At Fey's funeral, his brother, Ryan, told hundreds of mourners, "I have so much anger for the politicians in Washington. [Their policies] sent my brother on a second tour of Iraq after I thought he'd done his part in the initial invasion."
Pawlenty, who will attend a second soldier's funeral later this week, urged Bush to keep making the case that much good has been accomplished in Iraq.
"But, at the same time, it's a mess. You've got people there who, based on religious backgrounds, hate each other. They've got all kinds of agendas and sub-agendas, and I think it's confusing to Americans because they don't understand why Iraqis don't like us. They don't get it," the governor said.
"They're starting to ask this question, 'Is this thing really going to work?' "
Laura Hemler, a mother of three in the politically crucial Minneapolis suburb of Edina, said her neighbors are growing uneasy about Iraq. Hemler, cochairwoman of Bush's campaign in the state's most populous and wealthiest county, Hennepin, said suburban women once comforted by Bush's fight against terrorism may have second thoughts if he doesn't adequately explain his goals in Iraq. She said Bush did a good job explaining himself during Tuesday's prime-time news conference.
Pawlenty said he strongly supports Bush's policy in Iraq and believes the president's news conference should allay some concerns.
"I think the message was good," he said yesterday. "He reiterated the challenge and opportunities and the importance of the mission. For the people who were willing to listen, I thought he was right on the mark." But questions persist. Several undecided voters in this key state -- Democrat Al Gore narrowly won Minnesota in 2000 -- said they're troubled by events in Iraq.
Amanda Svobodny, a suburban mother who voted for Bush in 2000, said she regrets her choice.
"I'm going to vote Democrat in this election," said the Maple Grove, Minn., resident. "I don't think we were ever made aware of what's going on in Iraq. His administration has not told the truth."
