posted on July 8, 2007 02:17:03 PM
Again, proving herself as independent free thinker (unlike the way the neocons make her out to be), Cindy steps up to the plate. She is truly a person who could easily challenge the Speaker, and Pelosi knows it. This will be an interesting development. Good for Cindy Sheehan.
Sheehan considers challenge to Pelosi By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writer
20 minutes ago
Six weeks after announcing her departure from the peace movement, Cindy Sheehan said Sunday that she plans to run against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unless she introduces articles of impeachment against President Bush in the next two weeks.
Sheehan said she will run against the San Francisco Democrat in 2008 as an independent if Pelosi does not seek by July 23 to impeach Bush. That's when Sheehan and her supporters are to arrive in Washington, D.C., after a 13-day caravan and walking tour starting next week from the group's war protest site near Bush's Crawford ranch.
"Democrats and Americans feel betrayed by the Democratic leadership," Sheehan told The Associated Press. "We hired them to bring an end to the war. I'm not too far from San Francisco, so it wouldn't be too big of a move for me. I would give her a run for her money."
Sheehan announced in May that she was leaving the anti-war movement and selling her 5-acre Crawford lot. She said that she felt her efforts had been in vain and that she had endured smear tactics and hatred from the left, as well as the right.
I agree with Sheehan on the fact that Bush should be impeached but her decision to challenge Pelosi while blaming both the right and the left puts her in an untenable position.
I supported her efforts to end the war and sympathized with her on the loss of her son. But in this case it looks like Her political savvy needs some polish.
posted on July 8, 2007 04:44:21 PM
Helen, I would disagree.
First, she has every right as a US citizen to run for office.
Second, if you asked the citizens of Pelosi's district whether they support impeachment or not, you would find that an overwhelming majority would support impeachment. Simply put, Pelosi is not representing her people who want an end to this war. It is obvious that Pelosi and other top Democrats along with the majority of Republicans are more interested in playing politics rather than putting the lives of our servicemen and women first by removing them from the disaster in Iraq. The overwhelming majority of our legislative branch is worried about how they look in front of a camera rather than doing what is right. This has been a problem for years, and it will take people like Sheehan to step up and make those changes.
The important thing is if she does decide to run is to develop a strong/broad platform for her to run on.
posted on July 8, 2007 04:49:13 PM
"That's putting it mildly. What a grandstander. She's against the left and against the right. Well that sure puts her in a bad position."
Actually, I don't think it puts her any position other than the fact she is frustrated with how politics have become the central focus instead of actually working for the country. It is obvious by the poll numbers that neither the President or Congress are getting much done other than political strategizing against each other. In the meantime, a misguided, mismanaged war is being fought, our national security is a joke, and people are sick of the "this side vs. that side" mentality.
Whether you like her or not doesn't really matter unless you are in Pelosi's district. The bottom line is that another individual who cares enough to be an activist under her cause is willing to step to the plate and hold our officials accountable.
posted on July 8, 2007 05:07:06 PM
Of course she has every right to run for office and I sincerely wish her well but it looks to me like she is setting herself up for failure with this challenge, in the form of a threat against the leader of her own party.
It's so bizarre that I expected to find that the Onion was the source of this story.
posted on July 8, 2007 05:32:00 PM
Quote: "our national security is a joke"
Really, have you seen any more attacks?
Not that there probably won't be but I sure feel more secure.
I have to agree with Helen. Her running against Pelosi would be a joke.
BTW, I don't think she will be coming back to Crawford with her followers any time soon. They don't like her down there. (putting it mildly)
posted on July 8, 2007 07:46:07 PM
I live in Pelosi's district. Although I am not registered Democratic I generally vote Democrat, my wife is registered Democrat and most of my neighbors are either registered Democrats or vote Democrat. That being said most are disgusted with Pelosi's refusal to go after Bush and "taking impeachment off the table" Granted the San Francisco Bay Area is an enclave of progressives but that is precisely why we live here. The order of impeachment should be cheney then bush.
Back in 1996, I wrote about the 57 members of Congress who belonged to the "Progressive Caucus."
The Democratic Socialists of America highly admire these left-of-the-left members of Congress, i.e., open socialist Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., who should be barred from serving in the U.S. Congress because his goal is the destruction of our constitutional republic (we are not a democracy). Here's just a few current members of the Progressive Caucus – all Democrats except for Sanders:
Lynn Woolsey, Calif., George Miller, Calif., Nancy Pelosi, Calif., Henry Waxman, Calif., "Mad Max" Maxine Waters, Calif., Bob Filner, Calif., Diane DeGette, Colo., Alcee Hastings, Fla., John Lewis, Ga., Patsy Mink, Hawaii, Jessie Jackson Jr., Ill., Barney Frank, Mass., John Conyers, Mich., Jerrold Nadler, N.Y., Major Owens, N.Y., Charles Rangel, N.Y., Dennis Kucinch, Ohio, Sherrod Brown, Ohio, Peter DeFazio, Ore., Robert C. Scott, Va., Bernard Sanders, Vt., James McDermott, Wash.
Unless and until one understands exactly how communists go about recruiting by duping uninformed Americans, they will continue to gain ground in their quest to destroy this republic and enslave all of us under an iron fist. The goal for world communist domination and how it is being implemented is right in the face of Americans if they would just get out of denial and take a good look at their party's platform.
===
posted on July 9, 2007 08:18:29 AM
"Really bizarre, even for you. The average American thinks she is a hapless boob. Helen might even drum you out of the whack pack for this. Tell you what, I'll give you 2 to 1 and you can triple Sheehan's vote count."
You obviously missed my point here. First... you cite the Average American. The average american life isn't in San Francisco.
It really doesn't matter what the "average" american thinks here because Bush averaged 49% of the vote in "average" america, but in 2004, the 8th District of California gave him a paltry 14% of their vote.
It is what the people in California's 8th district think... and someone like Cindy Sheehan can challenge Pelosi in this kind of district. I have lived in similar districts myself, and know full well that a grassroots campaign by someone of Sheehan's stature can be quite effective.
The nightmare for Pelosi is that she has to wear two hats. She has to represent her progressive district while balancing a more moderate Democratic strategy. She can have both, but seems to be clueless how to pull it off. She should spend more time talking to her constituents rather than spending it at the mall shopping for her next scarf.
It truly spells out a headache for the Democrats... the kind of headache that Ralph Nader gave them, and rightfully so. The Democratic party seems to think they control the entire left side of the fence, and this is why they have these types of spoilers.
I, like MOST americans want to see the political bickering ended. More can be achieved by focusing our government and our money towards goals like ending this war, securing our ports, rebuilding our reputation in foreign relations, education, technology, focused military and national security intelligence, universal health care, streamlining the beaurocracy, immigration, medical research and building an economy around strong environmental policies. I'm sure everyone has their own list they would rather see than what we see in DC now.
I'm not advocating Cindy Sheehan for congress... what I am advocating is holding our elected officials accountable for their actions or inactions.
posted on July 9, 2007 08:48:26 AM
Quote: "I, like MOST americans want to see the political bickering ended. More can be achieved by focusing our government and our money towards goals like ending this war, securing our ports, rebuilding our reputation in foreign relations, education, technology, focused military and national security intelligence, universal health care, streamlining the beaurocracy, immigration, medical research and building an economy around strong environmental policies..."
I'm afraid that we will never see it. The country is divided down the middle and the eternal bickering will continue in Congress till the cows come home. Both parties are to be blamed.
posted on July 9, 2007 09:18:25 AM
"Both parties are to be blamed."
And that is exactly why Sheehan can be a factor. She would run in a highly progressive district where many people are simply fed up with both Republicans and Democrats and may be primed for an alternative. Nobody of any significance has come close to Pelosi for many many years.
If she runs, my prediction is that Republicans will sink alot of money into this district in hopes of pulling an upset in a close 3 way race. That is the only possible way for them to win that district.
If Cindy wants to run, she should run against a Republican in an election that she might have a chance of winning. In this case, as a third party candidate she cannot defeat Pelosi. It would be an unfortunate circumstance if her candidacy resulted in the election of a Republican in that district.
posted on July 9, 2007 10:11:09 AM
"""If Cindy wants to run, she should run against a Republican in an election that she might have a chance of winning. In this case, as a third party candidate she cannot defeat Pelosi. It would be an unfortunate circumstance if her candidacy resulted in the election of a Republican in that district."""
Kinda like what the Republicans pay Ralph Nader to do .
Unfortunately, she may attract some attention but by dropping her allegiance to the Democratic party and by threatening a leader of that party whose primary goal is to end the war, Cindy Sheehan is losing her focus and beginning to resemble a media whore.
posted on July 9, 2007 11:03:25 AM
Quote: Unfortunately, she may attract some attention but by dropping her allegiance to the Democratic party and by threatening a leader of that party whose primary goal is to end the war, Cindy Sheehan is losing her focus and beginning to resemble a media whore."
Beginning to look like a media whore??
She has looked like that from day one.
Quoted from a magazine article:
"While one might dismiss some of Sheehan’s hyperbole due to grief over her son’s death, a little research about Casey Sheehan revealed that contrary to being tricked by military recruiters, Casey Sheehan had re-enlisted in the U.S. Army voluntarily when he was 24-years-old, after serving his first hitch successfully. Casey Sheehan was in fact a hero who received a Bronze Star. He was attached as a mechanic to the artillery division of the 1st U.S. Cavalry in Iraq. When a convoy of soldiers from Casey’s unit was attacked in Sadr City by insurgents, Casey volunteered to join a rapid rescue force to get them out. His commanding sergeant told him he did not have to go into combat, because he was a mechanic and not an infantryman. Casey was quoted telling his officer, “I go where my chief goes.” He was tragically killed during the rescue attempt. The source for this story? Cindy Sheehan herself.
I also visited an army recruiting office on my way home and asked about Casey being promised a job as a chaplain’s assistant only to be thrust into harm’s way. The recruiter explained to me that on re-enlistment, the Army’s B.E.A.R. program (Bonus Extension and Retaining) guarantees everything in writing. If Casey was a mechanic during his first hitch, that was the only thing he would have been guaranteed per his re-enlistment contract. Further research showed that a chaplain’s assistant is a combat infantry position, whereas Casey was deployed in a non-combat job as a mechanic. Casey Sheehan sought combat duty for his country and should be honored for it, not used as a symbol of how evil the United States is."
posted on July 9, 2007 01:04:33 PMCindy Sheehan, the soldier's mother who galvanized the anti-war movement, said Sunday that she plans to seek House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's congressional seat unless she introduces articles of impeachment against President Bush in the next two weeks.
Sheehan said she will run against the San Francisco Democrat in 2008 as an independent if Pelosi does not seek by July 23 to impeach Bush. That's when Sheehan and her supporters are to arrive in Washington, D.C., after a 13-day caravan and walking tour starting next week from the group's war protest site near Bush's Crawford ranch.
Didn't Sheehan resigning from "peace" activism a few weeks back? Oh well, fickle she may be, but this should be an exciting political contest, a real clash of dimwits: the speaker vs. the crazy lady who won't shut up.
It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.George S. Patton
Pelosi has valid strategic reasons for not bringing impeachment to the table. One is that as speaker of the House she is third in the line of succession. If Nancy should propose impeachment, she would suddenly become power hungry Pelosi.
Cindy should keep her eye on the ball which is the election and the normal change of power which will occur next year.
