NYT: Of the Many Deaths in Iraq, One Mother's Loss Becomes a Problem for the President (NYT hopes)

New York Times ^ | August 8, 2005 | RICHARD W. STEVENSON

[OESY]

President Bush draws antiwar protesters just about wherever he goes, but few generate the kind of attention that Cindy Sheehan has since she drove down the winding road toward his ranch here this weekend and sought to tell him face to face that he must pull all Americans troops out of Iraq now.

Ms. Sheehan's son, Casey, was killed last year in Iraq, after which she became an antiwar activist. She says she and her family met with the president two months later at Fort Lewis in Washington State.

But when she was blocked by the police a few miles from Mr. Bush's 1,600-acre spread on Saturday, the 48-year-old Ms. Sheehan of Vacaville, Calif., was transformed into a news media phenomenon, the new face of opposition to the Iraq conflict at a moment when public opinion is in flux and the politics of the war have grown more complicated for the president and the Republican Party.

Ms. Sheehan has vowed to camp out on the spot until Mr. Bush agrees to meet with her, even if it means spending all of August under a broiling sun by the dusty road. Early on Sunday afternoon, 25 hours after she was turned back as she approached Mr. Bush's ranch, Prairie Chapel, Ms. Sheehan stood red-faced from the heat at the makeshift campsite that she says will be her home until the president relents or leaves to go back to Washington. A reporter from The Associated Press had just finished interviewing her. CBS was taping a segment on her. She had already appeared on CNN, and was scheduled to appear live on ABC on Monday morning. Reporters from across the country were calling her cellphone.

"It's just snowballed," Ms. Sheehan said....

[OESY]

Cindy Sheehan paces on a road Sunday near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Tex. She vows to wait until he talks to her or leaves the ranch.

[hadaclueonce]

Check out Drudge, this lady changed her tune in the last year.

[OESY]

THE FRIENDS OF CINDY SHEEHAN
By Michelle Malkin · August 08, 2005 11:22 AM


The Bush-bashing mother of a soldier who died in Iraq last year has garnered quite a bit of buzz from the MSM for her anti-war vigil outside of Crawford, Texas. Drudge highlights her rather drastic change of heart:

CINDY 2004
THE REPORTER of Vacaville, CA published an account of Cindy Sheehan's visit with the president at Fort Lewis near Seattle on June 24, 2004:

"'I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis,' Cindy said after their meeting. 'I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.'

"The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.

"The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.

"For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.

For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.

"'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,' Cindy said."

CINDY 2005
Sheehan's current comments are a striking departure.

She vowed on Sunday to continue her protest until she can personally ask Bush: "Why did you kill my son?"

In an interview on CNN, she claimed Bush "acted like it was party" when she met him last year...


The woman is clearly anguished about her son's death, as any parent would be. But in her grief, she has lost sight of the fact that her 24-year-old son, Casey, proudly and willingly served. Sheehan's father told the press in April 2004 that his son had re-enlisted the previous August, planned to make a career in the military, and "loved the Army because it gave him a chance to serve his country." I can't imagine Army Spc. Casey Sheehan would stand for his mother's crazy accusations that he was murdered by his commander-in-chief, rather than the Iraqi terrorists who ambushed who his convoy. I can't imagine Army Spc. Casey Sheehan would stand for a bunch of strangers glomming onto his mother's crusade and using him to undermine the war effort as they shouted "W killed her son" in front of countless TV cameras.

Cindy Sheehan has surrounded herself with a group of anti-American, anti-military, terrorist-sympathizing agitators, including Code Pink, the Crawford Peace House, and the crackpot crowd.

It's a sad spectacle. President Bush should continue to treat Mrs. Sheehan with the same compassion and sympathy he showed her when they first met--before her heart and mind were poisoned by the professional grievance-mongers who claim to be her friends.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Sadness for her loss, but how will devaluing his sacrifice honor his life?

[b4its2late]

I wonder who spoke with her. Barbara Boxer?

[hadaclueonce]

I smell a rat in the old outhouse on this lady.

[Rosemont]

The NYT still has not picked up on the fact that this woman has changed her story?

[GWB00]

I wonder who spoke with her. Barbara Boxer?

It is clear (and sad) that some got to her.

[Coop]

if it means spending all of August under a broiling sun by the dusty road.

Sounds good to me. Can we throw in some scorpions and rattlesnakes?

[sydbas]

In years gone by it never would have come out that she changed her story about her meeting with President Bush but these are different times and the 'simple' fact of her changing her story makes her look very foolish. I feel for the loss of her son but she is dihonoring her son's memory by doing this.

[mewzilla]

Protesting Soldier Mom Changed Story on Bush

[GWB00]

The NYT still has not picked up on the fact that this woman has changed her story?

Why would the NYTs pick up on the change of story?

Her story fits the NYTs template on the Iraq war exactly.

[boxerblues]

Hooking up with Code Pinko makes her looks foolish

[billnaz]

My sympathy is for her son, who was killed in battle serving his country. I have no sympathy for a useful idiot who is giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

[IronJack]

she drove down the winding road toward his ranch here this weekend and sought to tell him face to face that he must pull all Americans troops out of Iraq now.

So now a moonbat is setting American foreign policy??? That hasn't been true since Madeline Albright left office.

[rabidralph]

Here's a "better" pic of her from Drudge's site.

[LYSandra]

How sad to dishonor her brave son this way. I wonder how her husband feels about her disgraceful actions!

[mvpel]

She looks like an old hippie who was astounded to find she'd rased a brave, patriotic, and proud American, may he rest in peace.

[linn37]

Toss some food around on the ground and bring on the dreaded fire ants.

[Cecily]

"Bring the troops home now?" Oh well, so much for the sacrifices our troops have made to date, and all the Iraqis who would be thrown to the wolves. We must do what Miz Cindy and all the Bush-hating commies want, because, after all, everything is all about them, and the war on terror just isn't worth fighting if we can't wrap it up in a year, tops.

Shame on Cindy Sheehan and her ilk. The terrorists must certainly thank them for their support and useful idiocy.