Anti-War Protesters March Toward Bush Ranch

Reuters ^ | Saturday, August 6, 2005 | Steve Holland

[kristinn]

CRAWFORD, Texas, Aug 6 (Reuters) - About 70 anti-war protesters marched toward President George W. Bush's ranch on Saturday shouting "bring the troops home now" from Iraq, led by a California mother whose son was killed in combat in Baghdad.

The protest coincided with release of a Newsweek poll that said 61 percent of Americans disapproved of the way Bush was handling the situation in Iraq. The poll came after more than two dozen Americans were killed in the past week in Iraq.

Newsweek said it was Bush's lowest rating on Iraq and the first time it had dropped below 40 percent in its poll. Pentagon officials have said maintaining public support for the war is key to the troops' morale.

The group of protesters, including U.S. veterans from the Iraq and Vietnam wars, were loud yet peaceful and McLennan County sheriff's deputies, trying to avoid arrests, stopped them on a road about 5 miles (8 km) from Bush's ranch on a hot August day.

The march was led by Cindy Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, California, who blames Bush for the death of her son, Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, 24, killed on April 4, 2004, in Sadr City, Baghdad.

"I want to ask the president, why did you kill my son? What did my son die for?" Sheehan, carrying a picture of her son, told reporters.

"W. killed her son! W. killed her son!" the crowd shouted. They also shouted "Bring the troops home now" and held up signs with slogans such as "Impeach the Chicken-Hawk-in-Chief."

The protesters, many who came from a peace rally in Dallas, first drove toward the ranch in a school bus painted red, white and blue. It was stopped at a police checkpoint and the protesters got out and walked.

Police allowed the group to walk on the side of the road for about a half mile but then stopped them when some in the group walked on the street itself.

After some protesters left, a small group led by Sheehan vowed to stage a vigil on the side of the road until someone representing the White House came out to talk to her.

While no one from the White House immediately emerged, White House officials were aware of the protest.

"We mourn the loss of every life and Americans deeply appreciate those who have made the supreme sacrifice. The way to honor that sacrifice is to complete the mission so that their lives were not lost in vain," said White House spokesman Trent Duffy.

"The president has met with hundreds of families of those fallen. He grieves with all those who have lost loved ones," he said.

UPBEAT ON ECONOMY

As Americans question his Iraq policy, Bush crowed about the strength of the U.S. economy on Saturday and credited his hotly debated tax cuts for the growth.

Bush was upbeat in his weekly radio address a day after the Labor Department reported the U.S. economy added 207,000 jobs last month, a stronger-than-expected gain.

"Recent economic reports show that our economy is growing faster than any other major industrialized nation," he said from his ranch.

Bush renewed his call for making permanent the tax cuts he pushed through Congress in his first term. Democrats believe the tax cuts have done little more than drain the U.S. budget and even some Republicans doubt the wisdom of extending them.

"The tax relief stimulated economic vitality and growth and it has helped increase revenues to the Treasury," Bush said, adding later, "We need to make the tax relief permanent."

Bush spoke at the end of the first week of his 33-day working vacation.

[SALChamps03]

Where are the Protest Warriors on this?

[armymarinemom]

By the way, I think this woman whose son was killed has been in the news before. I believe she is following the template of the Jersey Girls...converting her grief into professional victimhood.

Yep. The left is feeding dysfunctional grief for these families. When you think about it you get angry as all get out.

[Hot Tabasco]

About 70 anti-war protesters marched toward President George W. Bush's ranch

So where are 10 or so Texas good ole boys when ya need them?????

So much for the saying "Don't mess in Texas"........

What is it that Oklahomans say about Texas? Only 2 things come from Texas,.........

[tgslTakoma]

Cindy Sheehan of Vacaville, Calif., center, whose son died in Iraq, listens to Capt. Ken Vanek of the McLennan County (Texas) Sheriff's Office, left, as he discusses the procedures for a peace protest by Sheehan and others to confront President Bush at his ranch, in Crawford, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

They got the full and uninterrupted attention of the media who were only too willing to report anything negative about the president, according to one blogger, who had a "reporter" on scene.

12:40 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6

When Cindy Sheehan got off her bus in Crawford around 11:40 a.m. coming from the Veterans for Peace convention in Irving (near Dallas), she was greeted with applause and swarmed by reporters. Some of the meda covering the event, along with The Iconoclast, were ABC, CNN, CBS, NBC and AFP (Agency France Press).

(snip)

Among those present, rumors of pro-war, anti-protest protestors perhaps arriving later were voiced.

(snip)

The crowd starts chanting, "W. killed her son. W. killed her son."

Bush has not come out, none of those anti-protest protesters either.

Hadi Jawad, a board member of the Crawford Peace House, shouts to the media: "Do your job. Ask about the Downing Street Memo."

After sitting in the heat waiting to interview Cindy, most members of the press start to leave.

Media reports on the protest, so far:

Columbus Ledger (AP)

WJLA TV - Washington, DC (AP)

WINK TV - Florida (AP)

Red Nova - Dallas, TX (Reuters)

ABC News (AP)

Reuters - via Yahoo! Asia

Yahoo! India News (Reuters)

... With more news outlets to follow, to be sure.

[garyhope]

Reuters, always available to post any anti-American sentiment or "news".

I noticed it was published in The Guardian, one of England's most left wing rags.

[concerned about politics]

By the way, I think this woman whose son was killed has been in the news before. I believe she is following the template of the Jersey Girls...converting her grief into professional victimhood.

There are three stages a person has to go through to get over the loss of someone or something important to them. Unless these three stages are completed, the soul will wage war with the body.
First, there's grieving (the left isn't letting her go through this part), then, there's anger (she's jumping too far ahead too fast), and then there's acceptance. She's never going to be sane again unless she's allowed to grieve in peace.

[Txsleuth]

I live in the DFW area, and I am so sorry that I couldn't make it down there...I have my 6 month old granddaughter this weekend...

I saw that group with Sheehan being interviewed on the Dallas local news last night....someone needs to explain to her that her son volunteered...no drafted, and would he be happy that she is doing the EXACT thing it takes to ensure that his buddies still in Iraq, will be LESS SAFE!!!

As long as the terrorists KNOW that the congresstraitors and these groups are calling for an immediate withdrawal and are calling Pres. Bush ---Chicken-hawk in Chief....

The terrorists will try to replicate what happened in Vietnam...

[kristinn]

Thanks. However, sympathetic reports and photos will turn up on millions of people's doorsteps tomorrow morning in the Sunday paper. Many will put this on the front page.

The left's game plan is Vietnam. Our enemy's game plan is Vietnam. They can't beat us on the battlefield but they can wear us down at home.

[ladiesview61]

Excuse me? Sitting home in comfort? Yes, that's right, because of guys like my dad, who fought in WWII and whose ship was bombed and he barely made it back home to my mom, who went on to have 13 kids with him...and my moms bro who was killed in Guadalcanal at 19, and my brother whose truck was blown up in Viet Nam...now he has a leg full of wires. So yeah, thanks to our soldiers...but I'm not wasting my time protesting protesters when I can instead enjoy my young family. Instead, I'll pray for our guys and my nephew who just got back from Iraq and I'll pray for our president, but no way in hell am I getting into it with leftest losers.

[tgslTakoma]

The leftists who are "marching against the war" this time around are very much different than the ones who marched against the war in Vietnam. This time around, they are being led, coached, and funded by groups that are allied with enemies of the US. Vietnam era protests weren't as well orchestrated by that kind of organization, I don't think.

[Txsleuth]

One of the worst for "feeding" the grief and the hate by the parents is Chrissy Matthews of Hardball...

He had parents of the Marines that were killed last week on THE SAME NIGHT they found out their son was one of the ones killed...

Those parents were talking like this Cindy Sheehan...the mother said that if her son hadn't been one of the ones killed, she was going to contact the Defense Dept. and demand that her son get a discharge for emotional reasons...HERS..not his, HERS--because SHE was too nervous about him fighting an illegal war...

I am sure her freshly killed son was SO PROUD of her~! /s

[Brad’s Gramma]

Ping.

[leadpenny]

Whoever got 22 removed, thank you!

[aaronbeth]

Release the hounds!

[armymarinemom]

Those parents were talking like this Cindy Sheehan...the mother said that if her son hadn't been one of the ones killed, she was going to contact the Defense Dept. and demand that her son get a discharge for emotional reasons...HERS..not his, HERS--because SHE was too nervous about him fighting an illegal war...

It is getting way out of hand. Some of these left wing groups are really going after parents who support our troops as well as their mission. Idiots like Matthews are doing a lot of damage to families.

[E=MC²]

Is it a law somewhere that leftists have to be ugly???

[Hot Tabasco]

I live in the DFW

What does DFW stand for? Dallas Fort Worth? I only ask because my niece's husband is from Fort Worth and I know absolutely nothing about Texas cities......I know, get a map out and look at it.

[tgslTakoma]

Their anger and outright hatred doesn't eat away at just their souls, apparently.