed to the recruiting office,” Westbrook said. “He left for boot camp in November 2003. I have to say it was probably one of the greatest things to see, the transformation…In three short months he changed so much. He was absolutely the proudest I had ever seen him. Of himself — it wasn’t just us proud of him. He was completely content with his decision.”
Conan asked whether Westbrook questioned the war. “I do not question it,” she said. “I think other countries deserve the rights that we have, and I think if we’re able to go and help those countries get those rights, I think it’s a good thing.”
Cindy Sheehan did not return to the program.