posted on September 17, 2004 06:59:47 AM new
I dont think that the father showed much discretion taking his three year old daughter to a rally with a Bush sign that he knew would inflame the crowd.
Young Bush backer gets new sign
By BRYAN CHAMBERS - The Herald-Dispatch
BARBOURSVILLE -- A 3-year-old girl who had a Bush-Cheney campaign sign yanked from her hands and ripped into pieces last week during a Democratic rally got a brand new sign Wednesday, courtesy of the president.
Jeff Gentner/The Herald-Dispatch
Sophia Parlock, 3, of Barboursville holds an autographed photo of President Bush and his dog, Barney, that she received Wednesday in a package from the White House.
Sophia Parlock opened a package from the White House at her Barboursville home to find a signed campaign poster, along with an autographed picture of President Bush and his dog, Barney.
Included in the package was a note from Bush thanking Sophia for supporting his campaign.
"I understand someone tore up your sign. So I am sending you a new sign and signed picture. Please give my best to your family. Sincerely, George W. Bush," the note read.
"This is not going to any rally, friend or foe," Phil Parlock, Sophia’s father, said after helping his daughter open the package. The incident that sparked national media attention occurred Sept. 16 at Tri-State Airport during Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards’ campaign stop.
In the crowd were Phil Parlock; Sophia; Philip Parlock II, 21; and Alex Parlock, 11.
The family held Bush-Cheney signs as Edwards greeted about 200 supporters. Parlock said someone took the Bush-Cheney sign from Sophia’s hands and destroyed it, causing her to cry.
Her emotion was caught by The Herald-Dispatch photographer Randy Snyder, who was working on a free-lance assignment for The Associated Press.
By Friday, the photo was on the Internet. Conservative talk radio shows across the country interviewed Parlock, while several Democratic-oriented Web sites questioned whether Phil Parlock staged the event. Some of the Web sites even suggested that Parlock’s own son was the sign grabber.
Parlock vehemently denies those claims.
"One of the biggest criticisms that I’ve received is the fact that I show up at these rallies consistently to support my candidate. Do my First Amendment rights stop when my opponents are intolerant of my opposition?" Phil Parlock said. "More importantly, I’m offended that I have to defend myself against people who try to discredit me for the sole purpose of killing this story."
Phil Parlock said he didn’t expect anything from Bush, let alone the dozens of campaign signs, stuffed animals and letters Sophia has gotten in the mail.
"It’s very nice, but we already know the president’s feelings," he said. "Unbeknownst to him, Sophia gave him a hug (at Bush’s rally in Huntington two weeks ago). He said ‘Thank you.’ "
