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Cindy Sheehan heads to the Vineyard; wants anti-war demonstrators to emulate health-care protesters; will anyone cover the story?

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
08/17/09 8:40 AM EDT

This morning the anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan -- the woman who spent so much time leading well-publicized protests outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas -- announced that she will demonstrate next week at Martha's Vineyard, where President Obama will be vacationing. "There are several things that we wish to accomplish with this protest on Martha's Vineyard," Sheehan said in a statement:

First of all, no good social or economic change will come about with the continuation or escalation of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. We simply can't afford to continue this tragically expensive foreign policy.

Secondly, we as a movement need to continue calling for an immediate end to the occupations even when there is a Democrat in the Oval Office. There is still no Noble Cause no matter how we examine the policies.

Thirdly, the body bags aren't taking a vacation and as the U.S.-led violence surges in Afghanistan and Pakistan, so are the needless deaths on every side.

And, finally, if the right-wing can force the government to drop any kind of public option or government supported health care, then we need to exert the same kind of pressure to force a speedy end to the occupations.

Will Sheehan's stay in Massachusetts attract as much attention as her time in Texas? Probably not. Even the left wing of the Democratic party seems unconcerned with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan these days, compared to their bitter opposition during Bush's time in office. It seems unlikely that reporters who paid so much attention to one woman's crusade against the war will find much time on their newscasts or space in their paper to cover this one.

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Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

Don L

Aug 17, 2009

I missed the media coverage of her and her anti-war contingent placing their bodies in front of the soviet troops when they just took Georgia.

Perhaps the media would have covered it but they were too busy coverning the messiapolgy tour?

brewpop

Aug 17, 2009

I for one wish Ms. Sheehan all the luck in the world with her protest efforts. May she make our current president as miserable as she made former President Bush.

bropous

Aug 17, 2009

brewpop, I don't think this tragic, misguided, sad excuse for a human being ever made President Bush miserable. He probably had great sympathy for her suffering, but was also quite busy comforting the families of our heroic fallen, just as he had comforted her and her family when her son was killed.

I also doubt that she will make Osama bin Urkel miserable, because he really doesn't care about our troops, and the more of them that are killed, the less domestic terrorists that Napolitano wioll have to round up before they start their military-style killing sprees in the heartland of the US. After all, soldiers are nothing other than ruthless killers and one can never turn off their barbaric tendencies once they have been encouraged to slaughter innocent men, women and children.

[sarcasm OFF]

myna

Aug 17, 2009

anti-war protesters are just protesters for hire by the DNC. Now their usefulness not needed, they are discarted DNC are the real oligarch-capitalist. Cindy must be feeling used, abuse and an idiot.

JustRight

Aug 17, 2009

I don't even know the death toll now. During bush it seemed as though it was tattooed on pelosi's forehead. I guess since it's obunglers war now we won't hear too much.

DVS

Aug 17, 2009

Poor Cindy. Too old & stupid to realize she was being used by the dems to demonize bush, now she keeps embarassing herself and her heroic son's memory with this stunt. Sad, very sad.

RHO1953

Aug 17, 2009

I do not agree with Ms. Sheehan about anything. We probably couldn't reach consensus about the time of day, but I have to give her credit for consistency. She believes in her cause irrespective of whether a liberal or conservative is in power. At least she's not a hypocrite like Pelosi, Reid, Waxman, Murtha, Kerry and Durbin.

SI08

Aug 17, 2009

Yet another broken promise from the Pres. She should honor her son's memory, not tarnish it with her protesting. No one is going to listen, anyway.

Dog patch

Aug 17, 2009

The press could use the Sheehan protest to keep W in a bad light for days. With Obama, the press is his biggest supporter, they will conger up the news they want out there, not report the news, or anything demeaning to Obama.The press has zero credibility.

Goforit

Aug 17, 2009

Go for it Cindy! I hated you when you went after George but love you for going after Obama! Wonder why the MSM isn't making a big deal out of this?

KCChiefsFan

Aug 17, 2009

Ms.Sheehan...may I remind you...What goes around, comes around. Obviously no one cares about what you have to say. Not George, not Obama, not anybody really. We were so tired of seeing your lies and controversy during the Bush years. Do you really think anyone cares? Why don't you protest how many lives are being killed daily in Afganistan in front of Fox News because really, MSNBC, CBS and ABC, CNN will NEVER divulge the numbers on TV to viewers, only Fox you may stand a chance.

Ted in San Diego

Aug 17, 2009

Clearly she must be racist and/or part of a militia or mob of uniformed citizens who are....no wait, she's liberal, only republicans that speak out against Obama are called racists by the MSM. Sorry forgot.

LatteLiberals

Aug 17, 2009

By ignoring Sheehan the latte liberals and the media are showing just how hypocritical they are and how easily fooled they are by a slick PR package fronted by a man of color.

The ultimate hypocrisy is that the liberals will call today's anti-war protesters racist for going against Obama while THEY support Obama for randomly bombing and shooting brown people in far away lands for corporate profit and geopolitics.

Aug 17, 2009

"She should honor her son's memory, not tarnish it with her protesting."

How is protesting "tarnishing her son's memory"? There's enough outrageous government behavior going on right now that EVERYBODY has a reason to be out protesting whether you're on the left or the right. There is *nothing* wrong with protesting. It is a vital component to a healthy society.

Especially when you can not rely on the media for unbiased, informative reporting and the entire system of checks and balances and regulation has broken down and been hijacked by special interests.

Simone

Aug 17, 2009

Of COURSE they won't cover it! They con't CARE now that it's BHO funding it. I feel bad for this woman for losing her son - don't know how anyone could stand that - but she was certainly used by the far left when they needed her and they have now abandoned her. Just goes to show how much THEY actually cared about her son!

steppinup

Aug 17, 2009

Hey Don L (post at top of these comments) You might want to check your facts: Georgia started that battle, not the Russkies.

Aug 17, 2009

hello

Abigail

Aug 17, 2009

Obama's Healthcare is the same as "Adolf Hitler" gave the German people,as he was exterminating the Jews, and Christians, and by the way, it is the communist party of New York an Chicago that put Obamanation Healthcare together. On another note, this is a must read for Americans, your families life is in "DANGER"!
www.knowthelies.com/?q=node/4210

Mrs Gerber

Aug 17, 2009

Hats off to you Cindy,
but I have a feeling that you will never get even close to Obama, security will be very tight, also IM sure you will be demonized for the harm you will do to his children

Political Jules

Aug 17, 2009

this is sad.

Cindy made the conservatives mad during the previous campaign. Now she will make the liberals mad protesting their messiah.

Me thinks she will be alone in her protest.

R U Dunyet

Aug 17, 2009

Hey Cindy - gonna run against Pelosi like you said a couple years ago?? I would LUV to see that - good girl, at least you aren't a two faced pawn, don't agree with your views, but I do respect consistency in this political environment.

Paix_Mon_Cher

Aug 17, 2009

Obama did say that he would bring the troops,home,immediately.

shadowgirl

Aug 18, 2009

Why does Cindy Sheehan protest against wars against Islamic fundamentalists?
Does Cindy Sheehan empathize with the terrorists, Taliban, etc? She would be better off to get herself a Burka and a prayer rug and go overthere and join them.

TommyO

Aug 18, 2009

The left/ right paradigm is a sham for control by the elite. I do not agree with Cindy Sheehan on many issues but I respect her principles and tenacity. Bush or Obama the new boss is the same as the old boss. These front men in the oval office are completely owned by the power elite and could careless about you or me. They want to divide the American people over left and right - white and black, poor and rich - just keep everyone fighting so that the can rob us blind and consolidate their power. Stop being good democrats and good republicans and start being good Americans. Stop the wars and the sham war on terror. Support Cindy Sheehan and shed light on the crimes of state.

staghounds

Aug 18, 2009

1. She and her son are different people.

2. I'd like to think tat if I raised a son only to have him die I could stay rational. But not having had the experience, I can't throw stones at her. Like I'd say to any gold star parent, I'm sorry and we are grateful to you and your child.

3. I respect her consistency. UNLIKE all those who seem to believe that the Patriot Act, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Guantanamo, Rendition, and all the other BURNING ISSUES that had to be fixed RIGHT NOW are suddenly not a problem.

J. J. Stone

Aug 18, 2009

Nobody cares about her. She's protesting the wrong guy.

Heh, she should try to harass former President Bush in Texas like her glory days four years ago. Maybe that will get her some press.

Doug Purdie

Aug 18, 2009

At least she's consistant. She realizes what every conservative or war hawk realizes - that Obama's policy on Iraq and Afganistan hasn't changed from Bush's policy.

Dennis Harris

Aug 18, 2009

14:59...is she done yet?

GL Lee

Aug 18, 2009

I'm shocked this woman hasn't gotten the mental help that she so desperately needs. I feel horrible for her family in regards to how the media hounds her for sound-bites, all the while she just looks foolish and crazy.

Aug 18, 2009

it is hard to think badly of this women after the after the things that happened and now she will be ignored by the media because she speaks out about obama

O'Really

Aug 18, 2009

Fox News will most likely send Hannity, O'Rielly, Beck, and and 24/7 camera crew to provide on the spot continuing coverage.

Aug 18, 2009

no one is more against the war in iraq then me, and i'm a vietnam vet, but her son was a career soldier, he did his duty [and more] and would not want his mother doing these things. my heart goes out to her, but she is stuck in a bad place, i hope she can find a way out. as to the media, they tossed her aside when bush left, and will never show her protesting 'the messiah'.

WhereDidAllTheFlowersGoAndWhoCaresNow

Aug 18, 2009

Helloooo Out There!!! Repair Those Protest Signs, Get Out Those Drums, YOUR WAR WASN'T WON. The Big O lied and troops still die. He has increased the deaths of troops, will increase the deaths of babies and older people (which you will join before you know it, babe). Just Do It If You Can Still March.

dcheney@cfr.org

Aug 18, 2009

You people that criticize Cindy and call her crazy just make me sick. You dumbos don't even know what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. You just listen to what Limbaugh and O'Reilly and O'Bama tell you.

You need to get on YouTube and search for "Iraq Veterans Against the War" and "Winter Soldier" to hear the testimony of those soldiers that experienced first hand the atrocities that are ongoing in these immoral and illegal wars.

ThisMakesMeSick

Aug 18, 2009

You people that criticize Cindy and call her crazy make me sick. You people don't even understand the atrocities that are ongoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All you do is listen to Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Olbermann and Obama. What you need to do is go to YouTube and search for "Winter Soldiers" and "Iraq Veterans Against the War" to hear the testimony of the soldiers that saw and took part in the atrocities that occured in Iraq over the last 7 years and continue today.

Stop lapping up the propaganda and realize that Cindy Sheehan is one of those rare individuals that has the guts to stand up to a criminal government and that she (not you) carries the true American spirit of liberty and justice for all.

RHO1953

Aug 19, 2009

Sorry loony lefties. We can't walk out of Afghanistan and let Pakistan fall as a result. You idiots don't seem to realize that they will use nukes if they get their hands on them. I can't imagine how freaking stupid you must be to think we can stand by and let Islamic crazies take over the planet.

HowPathetic

Aug 19, 2009

RHO1953 - Yeah, the Islamic crazies are about to take over the world. Grow a brain, idiot. The USA has the most outrageously massive military and intelligence apparatus the world has ever seen. The Islamic world is at third world status. What are they going to take over the world with? Boxcutters? Suitcase nukes or something? Use your brain idiot.

The sad thing is you don't even realize that you are being impoverished by the federal governments wasteful spending on pointless wars, bailing out Wall Street, the drug "war" and trying to take control of every aspect of your life.

You somehow think that the government, the Republicans or the Democrats are working for you and are really trying to "protect your freedoms". You can't even tell the difference between fact and propaganda.

I suppose you also believe in the official story of 9/11.

How pathetic.

nealvball

Aug 19, 2009

I agree with Ms Sheehan. Nothing has improved since Obama took over - except different CEO are now the administrations' primary beneficiaries. This is just another instance of the current administration's betrayal of campaign promises.

NOMOREWARS_FORISRAEL

Aug 20, 2009

More about Cindy Sheehan at the following URL which you may find of interest after your articles there:

http://america-hijacked.com/2009/08/19/what-happened-to-the-antiwar-movement-cindy-sheehan-hits-hypocrisy-of-left-democratic-allies/

http://tinyurl.com/lkge93

Marvin Love

Aug 22, 2009

I can't believe that ABC and the other media used Ms.Sheehan during the presidential election, and now her cause in protesting the war is not news in the media. Shame on Charlie Gibson on his self serving comments about her. I will never watch him again, as he is arrogant, and interested in only the medias bias!

MSM Bias

Aug 23, 2009

Pay close attention to how the MSM deals with this defection from Obamanation. If they do not "palinize" the former media darling, they will simply ignore her efforts.

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Cindy Sheehan heads to the Vineyard; wants anti-war demonstrators to emulate health-care protesters; will anyone cover the story?

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
08/17/09 8:40 AM EDT