Cindy Sheehan Makes Last Stand Against Nancy Pelosi
This may be Sheehan's last moment in the national spotlight.
SAN FRANCISCO—Today could mark the final moment on the national stage for Cindy Sheehan, the outspoken "peace mom" whose son's death in Iraq inspired her to join the antiwar movement and lead a high-profile protest outside President Bush's Texas ranch in the summer of 2005. Sheehan has spent the past several months campaigning here against Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House, in a fight for Pelosi's seat in Congress. Pelosi is one of the most powerful figures in Washington, and her position as House speaker puts her third in the line of succession to the presidency, but she has had to tread carefully around Sheehan in this liberal district, which includes the city of San Francisco.
There has been little doubt among political experts that Pelosi, who has won her last 10 elections with about 80 percent of the vote, will win. Still, Sheehan has done her best to drive a wedge between Pelosi and the antiwar left, making an issue, in particular, of Pelosi's decision to continue funding the Iraq war and her refusal to pursue the impeachment of President Bush. Both issues are widely supported by voters in San Francisco. When Pelosi first became the House speaker two years ago, many pundits in Washington wondered if she would be able to strike a balance between conservative Democrats on Capitol Hill and her own liberal constituents.
Sheehan's efforts, though, seem to have come to naught. Her campaign has struggled to raise money and her repeated requests for a debate with Pelosi have been ignored. Robocalls made by one of Sheehan's most high-profile supporters, actress Roseanne Barr, were not well received. In recent weeks, Sheehan has begun to complain that she was being harassed, her campaign's office windows were broken, and she learned that she had been summoned for jury duty during the week of the election. Her election prospects, meanwhile, have grown bleak: Sheehan, running as an independent, trails not only Pelosi but the Republican candidate, Dana Walsh, as well.
Last week, Sheehan made one last attempt to be heard when she called into a radio interview Pelosi was giving. "If you really cared about the voters in San Francisco you could find an hour to debate your opponents, because you do have some opponents here in San Francisco," Sheehan said. "Over 60 percent of this district in 2006 voted for an impeachment resolution and I just want to know why you haven't represented the people of your district and why you haven't impeached George Bush and Dick Cheney? And you still have time."
Pelosi defended her decision, saying she knew the issue was controversial: "I commend Cindy for her race for Congress and again express the respect that I have for her for her courage in speaking out on what she believes in so articulately."
Sheehan is reportedly considering a run in the 2010 election.
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Reader Comments
Hey Plowboy
This so true. I thought, Plowboy, is out there to spread hate not the facts. His website represents no facts but only hate against Cindy Sheehan. Peopllike Pendelton should not be allowed to spread false and made up facts. He is disgusting and does not represents the American values. Infact by reading his comments, one can imagine if his loyalties are with a country other than United States. The man is nothing but a hate monger.
Cindy's realization
I believe (without a doubt) that your independent campaign office was sabotaged by the Pelosi thugs. It is important to realize who Pelosi is and who she represents. Anyone who does not discern the fakes and liars in our government today, is certainly at a great disadvantage. I hope you do not take the comments of 95% of these entries serious either. Many of these people are hate mongers and cannot bear to see a woman with the strength and conviction that you have and they could not even imagine, never mind muster. They could not allow themselves to know who are the saboteurs and conspirators (aside from themselves) among us in our life, much less yours. Then they would have to take responsibility for it. It is so much easier to hurt others for having the integrity that lacks from their leaders (much less themselves), to be further swallowed up in the pain they find themselves in.
I greatly admire Cindy for her inspirational unwavering commitment, passion and critical intellect while trying to convince and make a difference amongst the phony "two party" rabble. This kind of backstabbing is what happens when people have lost their way and have no real hope in anybody, much less themselves. Bush/Cheney and other cohorts are only the horrific symptom (economic shills) of what we are engulfed in, and it will probably take the unthinkable to make many citizens see the contributing factors of their overt cowardice and ignorance.
Enlightening events are happening every day --though often misreported or unreported through mainstream misinformation campaigns --with the un(der)employment and job loss, rampant murders, suicides, and genocides, relentless and historical injustices etc. going on nationally and internationally. Instead of common sense solutions-- mainstream news is becoming more and more pitiful. Where is the accountability?? Before I close I would like to say: You have my deepest heartfelt empathy for the loss of your son. He would be proud to know his mother's pursuit for change in a country that is nearing "too far gone"-- especially if more people like us don't stand up to what is happening.
Hey Plowboy
Plowboy's specific disinformation techniques are the deliberate spreading of false information to mislead the public, as to one's position or course of action. In politics, disinformation is disseminating false statements of innuendo based on the candidates possible vulnerabilities and it also includes the distortion of true information in such a way as to render rational conversation here useless.
Plowboy either has no life and is sadistically obsessed with Cindy, or a paid CIA agent to spread the disinformation and token words like "moonbat" "Crazy Cindy" "thief" "stealing campaign money, Post names of staff members, spin all news stories, and spam all comments on articles about Cindy. He posts all over the net, on every Cindy Sheehan articles' with the same comments attacking Cindy. The stalker even devoted a website against Cindy Sheehan...
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