Cindy Sheehan

Far From Washington, White House Stays on Message During Slow Media Cycles
By CHRISTOPHER COOPER
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
August 10, 2005; Page A4

Sweltering in August and swarming with grasshoppers, the Prairie Chapel ranch in Crawford, Texas, isn't everyone's idea of paradise. But a captive press corps and a slow summer news cycle are allowing President Bush to use the Crawford backdrop to push his agenda, far from the distractions of Washington.

Operating from the base his aides call the "Western White House," Mr. Bush devoted last week to touting his legislative success in pushing a Central American trade agreement through Congress as well as a bankruptcy overhaul bill. On Monday, Mr. Bush extolled the administration-backed energy bill. Yesterday he praised highlights of the economy, and today he will speak about the recently passed highway bill. Tomorrow, with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at his side, Mr. Bush will talk up what he views as progress in Iraq before reporters at the ranch.

The New York Times
August 10, 2005
By MAUREEN DOWD
WASHINGTON

W. can't get no satisfaction on Iraq.

There's an angry mother of a dead soldier camping outside his Crawford ranch, demanding to see a president who prefers his sympathy to be carefully choreographed.

A new CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll shows that a majority of Americans now think that going to war was a mistake and that the war has made the U.S. more vulnerable to terrorism. So fighting them there means it's more likely we'll have to fight them here?

Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged yesterday that sophisticated bombs were streaming over the border from Iran to Iraq.

CNN AMERICAN MORNING 7:00 AM EST
Monday, August 8, 2005

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq is demanding answers from the commander in chief. She wants U.S. troops to come home and she's holding a vigil at President Bush's Texas ranch to make her point. Here's Elaine Quijano.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Her name is Cindy Sheehan and she is one voice in the emotional debate over the Iraq War.

CINDY SHEEHAN, ARMY SPECIALIST CASEY SHEEHAN'S MOTHER: I'm a mom. My heart was broken on April 4th when my son was killed.

http://198.65.14.85/News/2005/31-40/31news02.htm

and

http://198.65.14.85/News/2005/31-40/32news09.htm

CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER 12:00 PM EST
Sunday, August 7, 2005 Sunday

BLITZER: Welcome back.

The war in Iraq has claimed more than 1,800 U.S. service men and women. One mother who lost her son in Iraq is protesting outside of the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Cindy Sheehan's son Casey was killed in Baghdad's Sadr City in April 2004. She's a founder of Gold Star Families, joining us now live from Crawford, Texas.

Our deepest condolences to you, Cindy Sheehan, on the loss of your son.

Talk a little bit about Casey and the circumstances surrounding his death.

August 10, 2005
Contact: Ryan Fletcher 202-641-0277
Dante Zappala 215-520-7040

Gold Star and Military Families Arrive in Crawford, Texas
Call on President Bush to Meet with Cindy Sheehan and All of the Families,
And to Bring The Troops Home Now!

CRAWFORD, TX - Members of Gold Star Families for Peace and Military
Families Speak Out are beginning to arrive in Crawford, Texas to add their
voices to Cindy Sheehan's, calling for a meeting with President Bush and
for troops to be brought home now.

The following Gold Star and Military Families Speak Out members are
available for interview:

Here.

Institute for Public Accuracy
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
___________________________________________________

PM Wednesday, August 10, 2005

* Military Families Gathering in Crawford
* Letter to Bush from Jailed Soldier's Wife
* Assessing Withdrawal of Troops from Iraq

CELESTE ZAPPALA, via Dante Zappala, zappala1@gmail.com, or
Ryan Fletcher, http://www.gsfp.org
Celeste Zappala's oldest son, Pennsylvania National Guardsman Sgt.
Sherwood Baker, was killed in Baghdad in April 2004 while helping with the

By Joe Trippi

I just got off of the phone with Jodie Evans, who is with Cindy in Crawford right now. They had 3 and a half inches of rain last night. The camp is flooded, all of their supplies are soaked. Even worse, Cindy is running a fever and has a sore throat.

They really need your help. We are trying to dig out anyone who can volunteer to go to the camp and bring them fresh materials - umbrellas, chairs, blankets, etc... They are having a terrible time acquiring these things on their own, so they really are depending on us to help them out quickly.

If anyone can do anything to help, please send an email to meetwithcindy@gmail.com - we can answer questions, give you directions, or send Cindy your thoughts.

By Dr. Trudy Bond

We hadn’t talked face to face for 23 years. We came together recently
when a small number of our local peace group scheduled a meeting with Ms.
Kaptur, representative from the state of Ohio, to discuss among other issues,
impeachment. Kaptur was presented with extensive materials on justification for
impeachment of the current president, materials that outlined the numerous laws
and treaties that have been broken by the current administration. (1) After
this presentation, seated to her left, I asked Ms. Kaptur for her thoughts on
impeachment. In perhaps the one direct, spontaneously honest comment by her

* Still Not Worth It by Cindy Sheehan

==========

What One Mom Has to Say to George Bush

by Mike Ferner

"That lying bastard, George Bush, is taking a five-week vacation in time of war," Cindy Sheehan told 200 cheering members of Veterans For Peace at their annual convention in Dallas last Friday evening. She then announced she would go to Bush s vacation home in nearby Crawford, Texas and camp out until he "tells me why my son died in Iraq. I've got the whole month of August off, and so does he."

Sheehan left the VFP meeting on Saturday morning and is now in Crawford with a couple dozen veterans and local peace activists, waiting for Bush to talk with her. She said in Dallas that if he sends anyone else to see her, as happened when national security adviser Steve Hadley and deputy White House chief of staff Joe Hagin did later that day, she would demand that "You get that maniac out here to talk with me in person."

Sun Times
August 10, 2005
BY CAROL MARIN SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

I keep thinking about that mother who is camped out somewhere near the end of President Bush's driveway in Crawford, Texas. Her name is Cindy Sheehan, and her 24-year-old son, Casey, is dead. He was a soldier, killed last year in the Iraq war.

Sheehan wants a face-to-face meeting with the president to tell him to stop saying that our continued commitment to this awful war "honors" the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for their country. Sheehan doesn't believe we honor anyone by putting new lives on the line. Not more of our own soldiers. Not those of the so-called "coalition forces." And not innocent Iraqi men, women and children for that matter either.

CODEPINK Women for Peace

August 10, 2005

Dear CODEPINK Supporter,

Many thanks to everyone who has so actively supported Cindy Sheehan's call to meet with President Bush in Crawford, Texas. We have been overwhelmed by the great response from CODEPINK Women from all over the country, many have traveled to Camp Casey a few miles from the Bush ranch.

Thank you for your generous donations of miles, food and supplies arriving daily at the Crawford Peace House (http://www.crawfordpeacehouse.org/) and for spreading the call that "George W SHOULD "MEET WITH CINDY!" Cindy's story has captured mainstream media attention throughout the country and the world, and the story is spreading far and wide. (CNN and Washington Post stories http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/06/bush.peace.mom.ap/ and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR200508070 0134.html?sub=new)

TomPaine.com
Alexandra Walker
August 10, 2005
The grieving mother who has become famous for her vigil outside President Bush's Texas ranch is reported to be feeling ill. Joe Trippi spoke with Cindy Sheehan this morning and says she's running a fever and her camp is soaked with rain. And she needs fresh supplies. With what Maureen Dowd calls the "absolute" moral authority of a mother who has lost her son to war, Sheehan's protest is giving voice to a question more and more Americans are—finally—asking: Why did we invade Iraq?

Matt Drudge and the conservative blogosphere are trying to discredit Sheehan by pointing to interviews from last year in which Sheehan sounded less critical of Bush and the war. Far from "smearing" Sheehan, these reports may well reinforce the role she has unwittingly assumed as spokesperson for ordinary Americans. Because, like Sheehan, ordinary Americans increasingly doubt Bush's intentions in Iraq. The latest Gallup poll finds that the percentage of Americans who believe that sending troops to Iraq was a "mistake" is at an all-time high of 54 percent. And the percentage who believe our nation is "less safe" from terrorism as a result of the war is also at record levels—57 percent. What's important is that many of these people supported the invasion originally. But—perhaps like Cindy Sheehan—they have changed their minds about the war in Iraq .

http://intoxination.ath.cx/cindy.wmv

By Jamie Holly

Catch the Guy James Show live from Camp Casey Saturday evening here.

"I'm going out on a limb and broadcasting the show live from Crawford Texas on Saturday. I'll have Cindy Sheehan and many others on the air with me. We'll do part of the show from the "Peace House" in Crawford and some from out at the "ranch".

"I want to get out lots of publicity for the actions of this very brave and resolved lady.

"We'll be doing the show at the regular time from 6 to 9pm eastern time on Saturday evening and we're expecting a very large audience.

Dear friends:

You may be aware that Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace - an organization made up of families who have lost family members to the Iraq war, is staging a one-woman protest outside President Bush's ranch while he vacations in Crawford, Texas. Cindy, whose 24 year-old son Casey died in Iraq, plans to camp outside until the President agrees to meet with her to discuss his reasons for the war.

Secretaries Rice and Rumsfeld will be in Crawford on Thursday to meet with the President. There has been speculation that the Administration may try to have Cindy and her growing number of supporters removed to avoid further embarrassment. Please take a moment to contact your local media in support of Cindy's witness.

By Amy Branham

Thank you, America!

This morning I sit at my keyboard in awe of the events of this past weekend. Cindy Sheehan's trip to Crawford to talk to President Bush started out as just a small idea Wednesday evening. None of us thought for even a minute that it would snowball into the media and historic event that it has now become. Cindy, Dede and I thought the journey would be made by the three of us and maybe some veterans from the Veterans for Peace convention we were attending.

Saturday morning we boarded the VFP Impeach Bush bus, along with a platoon of vets sent by VFP to go with us. A caravan of cars followed behind, filled with vets and others who had come to support us. The vets on that bus are some of the most inspiring, honorable and heroic men I have ever met. They inspired me and helped to heal my broken heart. These are people I had to explain nothing to because they know how I feel. They've been there. They've buried their buddies and seen the worst of humanity. I will forever have a warm spot in my heart for them.

Watch them here.
Credit: DriveDemocracy.org

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

IN AUSTIN - SUPPORT CINDY SHEEHAN'S COURAGEOUS VIGIL!

VIGIL AND PRESS CONFERENCE
Wednesday, August 10 at noon
Federal Building, 8th and San Jacinto

By now you probably already know about Cindy Sheehan's vigil outside George Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. Cindy's son Army Spc. Casey Sheehan was killed in Iraq in April 2004. Since then Cindy has been working to end the war and bring the troops home, telling her story and speaking out at every opportunity. This past Saturday she went to Crawford, marched as close to the president's ranch as the police would allow, and has not moved since. She is demanding that Bush meet with her and that be bring the troops home from Iraq now. Cindy is prepared to stay in Crawford until the president meets with her, or until he ends his vacation and returns to Washington, DC.

Direct from the drainage ditch, the intrepid protester says "Our spirits are great," but Bush "doesn't have enough courage to face someone who actually disagrees with him ..."

A BUZZFLASH INTERVIEW

Cindy Sheehan and others are at Bush's Crawford, Texas, vacation location, bringing a message to Bush that it's time to bring the troops home. She is a cofounder of Gold Star Families for Peace and the mother of Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, killed in Baghdad April 4, 2004.

Intrepid, courageous, and effective. Cindy Sheehan has brought the war against war to George Bush during his frustratingly insensitive 5-week-long vacation in Crawford, Texas. BuzzFlash emailed her today, and is happy to share her responses with our readers and the world.

A Report from the Vigil in Crawford.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Amy Branham

This morning I sit at my keyboard in awe of the events of this past weekend. Cindy Sheehan's trip to Crawford to talk to President Bush started out as just a small idea Wednesday evening. None of us thought for even a minute that it would snowball into the media and historic event that it has now become. Cindy, Dede and I thought the journey would be made by the three of us and maybe some veterans from the Veterans for Peace convention we were attending.

Saturday morning we boarded the VFP [Veterans for Peace] Impeach Bush bus, along with a platoon of vets sent by VFP to go with us. A caravan of cars followed behind, filled with vets and others who had come to support us. The vets on that bus are some of the most inspiring, honorable and heroic men I have ever met. They inspired me and helped to heal my broken heart. These are people I had to explain nothing to because they know how I feel. They've been there. They've buried their buddies and seen the worst of humanity. I will forever have a warm spot in my heart for them.

Bush in Aurora, IL on Wednesday. Cindy Sheehan Asks That You Keep Pressure on Him to Meet with Her.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

George will be in Aurora Illinois tomorrow at 11am at the Caterpillar Plant. He is signing the energy bill.

We need to keep pressure on him to meet with me. We would like any GSFP or MFSO families to be there at the protest rally.

Contact Tiffany at Code Pink (Tiffany@codepinkalert.org) if anyone can make it.

We could pay for travel if someone can make it. Ben Cohen from Ben and Jerry's is funding this "Keep the Pressure on tour."

Cindy Sheehan

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

Where do I begin?

Today was a highly eventful day. This entry won’t be artful, but utilitarian.

I conservatively got 3 to 5 phone calls a minute. I did about 25 phone interviews and several TV interviews. I did several right-wing radio interviews. I was supposed to do: The Today Show, MSNBC live interview, Connected Coast to Coast (MSNBC) and Hardball (MSNBC). The Today Show just never showed up and the other 3 MSNBC shows cancelled for no reason.

Another big story that was going on today was about my first meeting with Bush in June of 2004. For you all I would like to clarify a few things. First of all, I did meet with George, and that is not a secret. I have written about it and been interviewed about it. I will stand by my recounting of the meeting. His behavior was rude and inappropriate. My behavior in June of 2004 is irrelevant to what is going on in 2005. I was in deep shock and deep grief. The grief is still there, but the shock has worn off and the deep anger has set in. And to remind everybody, a few things have happened since June of 2004: The 9/11 commission report; the Senate Intelligence report; the Duelfer WMD report; and most damaging and criminal: the Downing Street Memos. The VERY LAST THING I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS: Why do the right wing media so assiduously scrutinize the words of a grief filled mother and ignore the words of a lying president?

By Nathan Diebenow
Associate Editor

CRAWFORD — The mother of a U.S. soldier slain in Iraq was denied a face-to-face meeting with President Bush here Saturday after she walked through a ditch-like path in the August heat to the President’s Prairie Chapel Ranch.

“I didn’t come all this way from California to stand here in a ditch,

Huffington Post

Cindy Sheehan is a one-woman antiwar movement.

Cindy wants to ask George W. Bush exactly what was the "noble cause" that her son Casey died for.

She's camping in a ditch near George W. Bush's fake ranch--built as a stage set when Bush ran for President, so he could pretend to be a cowboy, instead of an oil man--because more Americans like cowboys...

Cindy wants to ask Bush about the Downing Street Memo. Even though the elite media never really put it on the front page, Cindy knows that it proves that Bush & Blair had decided to go to war long before they told the rest of us, that the reasons they gave out to the public were false.

To: Pac NW MFSO families and supporters

Re: Lietta's going to Crawford in support of Cindy Sheehan

Group and friends,

Very, very active and busy day today regarding arrangements for MFSO rep to fly down to Crawford, Texas, support Cindy Sheehan. And Cindy's own day today has been active with changes rapidly in the situation down there in Crawford; too much to try to detail the progression of Cindy in this email. Internet is full of info, and likely most of you are following already. As of 10pm this evening; these are how the arrangements stand.

1) Per conversation with Charley Richardson, twice today, MFSO headquarters agrees to fund airfare for me to fly down to Texas. Code Pink also agreed to fundraise airfare for me and can coordinate with MFSO Nancy and Charley re: sharing or exchaning funds. I will be calling MFSO travel coordinator tomorrow to make arrangements for flight. I will be going to Crawford, representing MFSO, in support of Cindy's Vigil.

Stories From the Front

The only way to support our troops is to bring them home from this mess -- now.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
By Cindy Sheehan, Cofounder of Gold Star Families for Peace

Lisa from Washington State writes:

My son-in-law in Iraq said they are being pressured round the clock to re-enlist or face stop loss. They are being offering $30,000 signing bonus, tax free and told if they don't re-enlist, they are going to be stop lossed and get zero dollars. They are pushing the troops round the clock and Mark only got 3 hours sleep in 48 hours and when they get back, they are faced yet again with re-enlisting. Mark said many guys are scared and signing up and their families at home are very upset. (with good reason) We really need to push our media and congressmen to expose the horrible way our troops are being treated.

Taking the Message to Bush: "Honor" Our Soldiers by Bringing Them All Home Now; If Cause is "Noble," Send Jenna and Barbara

Gold Star Families for Peace, Veteran's for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Code Pink, and Crawford Peace House Will Hold Protest in Crawford on Saturday, August 6th.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Cindy Sheehan, Co-Founder of Gold Star Families for Peace

Dear Friends and Supporters,

George Bush said speaking about the dreadful loss of life in Iraq in August: (08/03/05): "We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission." "The families of the fallen can be assured that they died for a noble cause."