"It was so obvious that this poor woman was going to be swift-boated."

[understandinglife]

It's just sad.

So there's this woman and she has this incredible loss in her life, and she blames the president and wants him to bring the troops home right away.

This leads to stories in the New York Times, CNN, the Chicago Tribune, and many more. ....

<clip>

The situation is incredibly tense. The administration wants to be polite to a mother who has lost her son in Iraq. But what I'm waiting for is the backlash. At what point will the smear campaign launch against Cindy Sheehan the way it did against Joe Wilson.

And I guess that point is right now. They didn't even have the decency to let me finish my blog post. You can always count on Matt Drudge to trot out the White House talking points.

From Mother of Fallen Soldier Becomes Victim of Smear Campaign by Stephen Elliott on August 8, 2005

More at the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/featuredposts.html#a005325

And, Mr Elliot is not the only one who gets it.

The story certainly seems compelling; an angry mom camped out in the 100 degree heat waiting out a reluctant president who refuses to meet with her and respond to her simple question: Why did my son die in Iraq? Yes, reporters have taken an interest. But as has become customary since 2003 with any antiwar protest story, the press has proceeded with extreme caution.

<clip>

Read here why Matt Drudge's attempted take down of Sheehan today is hollow and misleading.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Drudge_Report_grossly_misquotes_antiw_0808.html


From CNN Hearts Britney Spears by Eric Boehlert on August 8, 2005

Read the very clever way Mr Boehlert sticks it to the media, particularly CNN at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/eric-boehlert/cnn-hearts-britney-spears_5302.html

Ms Sheehan has Bush and the neoconsters in a place they never anticipated - they are in a corner and all the walls are made of truth and courage.

They can call on Matt and Karl and all the other liars, sycophants and fellow war criminals at their disposal and all that will do is make the contrast obvious to even the brain dead.

They are criminals. Anyone who provides them with any opportunity to spin, any venue for more lies are aiding and abetting their crimes.

Ms Sheehan has done what Rosa Parks, and Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela and a few others have - she has once again demonstrated the extraordinary power of a single citizen to bring the white-hot intensity of truth to evil.

Crawford Texas got a lot hotter when she arrived and no matter where Georgie and the neoconsters now run, that heat is going to follow them.

That is our duty in honor of Ms Sheehan's courage.

Tonight all of humanity thanks you Ms Sheehan.

Matthew Donaldson, an independent visual artist from Auckland. “On this, the 60th anniversary of Hiroshima's bombing, my grief for all of those murdered and yet to be murdered by America's weapons - of mass destruction or otherwise - overwhelms me” said Matt.

It overwhelms me, as well, Mathew.

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[rodeodance]

1. guess we knew it was coming sooner or later.

[understandinglife]

4. Yes, and Ms Sheehan, as was the case with Rosa Parks and others ...

.... just peacefully refused to budge.

Now, all of us must refuse to cooperate with Bush and the neoconsters; it is time we hold them accountable.

Nothing else matters if we want to save our Constitution and civilization.

http://www.peacecandy.com/gwbush/remindus
REMIND US

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[understandinglife]

64. Direct from the drainage ditch, the intrepid protester says ....

"Our spirits are great," but Bush "doesn't have enough courage to face someone who actually disagrees with him ..."

Buzzflash interview, August 9, 2005 posted here:

http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/05/08/int05033.html

One clip:

BuzzFlash: How are you holding up? What are the conditions there (physical, emotional)?

Cindy Sheehan: I am tired and my throat hurts from talking so much. We are confined to camping in a drainage ditch, we are using the bathroom in a camping potty, it is oppressively hot or pours down rain. But our spirits are great. And we know that no matter how hard we have it, the troops in Iraq and the Iraqi people have it even harder.

And, the cowboy sips lemonade on the porch and drives his white fuel-guzzlin truckie ....


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

69. From: Cindy - To: George -- November 4, 2005

AN OPEN LETTER TO GEORGE BUSH

November 4, 2004

Dear George,

You don’t mind if I call you George do you? When you sent me a letter offering your condolences on the death of my son, Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, in the illegal and unjust war on Iraq, you called me Cindy, so I naturally assume we are on a first name basis.

George, it has been seven months today since your reckless and wanton foreign policies killed my son, my big boy, my hero, my best-friend: Casey. It has been seven months since your ignorant and arrogant lack of planning for the peace murdered my oldest child. It has been two days since your dishonest campaign stole another election … but you all were way more subtle this time than in 2000, weren’t you? You hardly had to get the Supreme Court of the United States involved at all this week.

You feel so proud of yourself for betraying the country again, don’t you? You think you are very clever because you pulled the wool over the eyes of some of the people again. You think that you have some mandate from God…that you can “spend your political capital” any way that you want. George you don’t care or even realize that 56,000,000 plus citizens of this country voted against you and your agenda. Still, you are going to continue your ruthless work of being a divider and not a uniter. George, in 2000 when you stole that election and the Democrats gave up, I gave up too. I had the most ironic thought of my life then: "Oh well, how much damage can he do in four years?" Well, now I know how much you have damaged my family, this country, and this world. If you think I am going to allow you another four years to do even more damage, then you truly are mistaken. I will fight for a true vote count and if that fails, your impeachment. Also, the impeachment of your Vice President. The only thing is, I'm not politically savvy, and I don't have a Karl Rove to plan my strategy, but I do have a big mouth and a righteous cause, which still mean something in this country, I hope.

All of this lying, fooling, and betraying must be “hard work” George. You really think you know what hard work is?

George, let me tell you what “hard work” really is.

Hard work is seeing your oldest son, your brave and honorable man-child go off to a war that had, and still has, no basis in reality. Hard work is worrying yourself gray and not being able to sleep for 2 weeks because you don’t know if your child is safe.

Hard work is seeing your son’s murder on CNN one Sunday evening while you’re enjoying the last supper you’ll ever truly enjoy again.

Hard work is having three military officers come to your house a few hours later to confirm the aforementioned murder of your son … your first born … your kind and gentle sweet baby.

Hard work is burying your child 46 days before his 25th birthday. Hard work is holding your other three children as they lower the body of their big “baba” into the ground. Hard work is not jumping in the grave with him and having the earth cover you both.

But, Dear George, do you know what the hardest work of all is? Trying to digest the fact that the leader of the country that your family has fought for and died for, for generations, lied to you and betrayed your dear boy’s sense of honor and exploited his courage and exploited his loyalty to his buddies. Hard work is having your country abandon you after they killed your son. Hard work is coming to the realization that your son had his future robbed from him and that you have had your son's future and future grand-children stolen from you. Hard work is knowing that there are so many people in this world that have prospered handsomely from your son's death.

George, I must confess that I and my family worked very HARD to re-defeat you this time, but you refuse to stay defeated. Well, we are watching you very carefully. We are going to do everything in our power to have you impeached for misleading the American people into a disastrous war and for mis-using and abusing your power as Commander-in-Chief. We are going to scream until our last breath to bring the rest of our babies home from this quagmire of a war that you have gotten our country in to: before too many more families learn the true meaning of Hard Work. We know it is going to be an uphill battle, knowing how Republican Congress is, but thanks to you, we know the meaning of Hard Work and we’re not afraid of hard work at all.

The 56,000,000 plus citizens who voted against you and your agenda have given me a mandate to move forward with my agenda. Also, thanks to you and your careless domestic policies, I am unemployed, so this will be my full-time job. Being your political downfall will be the most noble accomplishment of my life and it will bring justice for my son and 1125 (so far) other brave Americans and tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis your lies have killed. By the way, George, how many more innocent Iraqis are your policies going to kill before you convince them that you are better than Saddam? How many more of their cities are you going to level before you consider that they are liberated? If you really had any moral values, or if you were an honorable man at all you would resign. My son was a man who had high moral values and true courage. Humanity lost a bright light on April 04, 2004.

I will live the rest of my life missing Casey desperately. Thank you for that, George. Have a nice day.

God Bless America!! We surely need it!

Cindy Sheehan

Broken hearted mother of a True American Hero: Spc Casey Austin Sheehan, KIA 04/04/04 Sadr City, Baghdad

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall - think of it, always." - Gandhi

http://www.angelfire.com/sk3/spkhntrca/Casey.html

Enough.

[merh]

74. A legitimate question she raises today.

Why do the right wing media so assiduously scrutinize the words of a grief filled mother and ignore the words of a lying president?
~~ Cindy Sheehan ~~ 8/9/05

[understandinglife]

76. She is so very smart. They have met their downfall -- and, she warned ...

... them in terms of zero ambiguity.

Ms Sheehan means what she says. How very refreshing.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[merh]

78. She is an awesome lady.

And, yes, the truth is refreshing and inspiring. :patriot:

Peace to you too UL! :hug:

Peace for all! :grouphug:

[Cha]

2. "Tonight all of humanity thanks you Ms Sheehan."

That's so Beautiful!

[readermostly]

3. This always happens to anyone who crosses this group. We've seen

it time and again since the late 90's when Karl and company decided to make W prez.

[ailsagirl]

5. How the hell can they smear her?? How could anyone (other

than the neocons) not feel empathy for her?? Frankly, I think
they'd be shooting themselves in their collective foot should
they attempt to trash her.

IMO

[Ladyhawk]

22. Today I felt disgusted that some DUers said they would have no empathy

for a bush-supporting mother who lost a child in Iraq. Are we no better than they? That was pretty low, IMO.

[ClintonTyree]

71. Another example how Mr. "Uniter"...............

has poisoned our population. I think if those DUers thought about that premise for more than a moment they'd think differently. Knee-jerk reaction is all the rage since Mr. "Uniter" stole the office of President of the United States.

Empathy is what separates Dems from the Cons. Without it, we become just like them, as you said.

How anyone who's ever experienced a single emotion cannot feel empathy for Cindy Sheehan or any mother or father like her, regardless of political affiliation, is something I'll never be able to understand.

I blame george w. bush and his entire administration for this deep divide in our collective American psyche. They alone have given rise to this phenomenon and they alone can stop it. However, I expect no such overture by them because they are emotionally void and morally bankrupt. If this country can ever heal and undo the damage done by the neo-cons it will have to be after they are either removed or have served out their term. I pray for the former.

Thanks, george. You've taken the greatest nation on earth and reduced it to is basest elements. Only the gentle, healing hands of a true Progressive will be able to repair the damage you've done.

[ailsagirl]

84. That is low. I feel sad for ANY mother who lost a child in that war

(even if I don't agree with their politics)

[FreedomAngel82]

29. Especially looking at the polls lately of Bush

Many many of the public is turning against him now. The Bush gang doesn't care at all about us. Just his have's and have more's.

[Pirate Smile]

6. Well, the 2004 election did give birth to a new term. How long will

it be until it is actually in the dictionary?

Congratulations, Karl and George, you've given birth to a new word - Swift-boated: Meaning to smear and slander someone, usually a Veteran, through lies, distortions and disinformation.

More details need to be added to this definition. It feels incomplete.

[FreedomAngel82]

31. Hey at least now

W and Karl really did accomplish something!

[rateyes]

61. I think you've got it pretty well nailed down...

and, it sickening that they do it in the name of patriotism. These people wouldn't know a real patriot if he/she bit them on their collective asses.

[evilqueen]

77. Here's my essay about Patriotism

Patriotism

[rateyes]

82. Excellent! Thank you. eom

[bobbieinok]

80. adding to definition

anyone disagreeing with you, especially anyone connected with the military and most frequently a Veteran,

[President Kerry]

83. instead of customarily butchering words, Bush actually created one..

now that's a novelty

[understandinglife]

7. "A Day in the Bar Ditch of Democracy USA" and why it matters ....

I decided to re-post these observations given what has occurred during the past 24 hours, especially because Ms Sheehan's continued courage and Bush's continued cowardice, aided and abetted by his smear-mongers, only make the messages more poignant.

"Once you've been to war and you're a vet," says Young, "and you're sworn to uphold the Constitution and protect it from enemies BOTH foreign and domestic - that never leaves. I fought in an illegal war. These young guys in Iraq are fighting in an illegal war. If I can save one life I'll do whatever it takes." In the bar ditch outside the President's Crawford Ranch, Young is fighting a better war than he fought in Vietnam.

"This is a war for our country," says Young. "They are taking our country away from us and turning it into a fascist state. What has Bush done for the people? Everything he's done has been for the corporations." He talks about news reports of record earnings at Halliburton and jobs going overseas.

"Here's what they need," says Young. "They need a state of constant war. They need an ignorant population to fight it. They need people to provide the services and materials for war. And they need an ignorant population to do that work. But it will definitely be a country of rich and poor if this is not stopped."

"I don't know if I can stop it," says Young. "But I'll be doing it until the day I die. And the Vietnam vets? I'll tell you for sure, we're not going to back down. They can't do any more to us."

<clip>

From A Day in the Bar Ditch of Democracy USA by Greg Moses on August 6, 2005

More at the link:

http://peacefile.org/wordpress/?p=217

Those are the words of Vietnam Veteran Michael Young.

James Moore has written, today, about Johnny Matta from Pecos, Texas.

It seems fitting to link that story to Michael Young's -- the proximity of Pecos and Crawford, the reality that Johnny like Casey Sheehan are now dead because of Bush's lies; lies told in Bush's self-service to the plutocracy he and his family have worked hard to build.

Johnny Matta was killed in the same ambush that Jessica Lynch survived. James Moore's story about Johnny is a special tribute and should be read in its entirety.

Mr Moore begins with "his small town American storybook life ended in an early, needless tragedy. To me, Johnny Mata's story is all of their stories. And I have no idea how we can continue to let this happen."

Neither do I, Mr Moore, neither do I.

Almost a hundred people showed up at the home of Domingo and Elvira Mata the first night news came that their son, Johnny, was missing in Iraq a few days after the invasion had been launched. Each night, a priest performed a rosary, and prayers were offered for Johnny’s safe return. The crowds and the candles did not go away until Johnny’s casket, being transported by the army, was met at the Reeves County line by police cruisers. Thousands lined the roadways, silently watching the procession, holding up candles in the 3:30 a.m. desert darkness. When he was buried, half of the 10,000 population of Pecos surrounded the church, or stood in the withering desert heat at the graveyard, waiting for the arrival of Johnny’s funeral cortege.

<clip>

No one at Fort Bliss knew about faked documents trying to prove Saddam had attempted to buy uranium from Nigeria. They didn’t know there were no provable connections between Saddam and al Qaeda terrorists. Their commander-in-chief, they were certain, took his duties as solemnly and seriously as everyone at Fort Bliss. If the president said there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, every soldier accepted the statement for fact. As hazy as the politics were, they were irrelevant to everyone shipping out from Biggs Army Air Field at Fort Bliss. A soldier does not debate the politics of a presidential decision. He follows orders.

“We don’t think about no politics in our family,” said Domingo Mata. Johnny Mata’s father is a man whose impressive size reflects an appetite for all of life’s pleasures. He had been hovering nearby, listening to his daughter-in-law answer questions.

“Politics is just when someone tells you they’ll do something so you’ll help them get something they want, and then when they get in there, they forget all about the people who got them in. In our family, we just do what we need to do, what we think is right. That’s all Johnny did. When he went up there, (Iraq,) he just wanted to help all those little children who were hungry, and hurtin’, you know?”

<clip>

From Johnny Came Home by James Moore on August 7, 2005

Please do read the entire story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/jim-moore/johnny-came-home_5279.html

We know why Johnny and Casey and all the others died.

We know how amazing and honorable their willingness to serve our America is.

And, we know that though they were abused by a few rich folk, the American plutocracy, they will always be honored and remembered because what they thought they were doing was protecting all of us.

It is not their fault that their leaders are liars and war criminals.

We know that Michael Young and Cindy Sheehan and so very many others are absolutely correct in their assessment of the lies, the motives behind those lies, and the fact that we must stop them.

5 million American citizens in the streets of DC on Sept 24th 2005 is a worthy objective - to honor Johnny and Casey and all the others who have died and been brutalized by Bush's illegal war.

We must force Bush and Cheney to resign, and, failing that, impeach them.

We must be certain that every vote is recorded on paper and counted, in an open and verifiable manner, in 2006 and thereafter.

We must halt corporate control of our government.

We must defend our Constitution, 'from enemies both foreign AND DOMESTIC.'

Currently our principal domestic enemy, when not playing ranch hand, gets to live in our house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Let's serve an eviction notice, now, and just tell him to stay in Crawford.

Ms Sheehan is serving that Constitution and everyone one of us must show the same courage and conviction and stamina as she is.

WATCH IT; SPREAD IT http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[Peace Patriot]

39. "I have no idea how we can continue to let this happen."-James Moore

58% of the American people opposed the Iraq war BEFORE the invasion. I will never forget that stat. Feb. '03. Before all the lies were exposed, before the full costs were known. 58%!

About half of that 58% opposed the war outright. The other half would only approve a UN peacekeeping mission (world consensus)--not pre-emptive, unilateral war by Bush.

63% of the American people oppose torture UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. May '04. Not a fearful people. Not a people that gives up their sense of justice, ethics and lawfulness easily under pressure.

Now, how is it that we had war anyway--a bloody, awful war in which over 100,000 Iraqis were slaughtered in the initial bombing alone (according to the British doctors' report), and that continues to this day in a bloody military occupation--despite the great majority of Americans opposing it?

And how is it that our country is torturing people, people who are being held without charge for indefinite periods--torture of innocents, in other words--and torture with not even the slightest shred of necessity--with the great majority of Americans opposing torture UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES?

Where is "consent of the governed"? Where is majority rule? Where is democracy in this picture?

Meanwhile--while the Bush Cartel plotted a war that the great majority of Americans opposed even before they knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction, and while the Bush Cartel furthermore instituted the torture of prisoners in violation of dozens of laws, as well as the will of the great majority of Americans--buddies of the Bush Cartel, major donors and campaign chairs who owned electronic voting machine companies, forced the states to sign contracts in which the tabulation of the votes in the 2004 presidential election would be controlled with "trade secret," proprietary software--software so secret that not even Secretaries of State and other election officials could review it.

Bush's "pod people" in Congress readily agreed that major Bush donors and supporters should count all the votes in secret--and acted to prevent even the slightest control of this kind of "election"--say, a paper trail that might make such "elections" recountable and auditable. Democrats in Congress whimpered a bit about the lack of a paper trail but raised no ruckus about unauditable elections or even about Bushites counting all the votes in secret.

Hard to figure the Democrats--the word "suicidal" comes to mind--but perhaps the $4 billion in porkbarrel money to the states--to be poured into the pockets of the major Bush donors who own the voting machine companies, through the hands of both Democratic and Republican election officials--goes some way to explain the silence of the Democratic leadership on the important question of who would be counting Americans' votes, and how, in 2004. Also likely influential: the lavish lobbying junkets, and wining, dining and future jobs offers for those who signed over Americans' right to vote to private corporations to hold as a "trade secret."

This transformation of the election system into a non-transparent, unverifiable, and also unreliable and extremely hackable, private boondoggle controlled by Bushites went virtually unremarked and black-holed by the US corporate news monopolies. A few alarmed techies and Ph.D.'s cried foul. They were ignored (except by California Secretary of State Kevin Shelly, who sued one of the Bushite voting machine companies, Diebold, for lying to him about the security of their machines--but he was soon forced out of office by rumors about his dishonesty and lack of money to defend himself with--one of the last honest election officials in the country, abandoned by his own party, whose other California leaders cowered in their closets for fear of similar Bushite black ops against THEM, or were too busy doling out fat state contracts to Diebold and brethren for all sorts of state electronic systems.)

Then they held the 2004 "election." The Democrats had blown the Republicans away in new voter registration in 2004, nearly 60/40. People were flocking to the Democratic Party in hatred of the Bush Cartel and its war, and determined to oust them. Dick Cheney flew off the Hawaii, two days before the election, dropping newsturds along the way about how Hawaii was promising to turn "red," and he was going there to stump for votes (Hawaii!), but, in reality, getting himself into position for a major "terrorist alert" shutdown of the west coast vote, should the electronic voting scam fail on the east coast, and should the other little surprises that they had in store for Democratic voters in the swing states, such as Ohio, prove insufficient. They figured they could handle a mid-size Kerry landslide--but who knows what the American people might do?; they'd given them reason to be good and pissed off. They might have to stop it by other means--and they'd been prepping for that contingency for many weeks, by planting phony "terrorist alerts" in the newstream, even one involving a California grammer school.

Come the "election." People flocking to the polls. Biggest turnout in history. Bad news for Republicans. Every evidence of a big Kerry win. Momentum on his side. Zogby says no way could Bush win--his approval rating much too low. Huge, spontaneous crowds showing up for Kerry everywhere. Thousands of get out the vote volunteers. People standing in 10 hour lines to vote.

And all day long, the news monopoly exit polls showed a decisive Kerry win of both the popular vote (by 3%) and the Electoral vote, in both state and national exit polls (that is, the polls of voters as they left the voting booth)--despite all the purges of black voters in Ohio and Florida, despite the shorting of Democratic precincts and voting machines, despite all the disappeared absentee ballots, despite the RNC-funded shredding of Democratic voter registration cards, despite every dirty trick in the book. Kerry was winning.

The news monopolies then, acting in concert, began to FALSIFY their own exit poll numbers on everybody's TV screens on election night, "ADJUSTING" the exit polls (which Kerry won, definitively) to fit the "official tally" (Bush won) that was being fed to them from Bushite-controlled central vote tabulators, run on secret, proprietary software. Thus, the American people never knew that there were two sets of numbers on election night: one of them saying Kerry won, the other saying Bush won--with the latter being a highly suspect, unverifiable number.

Same situation as they had in the Ukraine--but the Ukrainians got to see the two separate numbers, and knew that something was very wrong. Not so in Amerika, where the public was denied major evidence of election fraud, thus squelching protests and cries for investigation.

The Democrats, who had great numbers going into the election, and who, after the 2000 election debacle, had repeatedly promised that "every vote would be counted," immediately caved in, without a fight--rolled over, played dead, and were never heard from again. Except for John Conyers and Barbara Boxer, and the House Black Caucus, the Democratic leadership didn't even seem to notice the massive, blatant violations of the Voting Rights Act in Ohio--let alone the stunning indications of widespread electronic fraud in the eastern time zone.

To be fair, with faster-than-the-speed-of light electronic vote stealing on a massive scale, and all the news monopolies colluding, and the Congress full of Bush "pod people," and the Supreme Court having already disgraced itself, in 2000, bending over for the Bush Cartel, the Democrats didn't have a prayer of winning an election challenge. There is much truth to that.

But there is also truth in this: the Democratic leadership had sold out their constituents' right to vote way back in 2002-2003, when they let Bushite companies Diebold and ES&S get control of the vote tabulation, without so much as a squeak of protest.

And there is truth in this: A good half of them approve of Bush's war--voted for it, keep funding it--despite the overwhelming disapproval of their constituents, and would just as soon the Republicans take the rap for the deaths and the cost. They can hit 'em with it in '06 and '08, and just be appalled at those incompetent, thieving Bushites.

I started this post with James Moore's quote: "I have no idea how we can continue to let this happen."

We, the American people, are not "letting this happen." We have no control over the situation whatsoever. WE have been against this war from the beginning--58% of us BEFORE the invasion--and now in even bigger numbers, an utterly overwhelming majority. We opposed it. It happened anyway. We voted it down. It still goes on. And now even Republicans are turning against it. And still it goes on and on and on.

Election reform, friends! We've got to throw Diebold and ES&S and Sequoia electronic voting machines into "Boston Harbor," and start over. They have hijacked our election system, and taken away our right to vote. And we must get it back. We must!

We need...

1. Paper ballots, hand counted at the precinct level. (They do it that way in Canada, in one day!) (--and speed should not be a consideration anyway)

or, at the least...

2. Paper ballot (not "paper trail") backup of all electronic voting machines, strict auditing and security, and NO SECRET, PROPRIETARY PROGRAMMING CODE!

We must! People are dying because we have not.

And in that sense--and in that sense only--we have "permitted this to happen." We were not vigilant about protecting our right to vote. And we had better get vigilant now, before it's too late. Forget Congress doing anything (and beware of them making it worse). Get on your state and local election officials. Demand transparent, verifiable elections.

The lives of your children and grandchildren may depend upon it.

[Ellipsis]

8. "Have you no sense of decency"?

Special Counsel for the Army Joseph N. Welch

It s different this time.

Anticommunist crusader Senator Joseph R. McCarthy stepped into national prominence on February 9, 1950, when he mounted an attack on President Truman’s foreign policy agenda. McCarthy charged that the State Department and its Secretary, Dean Acheson, harbored “traitorous” Communists. McCarthy’s apocalyptic rhetoric made critics hesitate before challenging him. Those accused by McCarthy faced loss of employment, damaged careers, and in many cases, broken lives. After the 1952 election, in which the Republican Party won control of Congress, McCarthy became chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Operations and its Subcommittee on Investigations. McCarthy then extended his targets to include numerous government agencies, in addition to the broadcasting and defense industries, universities, and the United Nations. After Secretary of the Army, Robert T. Stevens, refused to intercede to halt an overseas assignment for McCarthy’s chief consultant, G. David Schine, who had been drafted, McCarthy’s committee began a two-month investigation of the Army. Viewers saw the following dramatic encounters televised live as they occurred between McCarthy, Special Counsel for the Army Joseph N. Welch.

Hiya UL

[Fridays Child]

9. In her grief, Cindy tried to convince herself that the loss of her son...

...meant something noble. She realized, later, though, that it was for nothing of the kind. Now, she's making Casey's death actually count for something meaningful and good by fighting to stop this immoral war.

And the fact that Drudge, who is plenty bright enough to understand this, would exploit Cindy by generating such baseless suspicion about her, makes him beyond despicable.

Just leave her alone, Matt, you heartless bastard.

[ClayZ]

12. Cindy has the hearts and minds of the world!

Something these heartless SOBs will never even understand!

[fooj]

24. Yes. She has the heart of a nation behind her.

Kick for Cindy. Kick for truth!

Peace.:kick:

[ronnykmarshall]

48. Sludge has no shame.

He's a heartless pile of shit.

[understandinglife]

10. America's 21st Century "Rosa Parks" won't budge; and the whole world is ..

... watching.

Fallen soldier's mother vows vigil to see Bush
International Herald Tribune, France - 6 hours ago
CRAWFORD, Texas President George W. Bush draws antiwar protesters just about wherever he goes, but few generate the kind of attention that Cindy Sheehan has ...

Mother's vigil protest against Iraq war
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - 8 hours ago
The mother of a United States soldier killed in Iraq says her vigil outside President George W. Bush's ranch is a protest against the use of her son's death to ...

Bereaved mom becomes one focus of war debate
San Jose Mercury News, United States - 11 hours ago
By Richard W. Stevenson. CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush draws anti-war protesters just about wherever he goes, but few generate ...

Mr President, there's someone waiting, and waiting, to see you
Sydney Morning Herald (subscription), Australia - 14 hours ago
Texas ambush ... Cindy Sheehan on the road leading to Mr Bush's ranch. She has vowed to camp out until the President agrees to see her. ...

Protest mom met Bush in '04
Chicago Sun-Times, United States - 18 hours ago
BY DEB RIECHMANN. CRAWFORD, Texas -- A mother of a fallen US soldier who has pledged to hold a roadside peace protest near President ...

Soldier's mother keeps protest vigil at Bush ranch
People's Daily Online, China - 22 hours ago
The mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq, Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., is camping near US president's ranch in Crawford, Texas. ...

Of the Many Deaths in Iraq, One Mother's Loss Becomes a Problem ...
New York Times, United States - Aug 7, 2005
CRAWFORD, Tex., Aug. 7 - President Bush draws antiwar protesters just about wherever he goes, but few generate the kind of attention ...

Bereaved mother in peace vigil
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Aug 7, 2005
A determined mother of a fallen US soldier who has pledged to hold a roadside peace protest near President George Bush's Texas ranch until he talks to her ...

Soldier's mom digs in near Bush ranch
CNN - Aug 7, 2005
Cindy Sheehan tries to keep cool Sunday while protesting near President Bush's ranch in Crawford. CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- A mother ...

Mom of Slain GI Holds Vigil in Crawford
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Aug 7, 2005
By DEB RIECHMANN. CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - The mother of a fallen US soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President Bush's ...

Mom of Deceased GI Seeks Meeting With Bush
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Aug 7, 2005
By DEB RIECHMANN. CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - A determined mother of a fallen US soldier who has pledged to hold a roadside peace protest ...

Grieving mother tries to call Bush to account
The Age (subscription), Australia - Aug 7, 2005
By Edward Chen. Two senior White House aides have met the angry mother of a fallen US soldier, but they rejected Cindy Sheehan's ...

Mom wants to ask Bush `Why'?
Chicago Tribune, United States - Aug 7, 2005
CRAWFORD, Texas -- The angry mother of a fallen US soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch on Saturday, demanding an accounting from the president ...

Soldier's mother protests near Bush ranch
Boston Globe, United States - Aug 7, 2005
By Deb Riechmann, Associated Press | August 7, 2005. CRAWFORD, Texas -- The angry mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq staged a ...

Fallen GI's mom leads protest near Bush ranch
Seattle Times, United States - Aug 7, 2005
By DEB RIECHMANN. CRAWFORD, Texas — The angry mother of a fallen US soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch yesterday ...

Bush Aides Meet Angry Mother of Fallen Soldier
Los Angeles Times, CA - Aug 7, 2005
The California woman, unassuaged, says she'll wait in Texas to discuss Iraq with the president. By Edwin Chen, Times Staff Writer. ...

Anti-war protesters go after Bush at home
Houston Chronicle, United States - Aug 6, 2005
By MICHAEL HEDGES. CRAWFORD - Some US veterans of the Iraq war and mothers of men who died in combat there joined an anti-war protest ...

Mother Takes Protest to Bush's Ranch
New York Times, United States - Aug 6, 2005
CRAWFORD, Texas, Aug. 6 - The mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq led a protest march on President Bush's ranch here on ...

Angry Mom Protests President
CBS News - Aug 6, 2005
(CBS/AP) The angry mother of a fallen US soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch, demanding an accounting from Bush of how he has conducted the ...

Soldier's mom protests near Bush's ranch
CNN - Aug 6, 2005
Cindy Sheehan holds pictures of her son as she leads an anti-war march near President Bush's ranch. CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- The ...

Mom Protesting Iraq War Meets Bush Aides
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Aug 6, 2005
By DEB RIECHMANN. CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - The angry mother of a fallen US soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch Saturday ...

Mom of fallen soldier leads Bush protest
MSNBC - Aug 6, 2005
CRAWFORD, Texas - The angry mother of a fallen US soldier staged a protest near President Bush’s ranch on Saturday, demanding an accounting from the ...

Vacaville Mother Leads Anti-War Protest Outside Bush Texas Ranch
KXTV, CA - 2 hours ago
The Vacaville mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq led a group of angry demonstrators in a protest outside President George W. Bush's Texas ranch for a second ...

Mom, protestor may have outworn welcome outside Bush's ranch
KHOU (subscription), TX - 3 hours ago
A mother protesting the war outside President Bush's Crawford ranch may have outworn her welcome. Cindy Sheehan lost a son in Iraq ...

Poll: Majority Of Americans Unhappy With Iraq War
CBS 5, CA - 5 hours ago
(CBS 5) Vacaville's Cindy Sheehan spent this past weekend continuing her protest of the Iraq war, outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford Texas. ...

Earlier Account of Bereaved Mother's Meeting With Bush Draws ...
Editor & Publisher - 6 hours ago
By Greg Mitchell and Joe Strupp. NONE A year-old article in a small California newspaper suddenly became one of the hottest media ...

Mother of Slain Soldier Protests Bush at Ranch
Muslim American Society, VA - 7 hours ago
CRAWFORD, Texas, Aug 8 (MASNET & News Agencies) - The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq said Sunday her vigil outside President George W. Bush's ranch ...

Vacaville Mother Speaks from Crawford
KRON 4, CA - 8 hours ago
CRAWFORD, TX (KRON) -- A Vacaville woman whose son was killed in Iraq says she won't leave President Bush's Crawford ranch until Mr. Bush meets with her or ...

Report: Mother who lost son in Iraq says she may be arrested
Raw Story, MA - 8 hours ago
A friend of the mother who lost her son in Iraq and is protesting outside President Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch, says she expects to be arrested Thursday ...

More at the link:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-34,GGLD:en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&ncl=http://web.morons.org/article.jsp%3Fsectionid%3D2%26id%3D6437

As one may notice, the nature of the headlines change as Ms Sheehan persists ....

http://www.peacecandy.com/gwbush/remindus
REMIND US

WATCH IT; SPREAD IT http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[il_lilac]

11. what will King George do

as the world watches.

[understandinglife]

14. Probably keep digging an even deeper hole ... one that leads to ....

.... a cold, dark prison cell where he will spend the remainder of his cruel, criminal life.




http://www.newsparkproductions.org


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[il_lilac]

20. Ahh

what a pretty picture you paint!

[FreedomAngel82]

34. It's so amazing to me

how the whole world is watching this event and this one woman who wants the truth about why her son was killed. I know I'll someday tell my future children about her when they're studying about this time frame and they want to know "why?" and what really happened.

[understandinglife]

41. It has always been ... the power of one person who rivets an issue ....

... and remains undaunted -- Cindy Sheehan is truly America's early 21st Century "Rosa Parks."


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[anarchy1999]

13. "We the people" this time can stop it. Period.

"We" do not have to let the swift boaters get away with it again.

It's plain and it is really simple, not again.


Sorry, just feeling a little passionate.
anarchy1999

[understandinglife]

16. "Sorry, just feeling a little passionate." Never, I repeat, NEVER ...

.... apologize for feeling passionate about these issues.

If Henry, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, Payne, Martin Luther King Jr., ..... had not been way more than 'a little passionate' none of us would have ever known "America."

Thank you for your passion, and just as importantly, for how you are using it to get stuff DONE.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[sandnsea]

59. "We the people"

should have done it last year. We should have exposed their smear and fear campaigns. Not nitpicked over this detail or that, we should have just said HELL NO. I hope we've truly learned the lesson.

[Hissyspit]

15. Cindy's response to this from her DKos diary up just a little while ago:

In her own words:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/9/01024/39519

"Another big story that was going on today was about my first meeting with Bush in June of 2004. For you all I would like to clarify a few things. First of all, I did meet with George, and that is not a secret. I have written about it and been interviewed about it. I will stand by my recounting of the meeting. His behavior was rude and inappropriate. My behavior in June of 2004 and is irrelevant to what is going on in 2005. I was in deep shock and deep grief. The grief is still there, but the shock has worn off and the deep anger has set in. And to remind everybody, a few things have happened since June of 2004: The 9/11 commission report; the Senate Intelligence report; the Duelfer WMD report; and most damaging and criminal: the Downing Street Memos. The VERY LAST THING I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS: Why do the right wing media so assiduously scrutinize the words of a grief filled mother and ignore the words of a lying president?"

[understandinglife]

17. Thank you and if you think it helpful to her, please ...

... share a link to this thread for her to read.

WATCH IT; SPREAD IT http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[Hissyspit]

Doing that now, understandinglife. n/t

[The Doctor.]

63. I imagine this may be the paragraph they will use to

label her a 'flip-flopper';

"I now know {Bush is} sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith." C. Sheehan, 2004 as reported by David Henson

http://www.thereporter.com/search/ci_2923921

Did she actually say that? And in what context?

[RagAss]

18. Let them go. Let them spin it any way they want.

Even a cretin can see the truth here. They are painting themselves into a corner of hate. They are compressing themselves into a minority party of hatred. All we need to do is step back and watch the train wreck.

[tavalon]

36. Nope, not going to ignore this one

That was a mistake Kerry made with the swift boat liars.

We need to shine a light on what they are doing. They are making our job incredibly easy but we still have to make it easy for the press and the average Joe to understand.

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. One person refusing to cave CAN make a difference. I think the smears

will not play well with most Americans - that is what I am hoping for, that there is enough decency left that the SwiftBoating of Cindy Sheehan backfires in a major way.

[understandinglife]

21. NY Times Editorial for August 9, 2005: "One Woman in Crawford"

Summertime often produces unexpected media figures, and this is Cindy Sheehan's season. Ms. Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq last year, is camping out near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Tex., and says she won't leave until Mr. Bush agrees to meet with her to discuss the war. There are many reasons for the flood of media attention she is attracting: she has a poignant personal story and she is articulate - and, let's face it, August is a slow news month. But most of all, she is tapping into a growing popular feeling that the Bush administration is out of touch with the realities, and the costs, of the Iraq war.

<clip>

Perhaps most troubling, Mr. Bush is not leveling about where things stand with the war. He continues to stay on message, as he did with the platitude he offered last week: "We will stay the course; we will complete the job in Iraq." The public knows that things in Iraq are not going well on any number of levels, and deserves a fuller, more honest discussion led by the commander in chief.

Just 38 percent of the respondents in a recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll, a new low, approved of Mr. Bush's handling of Iraq. That does not mean the remaining 62 percent agree with Ms. Sheehan that the troops should come home immediately. But it does mean that many Americans are with her, at least figuratively, at that dusty roadside in Crawford, expecting better answers.

More at the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/opinion/09tue1.html

For a rag that is still trying to pretend some legitimacy of Miller claiming the 1st, instead of telling her to cut the bullshit and, if she needs to hide, claim the 5th, it's not too bad of an editorial.

The 'old grey lady' is clearly on life-support whilst Ms Sheehan is showing the world what America truly means.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[BigBearJohn]

26. Thank you for posting this. Very well felt and written. God bless you.

[fooj]

23. Truth is our most powerful weapon! Kick for Cindy! Kick for truth!

Peace.:patriot:

[understandinglife]

25. Steve Cobble: It's a war based on lies, and Cindy Sheehan wants the truth

Cindy Sheehan is a one-woman antiwar movement.

Cindy wants to ask George W. Bush exactly what was the "noble cause" that her son Casey died for.

She's camping in a ditch near George W. Bush's fake ranch -- built as a stage set when Bush ran for President, so he could pretend to be a cowboy, instead of an oil man -- because more Americans like cowboys...

Cindy wants to ask Bush about the Downing Street Memo. Even though the elite media never really put it on the front page, Cindy knows that it proves that Bush & Blair had decided to go to war long before they told the rest of us, that the reasons they gave out to the public were false.

<clip>

From Casey's Mom at the Bat by Steve Cobble on August 9, 2005

More at the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/steve-cobble/caseys-mom-at-the-bat_5340.html

Bush has met his "Rosa Parks" and her name is Cindy Sheehan.

Bush has no idea what that means.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

27. N Solomon: "The war-makers rely on "perception management" techniques ..."

In a society with significant aspects of democracy, persistent spin is necessary to gain and retain public support for war. The war-makers rely on "perception management" techniques that effectively promote certain themes; the better we understand those ongoing themes, the more clearly we'll be able to see through them. Such understanding can blow away the fog of media war and enhance democratic participation in decisions that are truly matters of life and death.

<clip>

From Big Star-Spangled Lies for War by Norman Solomon on August 8, 2005

More at link:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/080805E.shtml

Whilst everyone is preparing to support Ms Sheehan during the weeks ahead, and march on DC on Sept 24, and whatever else it takes to bring Bush and the neoconsters to justice, please read this terse, cogent assessment by Mr Solomon.

Please discuss it and share it with your children and the children of friends and family and strangers .... share it with everyone.

If America survives the current horrid calamity, we need a few guidelines as to how to avoid another cycle of premeditated lies as cover for unjust war.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[FreedomAngel82]

28. It's really very telling

of who they are by how they're treating Ms. (or Mrs??) Sheehan. A mother who lost her son in a war Bush deems noble and honorable he refuses to meet. What does that say about the "war"?

[bleever]

30. It's as though Mary, having already given her son, is chased from Herod's

gates by his soldiers.

Bush has washed his hands of this death, and all those that came before and will come after: "Noble cause. Complete the mission."

History is watching.

[flyarm]

32. I DESPISE THESE BASTARDS!

i can hardly stand it anymore...

to go after a mother of a fallen soldier..her child , her flesh and blood is dispicable..but leave it to the bastards on the red side..as in communistic brown shirts!..they are just filth!
these sick son of a -----..need to be tried for treason..and then given the death penalty ..the one * loves so much!

[understandinglife]

33. Mr President, there's someone waiting, and waiting, to see you

Mr President, there's someone waiting, and waiting, to see you

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/08/08/sheehan_wideweb__430x260,1.jpg

Texas ambush ... Cindy Sheehan on the road leading to Mr Bush's ranch. She has vowed to camp out until the President agrees to see her. Photo: Reuters

August 9, 2005

Link:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/mr-president-theres-someone-waiting-and-waiting-to-see-you/2005/08/08/1123353263101.html

Ms Parks would be proud.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[AmBlue]

72. Isn't Rosa still living?

It'd be awesome if someone could interview her on this subject, dontcha think?

[understandinglife]

73. Yes, she is still alive. She is in her 90's and I do not know the ...

... status of her health. I have had this image of Rosa shaking Cindy's hand, either in the trench in Crawford or on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.


Here is a picture from 2000:




Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

75. She worked for Congressman Conyers for several years and ...

.... I am going to contact him and ask if she is well enough to consider meeting Ms Sheehan.


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

79. Email and Fax to Congressman Conyers (and a request to DUers)

Good afternoon Congressman Conyers,

I have posted on Ms Sheehan and consider her very much a "21st Century Rosa Parks":

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4291391&mesg_id=4291391

I know that Ms Parks worked for you and that she still lives in Detroit. It would be exceptionally powerful if Ms Parks, health permitting, might be willing to meet with or speak on the phone with Ms Sheehan -- I can envision the two of them standing in that ditch in Crawford or on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial shaking hands. That might never happen, but the symbolism would be powerful and uniting and that is what we need to halt Bush and the neoconsters from any further crimes and from any more killing.

Thank you for your extraordinary leadership. My wife and I are matching your donation to the Gold Star Families.

Peace,
UL

Anyone at DU with access to the Congressman or a member of his outstanding staff, please consider passing this request to the Congressman.

Thank you.

[EFerrari]

35. If they try, they're going to need a really big boat this time.

:)

:kick:

[Binka]

37. Cindy To Asshat "Bring It on"

Fuckwittage done tangled with the wrong bear this time. Go Cindy Go!

[bluedonkey]

38. Here is the original

from The Reporter in Vacaville,CA.
http://www.thereporter.com/republished

She wasn't as pissed off then at * as she is today,which is understandable taking into account all the lies etc.
I had the pleasure of talking to her the other night,on Dkos,and she said she once believed *.
I'm not trying to smear Cindy Sheehan,so safe your flames for someone else.
I have the greatest respect for her and I told her so,but she is only human and she is under tremendous stress.No matter what was said a year ago,she's in Crawford now demanding an explanation!

[LeftishBrit]

40. All best wishes to Cindy Sheehan!

As part of the 'watching world', I know that she, not Bush, is the true representative of American democratic traditions. May her spirit, not his, triumph in American and in the world!!!

[Nye Bevan]

42. A pathetic attempt at a smear

I know *several* people who supported the war in its earlier stages but have now turned against it, with the emergence of the DSM and the increasing evidence that chimp & co have no idea how to stop the deaths and insurgency. The fact that Cindy Sheehan at one time was more supportive of chimp than she is now is irrelevant.

[markus]

43. "This woman has no credibility" quoth are local Rush clone in Fargo

after reading her quotes as carried on CNN.com today versus her quotes afer the earlier Bush meeting.

I had to call this particular pilodidal cyst on teh butt of humanity to point out that a year ago, tens of millions of Americans thought * was right, but that the tide is turning. Cindy Sheehan is our representative in Crawford, and we demand he come out and speak to her.

They're still discussing poor, misguided and badly informed me when the topic comes up. I'm flattered.

[debbierlus]

44. Let them smear her - it is incredibly stupid move on their part!

America is fed up with this war -

61% disapprove of Bush's handling of the war & he is at his lowest approval rating ever.

So, what is there big plan? Say that Sheehan once said nice things about this President & now is just a bitter mother who has to strike out at the Bush? Yeah. That's going to work. Sheehan was in shock when she met with Bush the first time. And, she has since learned (& the majority of America has) all about Bush's lies starting this disaster of a war. So, now she wants to call him to task.

Most of America identifies with this mother. They feel betrayed by Bush. Many people once thought as Cindy did - that there were reasons for this & now they know better.

Their route of slander & smear is a mistake. It makes Bush look like a complete coward & villanizing a mother who lost her son just is cruel. I think her arrest will inflame the nation against Bush. And, it won't just be Cindy they are arresting. The Gold Star Families for Peace are on their way. Are they going to arrest all of these people? And, what if another military family member who has suffered a loss because of this war starts another protest (which I bet is likely)? Are they going to arrest them as well?

Bush is a coward.

He is a liar.

The man has no shame.

[understandinglife]

49. Welcome to DU, debbierlus!

http://www.peacecandy.com/gwbush/remindus
REMIND US

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us - How ever long it takes, the day must come when tens of millions of caring individuals peacefully but persistently defy the dictator, deny the corporatists their cash flow, and halt the evil being done in Iraq and in all the other places the Bu$h neoconster regime is destroying civilization and the environment in the name of "America."

[JRob]

45. All the money, all the powerful political icons & celebrities, the media

could not or would not do what one lady from Northern California has done.

It's pathetic and embarrassing to think that these people represent our nation.

Tens of thousands to Crawford would make the statement that a second revolution is imminent...

Make bush call the national guard only to get the recording "no one is in to take your call right now, but we will return your call when we return from Iraq."

[progressivebydesign]

46. Is Drudge incapable of reading at a middle school level?

Because anyone with even basic reading skills KNOWS what Cindy was trying to say in that first interview that Drudge is using to smear that poor woman.

WHY does ANYONE want to be associated with a Party that trashes 9/11 widows, grieving military Moms, decorated and injured war heroes, and anyone who served our country but disagrees with Republican policy? I'm sorry.. HOW CHRISTIAN IS THAT???

[Nye Bevan]

47. and Donald Rumsfeld once gave Saddam a friendly handshake...

... I guess his views also evolved with changing circumstances.

[understandinglife]

50. "Cindy, Crawford, and the Bush Smear Machine"

Cindy, Crawford, and the Bush Smear Machine

It's truly amazing what the human spirit can accomplish. From Gandhi's Salt March to Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail, a single person can fight a corrupt establishment and win -- when truth and justice is on his or her side.

Now, in 2005, along comes Cindy Sheehan, the California woman whose altar-boy son Casey was killed in Iraq last year. As you may have heard, Sheehan and some supporters have been camping out outside the Bush ranch in Crawford, Tex., refusing to leave until she gets a meeting with the president. Already, her plight has drawn media attention and could mark a turning point in public resistance to the war in Iraq.

That's when the right-wing smear machine jumped into its swift boats and tried to pull a "Joe Wilson" on Sheehan before her plight captivates more folks out in TV Land.

<clip>

Cindy Sheehan is winning down in Texas. And this time, finally, there's nothing that the guys in the black hats can do to stop her.

More at the link:

http://www.pnionline.com/dnblog/attytood/archives/002301.html

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. So the smears have started

I am not surprised... in fact was expecting it, they did that to Parks, to Guandi and to every other person who has stodo to those in power.. lets join her in whatever way, small or large, we can

Send letters of suport, lets overwhelm the Post Office.

Talk to your neighbors, pray if you must, light a candle. Her fight is our fight, for we are fighting for our country

[Carolab]

52. Anyone read this? What Bush ACTUALLY said to her?

CRAWFORD, Tex., Aug. 7 - President Bush draws antiwar protesters just about wherever he goes, but few generate the kind of attention that Cindy Sheehan has since she drove down the winding road toward his ranch here this weekend and sought to tell him face to face that he must pull all Americans troops out of Iraq now.

(snip)

As the mother of an Army specialist who was killed at age 24 in the Sadr City section of Baghdad on April 4, 2004, Ms. Sheehan's story is certainly compelling. She is also articulate, aggressive in delivering her message and has information that most White House reporters have not heard before: how Mr. Bush handles himself when he meets behind closed doors with the families of soldiers killed in Iraq.

The White House has released few details of such sessions, which Mr. Bush holds regularly as he travels the country, but generally portrays them as emotional and an opportunity for the president to share the grief of the families. In Ms. Sheehan's telling, though, Mr. Bush did not know her son's name when she and her family met with him in June 2004 at Fort Lewis. Mr. Bush, she said, acted as if he were at a party and behaved disrespectfully toward her by referring to her as "Mom" throughout the meeting.

By Ms. Sheehan's account, Mr. Bush said to her that he could not imagine losing a loved one like an aunt or uncle or cousin. Ms. Sheehan said she broke in and told Mr. Bush that Casey was her son, and that she thought he could imagine what it would be like since he has two daughters and that he should think about what it would be like sending them off to war.

"I said, 'Trust me, you don't want to go there'," Ms. Sheehan said, recounting her exchange with the president. "He said, 'You're right, I don't.' I said, 'Well, thanks for putting me there.' "


end item- fromthe online edition,August 9th NYT.

(sorry I don't have the link--this was taken from another blog where they didn't provide it)

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. I say have the two daughters join NOW

and go to the line

[riverwalker]

53. RW never grieve

Casey died 04-04-04. The meeting with Bush was a only few weeks later June 18-04. Cindy's initial grief was so intense, she only recalls hearing someone screaming, and realized it ws her. http://www.gsfp.org/
The pain would have been so raw during the Bush meeting in June, that just walking and talking would require effort.
Yet, the RW are acting as if she is under oath or something. These people are so defective, they don't even comprehend what grief is, they can't relate to any basic human emotion except lust, fear and greed.

[understandinglife]

55. Raw Story interview with Cindy Sheehan and new web site posted:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Raw_Story_Mother_protesting_at_Crawford_ranch_speaks__0809.html



And, David Swanson has the new website for Cindy up and running:




Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[joytomme]

56. Cindy Sheehan has "soured" on Bush

Drudge and other newspaper professionals can point out inconsistencies in Cindy Sheehan since her son died until they are red in the face...but those inconsistencies are meaningless. The White House Ladies have been even more inconsistent in their conducting of the war...they try this spin, they try that spin.

Most of the people in the world have been inconistent in their view of the war in Iraq since the war started. Whatever Cindy Sheehan may have said after her son died, was an attempt to put her own emotions in order.

But the fact is, she has soured on Bush just as the rest of the world has soured on Bush. Time has passed and her emotions are in order and she sees clearly now. Just as the rest of us see clearly. Because NOW we all can see the extent of the lying, the cheating, the arrogance and the stupidity of the GOP's unnecessary and illegal war in Iraq.

Cindy Sheehan is not a politician like Kerry, she is not someone who has worked in government like Wilson...she is an ordinary human being and ordinary human beings do not get swift-boated because other ordinary human beings don't like bullies to go after their peers. It's one thing to swift-boat a candidate and a government official...it's quite another to even think about swift-boating the mother of a dead soldier...it will lead to a horrific backlash. And further, ordinary human beings are allowed to change their minds about the war in Iraq because all of us ordinary human beings have done exactly that: We've changed our minds and we all have soured on George W. Bush.

Joy Tomme
http://ratbangdiary.blogspot. com

[volitionx]

57. Interesting Hypocrisy...

I think we should face all neocons and say, "ok, you now have NO right to change your mind on any issue, any time, for any reason, since apparently the discovery of new information or the products of analysis aren't allowed to change your stance on any issue....ASSHOLE!"

They're just getting desperate. Cindy was obviously grieving when she first met Bushmeister, and probably WANTED to believe that the fascist was a decent guy. That's what she needed at the time. But after she dealt with her grief for a while, she apparently saw him for what he IS--a heartless, sociopathic, corporate fascist.

There's nothing wrong with changing your mind. It's not a fucking crime, like, let's say, outing a CIA agent or waging an illegal war.

Interesting how Bushco:

1. OPPOSED the 9/11 commission, then acted like it was their idea...

2. OPPOSED the WMD intel. failure investigation, then acted like it was their idea...

3. OPPOSED the formation of the Dept. of Homeland Security, then acted like it was their idea...

4. OPPOSED nation-building, then engaged in nationbuilding...

ETC.

I call that akin to FLIP-FLOPPING...

[buddha8]

58. momentum

This incident is begging to mushroom in force into something alot bigger. A new socail movement perhaps spawned from the epicenter of power itself. A dusty ditch in Crawford claimed by a soccer Mom who has nothing to lose. Until others see that they now have literally nothing to lose there is no movement. Why did so many join hands with King in Selma? Because they had nothing to lose. They had mined the pits of their despair. And those that trekked with Ghandi, all skin,protruding bone and smashed cartilage? They marched for salt. They marched to put gruel on the table. They had seen the baseless bottom. They had no choice. Still here in Babylon we don't really suffer yet beyond our interminable indifference to life. Compassion is born out of tradgedy as it was for Sheehan. I don't think we will see a real movement yet until a defining event propels many thousands to join Cindy in the ditch. There is not enough tangible suffering yet to form a real movement. People still beleive they can effect change by mainlining Wolf Blitzer and hugging their monitors. The defining event in Vietnam was the Draft and the tear gassings at Berkeley and Columbia as well Kent State. Sadly, we await this generations defining event. I don't look forward to it but Cheney is a man of nefarious action. He will resume the offensive soon enough and that should be the catalyst to birth a real anti-war movement in my opinion. Remember he learned under Nixon and Nixon was forever escalating conflict. His Waterloo finally was the secret bombing of Cambodia. A not so secret joint nuclear bombing run with Israel over Teheran is quite possibly on the agenda. What is afterall all the coming and going at Crawford about? Why has Cheney asked STRATCOM to draw up contingency plans for nuking Iran in the event of another 9?11? These guys want to move on Iran no question about it. They will stage a domestic tradgedy if they have to and declare Martial Law and roundups of dissidents if they need to in order to further consolidate power and divert mass attention. I suspect, though no one can say, that this fall may be a tipping point. I hope I am wrong.

[ecoalex]

60. What am I missing? Drudge reported as she was quoted??

I don't see that Drudge did misquote Ms Sheehan from the publication that carried her quote.Let's be honest, credibility is important, emotions are not rational.Factually Cindy did say what was quoted by Drudge, as much as you may not like it, Sheehan had a change of heart, all Drudge was saying, a fact..

http://www.thereporter.com/search/ci_2923921 Article Launched: 06/24/2004 06:00:00 AM

in the meeting. Shortly after Casey died, Bush sent the family a form letter expressing his condolences, and Cindy said she felt it was an impersonal gesture.

"I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."

The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.

While meeting with Bush, as well as Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was an honor, it was almost a tangent benefit of the trip. The Sheehans said they enjoyed meeting the other families of fallen soldiers, sharing stories, contact information, grief and support.

For some, grief was still visceral and raw, while for others it had melted into the background of their lives, the pain as common as breathing. Cindy said she saw her reflection in the troubled eyes of each.

"It's hard to lose a son," she said. "But we (all) lost a son in the Iraqi war."

The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.

For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.

For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.

"That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," Cindy said.

[savemefromdumbya]

62. Is the President being unconstitutional?

The President should meet with her?

[puebloknot]

65. Courage and Wisdom to Change....

....through the most painful medium there is -- loss of a child in an unjust and criminal war.

Thanks, UL, you've got it right. Cindy Sheehan is in the same league with the other "Power of One" legends who live in our memory because of their stubborn refusal to shut up and go away.

I've spent some time thinking about people who have sent their children to die in this war, and have felt that *I* knew it was all a lie, and how could they support this criminal regime! Cindy Sheehan's strongest attribute may be the very fact that she has *changed* any support she may have earlier felt (the support was for her son, not this government)to criticism born of having her eyes opened by painful facts.

I remember that, some time ago, I held some very strong feelings against one Arianna Huffington for her support of Republican idealogy, in particular the right-wing vendetta against Bill Clinton. Today, she's an icon of hope for me because she *changed her mind* and began to act on her new perceptions. And I've changed my mind about some things, too; to wit, the idea that the Clintons were merely victims. While still feeling that Bill Clinton was a good president, given events which have followed his presidency, I've come to see that in some ways, they all work for the same boss, and We the People need to become our own army of "Rosa Parks" in order to take back the power that rightfully and constitutionally belongs to us.

"This land is your land, this land is my land...."
Peter, Paul, and Mary

[understandinglife]

66. 16 Democrats call on Bush to meet mother of fallen soldier

From Raw Story at:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/16_Democrats_call_on_Bush_to_meet_mother_of_fallen_soldi_0809.html

Those having already signed:

Reps. John Conyers; George Miller; Maxine Waters; Corrine Brown; Dennis Kucinich; Carolyn Maloney; Jim McDermott; Jim McGovern; Barbara Lee; Zoe Lofgren; Peter Oberstar; John Lewis; Bernie Sanders; Bob Filner; Micheal Honda; Raul Grijalva

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

68. Congressman Conyers: "Support Cindy"

I know you all agree with me that what Cindy Sheehan is doing in Crawford, Texas is heroic and important. I met Cindy a couple of months ago when she testified at the hearing I called on the Downing Street Minutes. Later that day, she helped me deliver your signatures to the White House demanding answers from the President about his pre-war deceptions. I want to share with you what struck me about that day, and is even more relevant now. I also want to ask you for your help.

It is not that hard for an elected official to take his time and energy and try to demand accountability from a President. It is what I was elected to do and it is my job. For a mother who recently lost her son in a war based on lies to turn her grief and anger into action and courage is a heroic act.

It is also important. ....

More at Congressman Conyers blog:

http://www.conyersblog.us/default.htm

Cross posted at Dailykos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/8/9/153129/5183

Link to the Congressman speaking with Cindy Sheehan:

http://www.conyersblog.us/”http://johnconyers.com/vertical/Sites/{EF00C507-612C-4BA3-84C0-446C97F7E413}/uploads/{F868F974-9851-4F48-9B0D-7B4C336C6109}.MP3“

And, the Congressman just made a $ 500.00 donation to the Gold Star Families!


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[fighttheevilempire]

70. A great start...

but still a long way to go. We need more. Specifically all of them. Clinton, Kerry, Dean, Clark, as well as other great notables like Hackett. Soildarity is key.

The MSM damn well better not ignore this one.

edit: We also should especially remember the people who help us at election time. Let's not forget this come 06.

[Independent_Liberal]

67. Kick!

[BamaBecky]

81. Kick for Cindy

[Junkdrawer]

85. FYI: The smear started at FreeRepublic - looks like a WH plant...

It was posted tgslTakoma (D.C. FR Chapter) who paid for the article...

I had to pay to get the archived copy of this report - because I felt that it was important that a public record be kept (here, on FR) of this woman's earlier impressions of her meeting with the president in June of 2004.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1458638/posts

Ok tgslTakoma...if you're not from her hometown, how did you know that paying to retrieve an archive article would be useful at all?

Unless you're someone who follows up on all presidential visits in the press....

[understandinglife]

86. Maureen Dowd: "W. can't get no satisfaction on Iraq."

But his humanitarianism will remain inhumane as long as he fails to understand that the moral authority of parents who bury children killed in Iraq is absolute.

From Why No Tea and Sympathy? by Maureen Dowd on August 10, 2005

More at the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/opinion/10dowd.html

Georgie boy is going to wish she had stayed on that book tour for another year or two .....


Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[ecoalex]

87. There was no smear, Cindy may have had a change of heart, she did change

I don't see that Drudge did misquote Ms Sheehan from the Vacaville , Ca. newspaper her home town that carried her quote in April of 2004. Let's be honest, credibility is important, emotions are not rational.Factually Cindy did say what was quoted by Drudge, as much as you may not like it, Sheehan had a change of heart, all Drudge was saying, a fact..

http://www.thereporter.com/search/ci_2923921 Article Launched: 06/24/2004 06:00:00 AM

in the meeting. Shortly after Casey died, Bush sent the family a form letter expressing his condolences, and Cindy said she felt it was an impersonal gesture.

"I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis," Cindy said after their meeting. "I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."

The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.

While meeting with Bush, as well as Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was an honor, it was almost a tangent benefit of the trip. The Sheehans said they enjoyed meeting the other families of fallen soldiers, sharing stories, contact information, grief and support.

For some, grief was still visceral and raw, while for others it had melted into the background of their lives, the pain as common as breathing. Cindy said she saw her reflection in the troubled eyes of each.

"It's hard to lose a son," she said. "But we (all) lost a son in the Iraqi war."

The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.

For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.

For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.

"That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," Cindy said.