Peace activist Cindy Sheehan targets Obama’s vacation
By Dave Cook | 08.24.09
Cindy Sheehan, the peace activist who camped out in the summer of 2005 near President Bush’s Texas ranch, is heading for President Obama’s vacation site in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
Ms. Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in the Iraq war, said in a press release Monday that she would hold a press conference Wednesday morning at the Oak Bluff’s Elementary School on the island resort. That is where the White House press corps is working during the president’s vacation.
“We need to give the president the moral backbone he needs” to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Sheehan said last week, speaking on MSNBC. Sheehan seeks what she said is “immediate, complete, and as safe as possible withdrawal” from the Middle East.
Mr. Obama “doesn’t represent real change,” Sheehan charged, noting that July was the worst month yet for casualties of US soldiers in Afghanistan. The “only change I have seen in foreign policy is, unfortunately, things are getting worse” in Afghanistan and Iraq, Sheehan said on MSNBC.
Feeding a hungry press corps
With the president on vacation and mostly out of public sight, the White House press corps traveling with him to Martha’s Vineyard is hungry for news. Sheehan will likely get more coverage than if she called a press conference in Washington and had to compete with many other events for attention.
Her press conference will come as polls show declining public support for US military involvement in Afghanistan. This month’s ABC News/Washington Post poll found that Americans, by a margin of 51 percent to 47 percent, do not feel the war in Afghanistan is worth fighting. In the same poll, 45 percent of Americans felt the number of US troops in Afghanistan should be reduced, while 24 percent felt the number should be increased.
Camping in Crawford
In August 2005, Sheehan created a makeshift camp named for her son down the road from President Bush’s Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas. She demanded a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Bush, but was never granted one. She had met with Bush in June 2004 at Fort Lewis, Wash., along with other families who had lost sons in the Iraq war.
—–
Who will save the GOP?
The drive to revive and rebrand the Republican Party from the inside is stirring a new generation of young politicians. Here’s a look at these up-and-comers and where they might take the party.
—-
Follow us on Twitter.
<< Baldwin vs. Lieberman: The showdown that wasn’t meant to be | MainComments
2. Nancy Blake | 08.25.09
In the article elsewhere in this edition about the elections in Afghanistan, the importence of supporting Afghan women and girls in gaining education and more social power and freedom suggests that we must keep up efforts in that country. But is fighting war a solution? It is encouraging that Clinton is putting the rights of women at the forefront of U.S. Foreign Policy, as that article states. It seems as though the Taliban, who use force, must be countered with force, but long-term change from within could come if we really concentrated our efforts on supporting democratic institutions, and providing social, medical and educational help for the women of Afganistan, who are the ones who want and need the kind of change that we also would like to see.
3. Gaurav | 08.25.09
Regarding Ms. Sheehan: she appears to be crosssing over from real issues to someone looking for publicity
Regarding the polls: same people now crossing over to “against the wars” were earlier in favor of the wars. They are the ones who need a backbone and a brain of their own
Regarding Obama: He is not a miracle worker. Give him some time. Two irresponsible wars can’t be followed by two irresponsible withdrawals.
4. David E. Holt | 08.25.09
Love Obama or hate him, like him or dislike him, he’s our president and deserves our positive thoughts and prayers! Cindy, he’s taking a vacation with his family for crying out loud! Leave him alone! Your actions only makes things worse - more controversial and disruptive! There are other methods and delivery systems which can get his, and our, attention - use them!
DEH
5. Peter Caroline | 08.25.09
One gets the impression that Ms. Sheehan’s most pressing agenda is to keep Ms. Sheehan in front of a camera; rather like Sen. Charles Schumer in a dress.
7. Bob King | 08.25.09
Far from placing herself in front of cameras, Cindy Sheehan has not been seen nor heard from since May 7, 2007 with her good-by press release “Good Riddence, Attention *****”. In that document she accurately described and denounced both political parties as equally corrupt, the peace movement as divided and politically partisan, and our nation’s path as a “descent into a corporate fascist wasteland”. Now it appears that she hasn’t given up and she believes that this president- who has been such a disappointment to those who voted for him- could set the nation on a new course. Cindy Sheehan’s re-emergence is a sign of hope- if she hasn’t given up on this president and our political system- then neither should we.
8. Katie | 08.25.09
Shrub should have met with Ms. Sheehan, and President Obama should do the same.
The day you lose a child fighting for this country, even if it was/is an illegal an immoral war, is the day you get to criticize a Gold Star mother. What Ms. Sheehan has gone through I don’t wish even on Shrub, and I despise him.
Shame on you.
9. Yucky Libertarian | 08.25.09
Although Cindy Sheehan’s current activism appears in keeping with her former anti-war efforts (at least in ideology), the media will surely distort her intended message. They’ll turn Sheehan into more a “concept” than a person with a message.
Who knows how she’ll appear when we reach the back nine of this particular news cycle…
One wonders, can Sheehan capitalize on the nefarious light the media will likely cast upon her? Perhaps she can get in on the ground floor, selling digital cable converters with Joe the Plumber.
10. John Bennett | 08.25.09
Cindy ran for Congress just last year against Nancy Pelosi.
Unrelated to that. It’s interesting to me that when Citizens speak out (as opposed to career politicians funded by big business), they are labeled egomaniacs or loons seeking the spotlight.
11. Lookie Loo | 08.25.09
The media needs to stop reporting the antics of this loon. Otherwise she and imitators will know they can capture a little spotlight if they are obnoxious enough.
12. rltj | 08.25.09
A world without critic and oposition will be a very boring world. At least people get to hear more than one side, think for themselves, and get to see who is sense and who is nonsense. 
13. dom youngross | 08.25.09
Perpetual warfare, perpetual debt, perpetual status quo.
Obama is the latest face on this.
Good for Sheehan. History will be kind to her.
14. LewWaters | 08.25.09
I doubt the press and Secret Service will be as kind to ol’ Cindy this time around. Take a peek at your watch, Cindy. Your 15 minutes were up years ago.
15. darrel armstrong | 08.26.09
The media seems to be expert at ignoring other peace activists, which puts Sheehan’s actions out of proportion. In much the same vein stories related to the ‘collateral damage’ of the endless war against whoever is available go un-covered. How many Americans are aware that Hawaii’s water supply is contaminated due to armored units training there with ‘depleted’ uranium shells? What was the actual profit total for Haliburton, Bush Oil, and cronies
for their invasion, exploitation of Iraq, and attendant mass murders from every side? Why is it that most of our people are more likely to strong opinions on “the War’s” strategy and whether teenagers should continue to be tortured in Gitmo, than ANY knowledge of these OTHER unimportant details?
Get ‘em, Cindy, GET ‘EM! Give PEACE a chance.
16. MJ Palmer | 08.26.09
Amazing how people continue to post out-and-out falsehoods as if they are facts…President Bush DID meet with Cindy Sheehan before she started her ill fated protests. She was demanding a second meeting. The wars in Afghanistan and iraq were both confirmed by The Senate including a majority of Democrats. Thus they were not illegal. Last, I ask Nancy Blake; if we hadn’t fought The Taliban in Afghanistan, just where would their women be right now? Still being shot in footbal stadiums.
Let’s get real. You don’t have Shrub to kick around anymore. Any complaints, take it to The Mushroom. Because we will still be in both Iraq and Afghanistan in 2012.
17. Tony | 08.26.09
I agree Obama was thought to be a peace candidate but sure hasn’t acted like one! 130,000 troops still in Iraq for what? What is our goal there let them run their own country! And he has escalated the War in Afghanistan it is now Obma’s War not Bush’s anymore! Don’t get me wrong I was against Bush and the invasion of Iraq! Afghnistan I had mixed feelings but now I am starting to think that war is totally a waste of our precious resources! When is the CHANGE coming in our Foreign policy????
18. tgs | 08.26.09
Many of the comments are as sad to see as is Mrs. Sheehan’s return to the public spotlight. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in a strong and healthy debate of all issues, but, when we resort to name calling (Shrub, loon, Mushroom), or as Mrs. Sheehan promotes a complete withdrawal regardless of the consequences, we have lost our ability to engage in meaningful debate. Political discussion requires civility and the mutual respect due any person that wishes to be heard. If you wish to contribute in a positive manner, try using titles instead of slurs, listen before reacting, and don’t assume an “all or nothing” approach is the only way.
Ultimately, the debate over our (US) involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan requires we look beyond the past and to the future to hopefully see what impact our troops withdrawal will have on those societies. This is our obligation to the peoples of those countries, as well as to the world. Leaving too early will only create the conditions that would allow another Saddam Hussein or Taliban to take control, with the same brutal and repressive conditions as before our military invasions.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
2. Twitter Trackbacks for Peace activist Cindy Sheehan targets Obama’s vacation | csmonitor.com [csmonitor.com] on Topsy.com | 08.25.09
4. More leftie hate: The right is trying to get the president killed - Page 4 - FlyerTalk Forums | 09.03.09
Leave a Comment
We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. The comments feature is a forum to discuss the ideas in our stories. Constructive debate - even pointed disagreement - is welcome, but personal attacks on other commenters are not, and will not be published.
Tip: Do not write a novel. Keep it short. We will not publish lengthy comments. Come up with your own statements. This is not a place to cut and paste an email you received. If we recognize it as such, we won't post it.
Please do not post any comments that are commercial in nature or that violate copyrights.
Finally, we will not publish any comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence.
Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Franklin Pierce | 08.25.09
Cindy I thought you a loon when you protested in Crawford but supported your right to do so. I still support your right to protest. Perhaps even more. GWB never made promises about exit strategies.
I’m sure you’re not surprised to be used by Obama’s Chicago political machine and disregarded by the media. Say hey to Sarah Palin and Charles Gibson.