Dueling Demonstrators Descend on Texas (Washington Post re Crawford)

AP via Washington Post ^ | Aug 27, 2005 | ANGELA K. BROWN

[summer]

The Associated Press
Saturday, August 27, 2005; 7:45 PM

CRAWFORD, Texas -- Several thousand people descended on President Bush's adopted hometown Saturday, most in a cross-country caravan for a pro-Bush rally and others to support an anti-war demonstration led by grieving mother Cindy Sheehan.

Bush supporters gathered for an event marking the culmination of the "You don't speak for me, Cindy!" tour, which started last week in California. The crowd of about 1,500 chanted, "Cindy, go home!"

"You are giving hope and encouragement to the enemies of America," said former California Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, a Republican who co-founded the group that coordinated the rally.

Meanwhile, busloads of war protesters gathered several miles away at "Camp Casey," named for Sheehan's 24-year-old son who died in Iraq last year. Several hundred people attended a bell-ringing ceremony honored soldiers serving in Iraq.

"I know that the Camp Casey movement is going to end the war in Iraq," Sheehan said, adding that no other families should have to suffer the loss of a relative. She led the crowd in chanting "Not one more!"

A few Bush supporters went to the edge of the anti-war camp on Saturday, trying to remove some of the hundreds of white crosses bearing fallen soldiers' names. They had a list from families who did not want their sons' or daughters' names associated with Sheehan's group.

Sheriff's deputies said they could remove the name tags but not the crosses, so the group removed a few tags and left without incident....

[summer]

Good grief, I didn't even know Crawford, Texas was big enough to host all these people!!!

[rockabyebaby]

grieving mother Cindy Sheehan

Ahem, screaching psychotic, SINdy Sheehan.

[digger48]

grieving mother Cindy Sheehan

I wonder if she'll list "grieving mother" as her occupation on the 1040 she's not going to file.

[summer]

It's interesting this article mentioned a GOP elected official was there, standing with the pro-Bush people (from FR and elsewhere) -- but omitted mention of any Dem elected official for the other side.

Does this mean NOT ONE elected Dem official was there today, Saturday? NOT ONE! Little wonder the hardcore Dem base wants to throw all their elected "leaders" out of office!

[rockabyebaby]

LOL!!! Wonder if she'll use that description when the IRS hauls her sorry butt to jail for tax evasion! The woman is a trip, thoroughly entertaining, and, it's FREE!

[rockabyebaby]

Dem "officials" are busy on vacation, like john gigilo kerry for instance, still wind surfing in Nantucket and teddy hiccup kennedy is busy whining about the Otis AFB closure in between sips of Chevis - come Sept 1, the dem officials will all be back in Washington then you'll really see the BS flying!

[TaxRelief]

Several thousand people

SEVERAL THOUSAND? Angela K. Brown is, like, so fired. She told the truth and she's gonna be out of a job...

Angela, Angela, What were you thinking? You work for the AP! You were supposed to say "a few..."

[Bush gal in LA]

Well your right , no one ''elected'' was there to represent the Dims but.......the word is the ''Reverend Al Sharpton is soon to join the'' SIN-der SHE- HAM'' caravan of dunces. Then they can both ham it up for the cameras together. He has been hinting he wants to run for President again in 2008. This train of idiots will give him a lot of'' credibility ''! Won't it?!

[TaxRelief]

[Boazo]

[TaxRelief]

[JulieRNR21]

More details of what's happening in Crawford.........PING

[Chi-townChief]

"There also were some heated moments at the pro-Bush rally when Bush supporters mistakenly identified two people as war protesters. The two walked in with a sign that read "Say No to War _ Unless a Democrat is President."

Many Bush supporters only saw the top of the sign and believed the men were war protesters, so they began shouting and chasing the pair out. One man tore up their signs.

When Will Marean of Minneapolis kept repeating that he was on the Bush side, one Bush supporter shook his hand and apologized."

Hmmm ... sounds like those Protest Warrior signs are a bit TOO effective!!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Good job!

Now Cindy's no-good entourage needs to be encountered EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, for the next 30 days, every town she goes through on the way to Washington,D.C.

MANY OF THE FREEPERS IN OTHER STATES WHO COULD NOT GO TO CRAWFORD TODAY TO GIVE SHEEHAN THE MESSAGE, CAN NOW TRAVEL TO SEE AND "WELCOME" HER GROUP NEARBY AS IT COMES THROUGH THEIR TOWN, and replicate these Pro America demonstrations across the land. This thing can REALLY GROW.

[TaxRelief]

I thought she was going to Italy?

[deputytess]

I wonder if one of the reasons Casey joined up was to get the hell away from her?

[MomSezImACatch]

He he, I am in this picture.

I lost my voice eventually.

[WordsOfWarning]

My puppy and I had a great time! It was hotter than hades and the 4hr drive each way drive was... well taxing. But worth it. I had a generous amount of compassion for the cops/deputies standing out in the blazing sun in "downtown" Crawford directing all that traffic.