Bush Defends Ignoring Protest (Free Republic Mentioned)

The Waco Tribune Herald ^ | Sunday, August 14, 2005 | Ken Herman and Thaddeus DeJesus

[kristinn]

CRAWFORD, Texas – President Bush, noting that lots of people want to talk to the president and ‘‘it's also important for me to go on with my life,'' on Saturday defended his decision not to meet with the grieving mom of a soldier killed in Iraq.

Bush said he is aware of the anti-war sentiments of Cindy Sheehan and others who have joined her protest near the Bush ranch.

‘‘But whether it be here or in Washington or anywhere else, there's somebody who has got something to say to the president, that's part of the job,'' Bush said on the ranch. ‘‘And I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say.''

‘‘But,'' he added, ‘‘I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life.''

The comments came prior to a bike ride on the ranch with journalists and aides. It also came as the crowd of protesters grew in support of Sheehan, the California mother who came here Aug. 6 demanding to talk to Bush about the death of her son Casey. Sheehan arrived earlier in the week with about a half dozen supporters. As of Saturday there were about 300 anti-war protestors and approximately 100 people supporting the Bush administration.

Sheehan is seeking a justification for the war, as well as her son's death.

‘‘I don't want comfort from him,'' she said Friday. ‘‘I want answers. I want the truth.''

Bush on Saturday said, ‘‘I've heard their complaints about my policy. I think it would be a big mistake to withdraw immediately from Iraq, which is what they're suggesting we do.''

In addition to the two-hour bike ride, Bush's Saturday schedule included an evening Little League Baseball playoff game, a lunch meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a nap, some fishing and some reading.

‘‘I think the people want the president to be in a position to make good, crisp decisions and to stay healthy,'' he said when asked about bike riding while a grieving mom wanted to speak with him. ‘‘And part of my being is to be outside exercising.''

‘‘So I'm mindful of what goes on around me,'' Bush added. ‘‘On the other hand, I'm also mindful that I've got a life to live and will do so.''

Pro- and anti-war forces continued to gather in Crawford and demonstrators held dueling rallies on Saturday.

“We speak out ... so that your loved one can be next to you and not in a picture,” Fort Worth resident Beatriz Saldivar told anti-war demonstrators at Crawford's Tonka Park.

Saldivar's nephew, 23-year-old Army Sgt. Daniel Torres, was killed Feb. 4 by a bomb blast during patrol duty in northern Iraq.

Saldivar was among the seven speakers who lost a family member in the Iraq war. Veterans and families of servicemembers also spoke at the event, which was sponsored by several anti-war organizations including Military Families Speak Out, Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace.

There have been no arrests as the protests enter into the second week.

Raoul Deming of Takoma Park, Md., led a pro-Bush counter rally at the opposite site of the city park. The event was organized by Free Republic, a conservative grassroots organization. It drew about 75 people at its height.

Deming was critical of Sheehan and the various anti-war organizations who are supporting her cause, and suggested that such groups help to fan the insurgent uprising in Iraq.

“They're trying to market grief,” Deming said from the bed of a pickup truck. “That's why they want to see photos of coffins. That's why they want to see the amputees.”

Kim Barr, 48, of Killeen, said he wanted to voice his support of the U.S. military.

Barr said he felt compelled to do so in support of his neighbors, many of whom are stationed at nearby Fort Hood.

“If (Cindy Sheehan) went to Killeen, she wouldn't have been there for long,” he said, noting that support for the military in Killeen is one-sided.

[RonDog]

...Raoul Deming of Takoma Park, Md., led a pro-Bush counter rally at the opposite site of the city park. The event was organized by Free Republic, a conservative grassroots organization. It drew about 75 people at its height.

Deming was critical of Sheehan and the various anti-war organizations who are supporting her cause, and suggested that such groups help to fan the insurgent uprising in Iraq.

“They're trying to market grief,” Deming said from the bed of a pickup truck. “That's why they want to see photos of coffins. That's why they want to see the amputees.”

That would be THIS guy, from the LIVE thread:

1,408 posted on 08/13/2005 8:24:59 PM PDT by Tunehead54 (Nothing funny here ;-)

CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread

LIVE THREAD: H.O.T. CHAPTER'S CRAWFORD SUPPORT PRES. AND TROOPS RALLY (8/13/05)
	Posted by kristinn On News/Activism 08/13/2005 6:55:59 AM PDT · 1,665 replies · 49,861+ views Link to Announcement Thread ^ | Saturday, August 13, 2005 | Kristinn

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"I listened to the whole thing twice"

Twice -- that means maybe it's recorded somewhere? I'd love a link if available, please.

[tgslTakoma]

It's here.

Please let me know if there's a way I can save this on my computer. I've tried all the ways I can think of, and they won't work. There's gotta be a computer wizard Freeper who can tell me how to save this as a file. (I hope)

[RonDog]

Please let me know if there's a way I can save this on my computer.

EXCELLENT!!!

D.C. Chapter warlord kristinn on Wisconsin Public Radio -- talking about Cindy Sheehan.

To save this Real Player audio file to your hard drive, right click on THIS link:

http://clipcast.wpr.org:8080/ramgen/wpr/dun/dun050812e.rm

...then click "Save Target As".

[pookie18]

Thanks...will rerun in Today's Toons 8/16/05

[CyberAnt]

"... and approximately 100 people supporting the Bush administration."


That's not true .. there were a minimum of 250 Bush supporters - and I believe the 300 in support of Cindy is overly stated.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I hate it when Bush isn't blunt.

He needs to tell the MSM:

Cindy Sheehan is being used by far left-wing activists
He already met with her once
Even if he met with her, she won't be happy and the MSM will find some fault with him
Meeting with her only emboldens the terrorist scum
Other "grieving mothers" will ask to meet with him too

The media and Sheehan needs to get a life and let the President enjoy his vacation.

[RonDog]

From wpr.org:

For Program On: Friday, August 12, 2005  at  10:00 AM

After ten, Kathleen Dunn's guest says the actions of war-protester Cindy Sheehan are misguided, and hurt troop morale.

Guest: Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the Washington D.C. chapter of FreeRepublic.com

 Listen to Program

[cyncooper]

FYI--Doctor Raoul said all those things and more about Casey.

The poster was referring to President Bush's remarks.

[basil]

Whoops! I'm skimming again! Sorry.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Thanks for the link.

[TontoKowalski]

Very good, but may I add:

"What could she possibly have to say to me that she hasn't said in front of every microphone that's put in front of her."

[tgslTakoma]

:-(

It's only saving the 156 byte link.

There's gotta be a way to save the whole file, somehow...

[BufordP]

I saved the .RAM link file and took a look at the actual links inside.

rtsp://128.104.248.82:554/wpr/dun/dun050812e.rm?cloakport=8080,554,7070
--stop--
pnm://128.104.248.82:7070/wpr/dun/dun050812e.rm?cloakport=8080,554,7070

rtsp, mms, pnm, rtp protocols do not allow download. You'll have to download a shareware streaming audio file saver to do the job - run the recorder during playback:

WM Recorder and RM Recorder

This one costs $70 but is highly rated - says it can save directly from rtsp, mms, and pnm:
Offline Explorer Pro