Crawford bracing for thousands for dueling rallies

[brettdale]

http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3772939

Crawford bracing for thousands for dueling rallies


CRAWFORD, Texas More than three-thousand Iraq war supporters plan a big pro-Bush rally this afternoon near the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

They'll be trying to counter a three-week-old anti-war demonstration led by Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan (SHEE'-han). Her son was killed in Iraq last year.

Today's counter-demonstration is shaping up as the largest yet and comes at the end of cross-country caravan organized around the theme: "You don't speak for me, Cindy!" Participants say instead of protesting the war, Sheehan should support the troops and their efforts. Her camp-out protest has drawn the support of hundreds demanding the president bring the troops home.

Sheehan says she'd welcome the chance to meet with the war supporters.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Systematic Chaos]

1. We'll see their 3,000 and raise them... how many?

5,000? They can grandstand all they want to, but the simple fact is that the chickenhawks are outnumbered and it only gets worse with every dead soldier. :grr:

[DemInDistress]

2. Rather than march on Camp Casey...they should all

march right on down to the local recruiters office and sign up en mass
imagine the moral boost for the troops,"hundreds join the Army to show up Cindy," we love America, support bush's war and are willing to"sign themselves into 8 yrs of servitude.But we know thats a pipe dream,yes I confess i Just smoked a joint..Why wont the Military meet its yearly quota? Americans are waking up,in particular some gopers now have their doubts about the honesty of the Bush Crime Family.its luster is eroding and people see their FAKES..

[rodeodance]

3. The pro=war people are staying in their own space as I understand.

They are not marching TO Camp Casey are they?

[DemInDistress]

5. no they wont march on camp casey

what I implied was it would be great if thety marched enmass right on down to the recruiters office...and help fill the gap !!

[opihimoimoi]

4. Don't these guys realize they were duped? Worse, by a guy who

couldn't make a living selling ice cream/cold beer/water in a desert

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. I guess these folks didn't get the news

That the Pro-Bush supporters had to cancel all the buses for their caravan because of lack of support and that they'll be lucky if they have 100 people show up. Plus, has of yesterday I wasn't clear whether or not Free Republic leader Jim Robertson ever found his way out of Albuquerque. He was last seen heading in the wrong direction has usual.

[elehhhhna]

13. They've "turned the corner" and finally found the Dallas Hyatt

The irony of the protesters staying at a Hyatt just kills me. The passion! The sacrifice!

[bluedeminredstate]

7. Why should she?

What the fu*k? In order to support the troops she has to agree with the bogus cause of the war and our actions there according to these champions of free speech and free opinion.
I suppose they admire the Germans that went along with the Nazis rather than speak out. After all, they were supporting the troops!!!

:banghead:

[jbnow]

8. Of course, silly

Support the troops, send them to die or be maimed in an unjust war!

I woke early and turned on TV, flipping through channels I heard "thousands" would be at a pro-war rally there. I kept thinking "thousands? thousands?" and came here to see.

And while three thousand doesn't sound as impressive as "thousands" it is thousands. Earlier I read of a bus being canceled because only 7 people signed up.

Is it real? That is, is it that many people who deeply care and are coming because of that or is it...like the recount crowd?
I'm not sure which would be more disgusting.

[RC]

9. 7 huh?

They will be pack together for a close-up picture to represent several hundred.

[Horse with no Name]

18. somebody needs to look at the pic very closely

remember the pic they took that was photoshopped to look like there were thousands but it was really only a couple hundred--cut and pasted over and over and over...

[anarchy1999]

10. Tell me honestly guys, when have we ever seen 3,000 show up

anywhere but in a fundie church? Maybe Lakewood has a bus on the way, who knows?

[ThomWV]

12. The Actual Numbers Will Be Much Lower and The Stay Much Shorter

I'd bet the real number comes in at less than a thousand, just like the speeches they have to be bussed in from wherever they can be found, and they leave and head home as soon as the beer and hot dogs run out. Besides that, there is TV to watch .....

When your convictions are based on faulty fact, poor logic, slogans without meaning, an immoral cause, and emotion rather than hard truth its very difficult to say you have 'strength in your convictions'. This is the reason they will not persevere. It is the reason Cindy's folks have lasted weeks and Bush's folks won't make it much past the noon-day heat.

[anarchy1999]

14. Don't forget the heat. The time of their rally is brutal.

They'll probably fold up and head back for their motels, buses and quite possibly Camp Casey II and the shade, free water and food. Thank heavens so many are planning on wearing their full regalia including "Club Gitmo" gear from Limbaugh.

[katinmn]

11. AP is becoming very suspect lately. Since when does anyone

give a count on numbers BEFORE a demonstration? AP is once again in the business of opinion management and it's starting to really piss me off.

After the 3,000 shows itself to be 300 or 30 we should demand a correction from AP. What a bullshit propaganda peice.

[anarchy1999]

15. I'll be sure to give you all an update on numbers ASAP!

n/t

[katinmn]

16. Thanks! I'm also curious as to how the white supremacist

group will blend in today, and where.

And I hope to listen in on Al Sharpton on Sunday.

Oh my. What an exciting weekend. I wish I could be there.

[katinmn]

17. Tune into the Brad Show Live from Camp Casey NOW!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4473332&mesg_id=4473332

[ComerPerro]

19. 3000 War Supporters? Sounds like a good place to visit

if you are a military recruiter.

[RSchewe]

20. Where are people getting these numbers? I have yet to see a picture of...

these HUGE pro-war crowds. It would be helpful if people would not help propogate these claims here until that can be proven. This is right along the lines of the boogeyman myth the Bush administration likes to maintain to keep people afraid in these times of "the war on terror", boogedy, boogedy, boogedy...

As far as pro-war activity, all I have seen is people hanging signs and some tents with no people. Even the pictures of demostrations outside of Craword around the country are tight shots and I have never seen large crowds outnumbering the demonstrators against this war. Who can justify these claims of large crowds supporting the war?

Dueling rallies? This is made to sound like a scene from Braveheart or Lord of the Rings. Give me a break.

Are there any pro-war groups coming to Crawford that are not being led by some right wing nut radio show host? I hope someone can take some pictures from far away to show the relative sizes of the two sides in this arguement.

[Retrograde]

21. Bring 'em all on!

The more the merrier, and all that. Anti-war, pro-war, Democratic, Republican, Independent, Religious Right, Left and Center, every fringe group - I hear there's plenty of space down there in Texas! Room enough for everyone who wants to peaceably assemble and petition the top government official!

Did Bush think he could hide from his responsibilities and his fellow citizens? If the Emperor won't confront the people in Washington, let the people bring the confrontation to Crawford!