Posted on 08/12/2005 12:43:42 PM PDT by mdittmar
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush got his first look at an anti-war vigil near his ranch on Friday as his motorcade took him by the protest site lined with small white crosses representing fallen American soldiers in Iraq.
When Bush's black sport utility vehicle carried him past the site to a Republican fund-raiser, the protest leader, Cindy Sheehan, whose son was one of the nearly 1,850 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, held up a sign that said: "Why do you make time for donors and not for me?"
Other signs said: "Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam" and "Bring Them Home Now." Some protesters held up white crosses as well.
The protest vigil began last Saturday and is being led by Sheehan, who has been demanding a meeting with Bush to discuss her opposition to the Iraq war.
Two rows of police officers faced the estimated 50 roadside protesters as Bush's 15-vehicle motorcade cruised by without slowing down.
He was headed to Stan and Kathy Hickey's Broken Spoke Ranch for a barbecue and ribs lunch to raise more than $2 million for the Republican National Committee. The 230 people attending were among the party's biggest donors.
Hundreds of small white crosses had been erected along the side of Prairie Chapel Road, each hand-painted with the name of a fallen soldier.
Sheehan's son, Casey, was killed in combat in Iraq in April 2004 and she met with Bush in June 2004, but she wants another meeting. The White House has refused.
With Americans increasingly questioning the U.S. involvement in Iraq, Bush tried to address Sheehan's concerns on Thursday.
"Listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan," Bush told reporters. "She feels strongly about her position. And she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America."
He said he has thought "long and hard" about her demand to "get out of Iraq now" and strongly disagreed, saying a premature withdrawal would betray the Iraqis just as they are being trained to defend themselves and allow for a U.S. pullout.
Sheehan's group, Gold Star Families for Peace, released a protest ad that the organization said would run on cable television channels near Bush's ranch during August.
"Mr. President, I want to tell you face to face how much this hurts. I love my country, but how many more of our loved ones need to die in this senseless war? How many more soldiers have to die before we say enough?" she said in the ad.
The total ad buy was put at $15,000.
I don't really care about the numbers. Go back and read the comment C's Wife and Brilliant made and to which I responded.
They were deriding the protests as insignificant because of the small number of protesters. If the number of protesters present means that the protest is insignificant, then most FReeps of the `toon were even less significant because most FReeps had only 10-15 people. Clearly size is not everything. That was my point.
That I don't like Bush or his policies is no secret. Like his daddy before him, he never met a big-government snake-oil he didn't like.
I didn't like Clinton, either. That's no secret, either.
How about making the point that FReepers don't exaggerate their numbers as the lefties do?
Your approach was rather snide. I'm sure you were just making conversation and didn't realize it.
You are actually making their point. As far as I know, the lamestream media completely ignored any and all FR protests against Klintoon which had small numbers. So why are they giving the 24/7 treatment to Miz Cindy and her gaggle of 50 moonbats?
Tthe point is it's the substance of the protest that matters and not the number of protesters present.
Your approach was rather snide. I'm sure you were just making conversation and didn't realize it.
You may be right. In my attempt at brevity, civility was lost in the translation.
Of course they did. That's how they operate. This is not news.
But, this is not limited to the leftist media.
I see the same thing all the time here. Many Bush supporters here on FR are loathe to utter even a single word of criticism against 'their bastard'. Case in point; The Social Security Totalization Agreement with Mexico, or the so-called Guest Worker program or the propaganda euphemistically called 'video news releases' or payola to news columnists.
Because they're attempting to rally public opinion against Bush. Why else?
No matter how much they try, they just can't make it Vietnam!
Did any of you see the NEW COMMERCIAL that Cindy has made?
John Gibson just showed it on Bill O'Reilly's show...it is totally disgusting and FULL OF LIES!!!!
Yep! I have just now stopped cussing!
You are absolutely on the money there. FReepers have substance. Case in point: The three today that DU is making such fun of showed more courage and "substance" than all 50 of the Cindys there. But the media glorifies numbers and would not recognize "substance" if it bit them where it hurts. Whatever....we will be there tomorrow. Wish us luck?
Go there and vote it a 5.
I just got home from my daughters house...and I didn't know were ya'll were...so I found the most recent high post thread on her...
I am seething!!!! How can they get away with the lies and distortions? Betcha this ad is on al-jazeera before midnight tonight!!!!
I wonder what our troops are gonna think about this---I feel so bad for them..I am sure they will take this as a sign that they are all alone over there....or close to it..
Just Damn (to borrow a phrase)!
OMG I missed it. Somehow I think I'm glad or I'd be minus a tv set.
Ditto! Just Damn! I have had it already! I want to kick some Butt! But where, who's? Aggggggggggggggh!
Yes you would be minus a TV and the woman is crazy and could use a makeover to boot! I am to ticked to be rational! Sorry!
I just am curious how you were able to magnify that photo into a clear photo. Lots have tried, including me. Pixels - too small. If you got it - share it!
Or the "mob" that protested that poor Cuban boy years ago, remember that? The media (leftists), in every report, every day, wrote and said "mob".
As they did in Fla 2000.
Bastards.
Luck!
Sorry, away at work for awhile.
I didn't mean to imply that she shouldn't be opposed. It is sad that she is so delusional herself but that doesn't make her any less dangerous to herself and others. She needs to be brought back to reality and since she has chosen the tenor of her message, she needs to get it back in the same tenor: in your face.
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