Dinner with Rumsfeld

Good first-person story in Salon (day pass or subscription possibly required) by a 9/11 widow who attended a cheesy Bush administation dinner two years after the towers fell. She got seated at Rumsfeld's table, who is talking about the pride he has in "his men" fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan:

"What do you think, Marian?" Rumsfeld says, looking at me, his blue eyes small and sharp behind his glasses.

"Me?" I feel Lee kick me under the table. I know he doesn't want me to answer. "You don't want to know what I think," I say, smiling, reminding myself that I am here for Lee and John. Lee seems pleased with my response, but Rumsfeld persists.

"No. I am curious," he continues. I look over at Lee who must be squirming as much as I am. I swallow my bite of fish.

"I think this administration used the death of my husband to go into a country we have no business being in," I say, stopping myself from saying more. A long uncomfortable silence lands in the center of the table.