Sheehan Launches Pelosi Challenge

[oberliner]

Source: Washington Post

CRAWFORD, Texas -- Cindy Sheehan bid farewell to her former "peace camp" near President Bush's ranch and began a nearly two-week trek Tuesday toward Washington, D.C., with her sights set on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Sheehan, a Californian, officially announced that she intends to run as an independent against Pelosi in 2008 if the San Francisco congresswoman doesn't move to impeach Bush by July 23, the day she expects to reach Washington.

"I know what Californians care about," Sheehan said. "They don't care about the ruling power elite."

Sheehan first told The Associated Press on Sunday about her plans to challenge the top-ranking Democrat. She made it official Tuesday at Camp Casey, named after her 24-year-old son, whose death in Iraq first led Sheehan to set up camp in Crawford in 2005 to demand a meeting with Bush, who was on vacation at the time.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071000817.html

[ORDagnabbit]

1. now why would sheehan consider Pelosi part of the ruling elite?

[CANDO]

9. Wake up and smell the coffee! Have you checked the Pelosi's finances lately?

In this modern day of corrupt politicians for sale, you don't get to be SOTH by coming up from a working class background. I like my pols being Dems, but I'm not blindfolded from reality.

[stressfulreality]

64. are you serious??? she's totally paid for! n/t

[William769]

2. Well no more supporting her on DU. NT

[Voltaire99]

31. Au contraire.

Sheehan now more than ever, my dear.

[William769]

43. Read the rules. NT.

[NoodleBoy]

3. less and less effective every day.

[LisaM]

4. Does Cindy Sheehan actually live in that district?

Or, had she lived there? Or is she carpetbagging?

[oberliner]

10. She says she lives nearby

"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."

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/08/ap3892345.html

[nini]

13. "I would give her a run for her money."

*snort*

I'm sure if her constituents want to replace Pelosi I'm sure they can pull someone from their many political activists in the area who understand government and would also run on ending the war.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CreekDog]

47. I doubt Cindy Sheehan knows where the 8th district is

I work in the district and it's not as if Sheehan has spent much time here.

[nini]

57. Right

this is nothing more than a publicity stunt. She'll decide that she's needed more somewhere else when the next idea pops into her head.

Sheehan was so upset about what DUers said about her that she quit her peace movement a few months ago - if that crap got to her so bad she will be destroyed by the real political arena.

Nancy has NOTHING to worry about.

[rocktivity]

72. Sheehan was upset about the Dems caving on the Iraq vote

that's what made her leave them movement.

:headbang:
rocknation

[CreekDog]

44. Vacaville! That's 70 miles away from SF.

No way. Worse, she appears to be starting her campaign from Texas.

Egads.

[rinsd]

24. I don't think CA has residency requirements for a district only the state.

So while she may have to deal with the carpetbagger issues, she would be eligible to run.

I think this is a stunt though.

There's no way someone who basically quit a movement over what was written on internet forums about her is going to be able to take what happens during a campaign.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Good for Sheehan, that's what America is supposed to be all about.

Hope she shakes them up.

[Gregorian]

6. Turn up the heat.

At some point they'll hear us.

I don't give a damn about what votes we might not have. Impeach.

[jpgray]

8. Nader's certainly proved that it works great!

:bounce:

[Gregorian]

11. I'll do anything I can to stop the war.

That is what this is all about, to me. I can empathize with being on the business end of a gun. There is no time to wait. No politics. It must end any way possible.

And I never believed the Nader arguments. He ran. Anyone can run. Gore won.

[jpgray]

12. Ok. How will this stop the war?

[Gregorian]

17. It will draw attention. The media will cover it.

And it will put pressure on Pelosi.

Honestly, I don't know. But it's worth a try. So far nothing we've done has worked. I will try just about anything under these circumstances.

Of course Sheehan isn't going to run for anything. This is a way of getting the media to start speaking our side's story.

[jpgray]

18. Sheehan has every right to run--I just don't think splitting the left is appropriate in this case

Purity is a noble goal, but for mass-politics it is strategic suicide. Any legislative majority that gets things done does so with scads of undesirable members. We don't even have a big enough majority to get things done, so people argue the solution is to split our electorate?

[Gregorian]

20. Impeachment starts in the House.

I see no reason to at least start. It makes no sense to me to not begin impeachment. I don't think Sheehan has any interest in actually running for office. I may be completely out to lunch here, and I'm willing to admit it. But we're dealing with utter lunacy in the White House, and it takes something outside of the box to change the direction of things. At least before 2008. I think we're all grasping at straws now. We've done everything reasonable to end the killing. After all, that's what Sheehan wants, and what we all want.

[Psephos]

23. Best post of the thread, IMO n/t

[Minstrel Boy]

45. A do-nothing "left" in face of atrocity

deserves far worse than being "split."

[CBHagman]

59. Yeah, that really worked well in the election of 2000.

Sorry, folks, but if your most cherished wish is to inflict punishment and not actually get something done, that's not much of an ambition. I would be fine with seeing the Bush administration punished, but there aren't the votes in Congress for an impeachment conviction. Besides, impeachment is not a policy aim, not for me as a Democrat.

And as for splitting up progressives, it's all very nice to sit in a room and congratulate yourself for how ideologically pure you are, but it won't get much of anything done. A better goal would be to seek to influence public opinion, which is what Al Gore and Michael Moore are doing, and/or to get a soabox in the media.

I suspect Sheehan will not pursue this all the way; she's likely just trying to make a point.

[CreekDog]

48. It will stop the war because if you exchanged Pelosi with Sheehan

Well, Sheehan would be against the war!

She would like, talk and vote against the war and that would, like, um, stop it.

Yeah, it would stop it.

Because Pelosi, she just agrees with the war, she's always voting for it and stuff.

But Sheehan, she would be against it and because like when she beats Pelosi, she gets to be Speaker because the person who gets elected from that District becomes Speaker.

Then when Sheehan speaks, the war ends. It does. The Speaker is more powerful than Bush.

Elect Sheehan and the war automatically ends because she is 1 person who will stop it. And as speaker of the House the Senate has to obey her cause like, the House rules are that the Senate has to listen. And if everybody in the House votes for the war, the Speaker can overrule that because that's why they elected Cindy (I mean they will) elected Cindy as Speaker.

And when she is elected she will get into office in 2009 and she will impeach George Bush. She will, she will, she will. And then she will end the Iraq War.

[knight_of_the_star]

62. You forgot the sarcasm smilie nt

[nini]

14. Then get a clue that an Independent won't pull any weight in Congress

Jesus Christ on a crutch - would you people learn something about govt works!!!!!!!!!

[stressfulreality]

65. what abou stopping the north american union? =( n/t

[dbackjon]

7. She is now officially the enemy

Maybe she can ask Nader or Lieberman for advice.

[Justyce]

16. Didn't I read that she's pretty much always been a

repub before this? And like unseating a Dem rather than a repub would help further the cause anyway. This is pretty odd.

[pschoeb]

34. No you didn't read that, maybe you should take five seconds on google

to check before posting bullshit. She has stated multiple times she has always voted Democratic. Her husbands family is mostly Republican though.

[Justyce]

37. Well, I did read it, and doing

a quick google search mostly shows just that she doesn't want to be affiliated with either party at this point. I'm apparently not the only one who thought she was formerly a repub tho -- here are the first few things that popped up:

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/04/murtha-too-emotional/ "That is so true. These NeoCon zombies don’t even realize that Cindy Sheehan was a republican that voted for Bush. She just wants to know what noble cause her son died for."

http://www.usenetpolitics.com/archive/index.php/t-400789.html "Don't forget, Pat and Cindy Sheehan voted for Bush in 2000. Until Bush lied their son into an unnecessary war, they were Republicans."

From a quick DU search:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3365802 "I'm sure the Republican Party will welcome you back with open arms. Cindy voted for Bush, so she owns part of this debacle." --MODemocrat

Quote from Cindy Sheehan's diary at dailykos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/9/92356/44191 "The Democrats are the party of slavery and were the party that started every war in the 20th Century except the other Bush debacle. The Federal Reserve, permanent federal (and unconstitutional) income taxes, Japanese Concentration Camps and, not one, but two atom bombs dropped on the innocent citizens of Japan were brought to us via the Democrats. Don’t tell me the Democrats are our “Saviors” because I am not buying it especially after they bought and purchased more caskets and more devastating pain when they financed and co-facilitated more of George’s abysmal occupation and they are allowing a melt down of our representative Republic by allowing the evils of the executive branch to continue unrestrained by their silent complicity."

So bottom line, I have read it, heard it, and wasn't just posting "bullshit" -- I was posting a question and engaging in a discussion on a discussion board....

[pschoeb]

40. The second thing in goole search is "Why I'm leaving the Democratic Party"

It's pretty obvious that she was a Democratic Party voter. This piece was pretty well known even on it's own

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=Cindy+Sheehan+Democratic&btnG=Search

If you do a Wikipedia search on Cindy Sheehan, it references a Chris Matthews interview where she tells him she is a life long Democrat.

All the things you've referenced are mostly anonymous posters, posting fairly obvious venomous bullshit, mostly in a clear attempt to discredit her, they don't show up on the main page of a google search for "Cindy Sheehan Republican" even, nor on the second.

Cindy's diary you linked to at DailyKos and also you quoted, says "I was a life-long Democrat only because the choices were limited." the sentence before the section you decided to snip, so yeah, I take it your post is pretty much intentional bullshit.

[Justyce]

42. So do you attack everyone who has a different opinion than you?

Ridiculous. We are allowed to debate and discuss here. IMO, the diary link pretty much says it all, even the line you posted. I respect her & have sympathy for her as a grieving mother. Period. Have a good evening, or find someone else to pick a fight with.

[IndianaGreen]

19. But Harry Reid is kissing Lieberman's AIPAC ass

If you are prowar and have the Israel Lobby behind you, you can even say that you might support the GOP candidate in '08 and still get Harry Reid to reward you with a Senate committe chairmanship.

Big Dog campaigned for Lieberman, while Hillary had tea with Ned Lamont in a private meeting.

Double standard, oui?

[oberliner]

25. Lieberman's AIPAC ass?

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

He's got the Insurance Industry lobby behind him too. Maybe that's how he got the Senate committee chairmanship.

[LeftishBrit]

61. Actually it's more like...

if you are a sitting senator caucusing with the Dems, and the Dems have a ONE-seat majority, you can 'even say that you might support the GOP candidate in '08 and still get Harry Reid to reward you with a Senate committe chairmanship'. It's not Israel that is causing Reid to put up with Lieberman!!! It's basic local political necessity.

A generation ago, there were sitting Dem senators who constantly rebelled against their party, opposed all civil rights legislation, and backed people like George Wallace in 1968, and still got committee chairmanships.

In many Europaean countries, the ruling party leader has to include the One-Member Single-Issue Nutcase Party in a coalition, in order to retain power. Reid has to include the Connecticut for Lieberman Party in his coalition for exactly the same reason.

[Justyce]

15. It seems to me that this will have the opposite effect.

I doubt Pelosi will scramble to put it on the table solely out of fear of Sheehan, and if it were to be put on the table now, it wouldn't look good for Dems to do it right after something like this anyway -- would make it look like they jumped up and did it because of this even if the timing was just coincidental... I think this will effect Dems negatively all the way around. Sigh.

[kerstin]

28. These are my concerns as well. n/t

[Hobarticus]

32. Agreed....

Just don't see how this would help.

[Buck Rabbit]

58. This is true. Pelosi can't make a public statement in support

of Impeachment now as it would look like she caved into the threat of a challenge from an independent that doesn't even live in the district.

It appears from her statement though that Cindy may have become a Libertarian, so she might have a party to run with.

BUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT, Pelosi does not have to "put impeachment back on the table" for it to proceed anyway. She never had the power to prevent any Rep from coming up with an Impeachment bill, see Kucinich's HR333 to impeach Cheney. Her statement was that impeaching Bush was not going to be one of the stated objectives of the Democratic caucus for that session. Bills and issues other than those endorsed as the stated caucus goals are presented by the score every session. Cindy could run against any Rep for failing to introduce a bill to impeach Bush. Heck she could threaten Kucinich for not including Bush in his impeachment bill on Cheney.

[knight_of_the_star]

66. Exactly my problem

If she looks like she's caving to Sheehan it will terribly undermine the credibility of the process.

[superconnected]

21. Go Cindy! I'd vote for her.

[BigDDem]

22. Sorry Nancy

It looks like you'll only be getting 79% of the vote instead of 80%.

[knight_of_the_star]

26. Yeah I don't know how she'll live without that 1%

I'd rather vote for someone I agree with on issues across the board than on TWO issues.

[kerstin]

27. The Democrats are in the unfortunate position of hostage negotiators.

To a large extent anyway.

That doesn't make them the hostage takers.

Like Molly Ivins says, just when you think there isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two parties, the Republicans go and prove you wrong. I think that dime's worth of difference is a crucial one, and one that's probably kept us from invading Iran (for starters).

I admire the hell out of Sheehan. However I cannot support any act that would carry the possibility of furthering one-party rule in this country.

[Hobarticus]

33. Best metaphor I've heard yet...n/t

[Voltaire99]

29. Go Cindy!

Pelosi is a Bush enabler. I'll take a real progressive like the brave and admirable Sheehan over a useless hack like Pelosi any day.

[knight_of_the_star]

30. How is she a real progressive?

What are her positions on all the issues?

[Vidar]

35. Bravo Cindy!

[BigDDem]

36. Attn: Code Pink - it looks like she's in!!

Let the wine and cheese fundraisers begin.

Man, between running against Diane Feinstein, retirement and now running
against Nancy Pelosi she's a busy woman.....does she have a job too?

[David__77]

38. She'll get more than the Republican, but Pelosi will win by 65%+

That's the best case scenario for Sheehan. She could do very, very poorly. I would have preferred that she run in the Democratic primary. That would make more sense especially in a town that's almost all Democratic.

[Lost-in-FL]

39. Way to go Cindy!! Your way or the highway!

A very progressive approach to politics, just like Bush's!!!

[Le Taz Hot]

54. Seems to me that's

what the corporate-fed DLC Democrats have been saying to the progressives. Well, guess what? Be careful what you wish for.

[knight_of_the_star]

63. self-delete

[badgervan]

41. Not Good

Someone has turned into quite the attention whore. Every time I hear that whinny, sadsack voice I think: there go a few more dem votes to the repubs. Pelosi is doing about as good as she can, and a newbie could not approach the influence that the Speaker yields. Let's fight to win this time - not just whine about things.

[BrightKnight]

49. I support Cindy but I have a problem with that - n/t

[EClark5483]

50. Even though I don't think she has a chance

This woman, if she gets enough backers, could split the DEM voters and give an advantage to the REP side. Although, I HIGHLY doubt it will ever happen, I'm thinking this is probably her motivation all along. To split/alienate the DEM voters.

[Endangered Specie]

51. Sounds like shes pulling a Naderman.

[salin]

52. what a waste of money.

I seriously doubt that this district is going to reject their representative, the first woman Speaker of the House, for Cindy Sheehan. It is Ms. Sheehan's right to run, but she chose what appears to me, at least, to be a futile effort.

[FredfromSpace]

53. I used to defend and support her and stuff

But her remarks about Dems in relation to taxes, "starting wars" and slavery are extremely are more than enough to give me pause. They read like standard far-right, libertarian boilerplate, the kind of stuff you'd expect from the "Constitutionalist" party.

I still admire Cindy for her great efforts in the past, and understand her frustration with Pelosi and the DC Dems.

But her own statements reveal someone whose broader political thinking is profoundly flawed and limited.

Sorry Cindy, but you lost me with that stuff.

[BenDavid]

55. I admire Ms Sheehan for

taking on the president, but somewhere along the way she got sidetracked from her mission. Now, she wants to become a representative. Here again is where she is off track once again. This is where ill informed dems and indies believe that one rep can change the course. This is where dems and indies that bought into Nadar caused the dem the election of 2000.
Admire her for her courage but someone speak to her and inform her that if one person could change the war in Iraq then Pelosi which voted against it would have already brought the soldiers home....
I do thank you
Ben David

[BigDDem]

56. Spend lots of time and money campaigning

and let us know how that works out for ya.

[mitchum]

60. How dare a citizen challenge the oligarchy! The nerve!

[Quantess]

67. What a stupid stunt.

I used to support her.
Not this time.

[DemKR]

68. I Support DEMOCRATS

Ms. Pelosi has my full support. Go Nancy!!

[NotGivingUp]

69. Well, that's just wonderful...you support somebody who does not support the U.S. constitution. nt

[thatsrightimirish]

70. I'm in San Francisco

And I doubt most of us will vote to get rid of the Speaker of the House. Just not gunna happen

[Mz Pip]

71. I live nearby

Not in her district but have followed the Cindy festivies.

Cindy needs to save her money. And that of those who support her. No way does she have a shot at taking down Pelosi. The woman is delusional.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[knight_of_the_star]

76. I live there

I'm not going to vote for some attention whore whose supporters think she's a Goddess incarnate and the ground she walks on is holy and doesn't know squat about the legislative system.

[Freddie Stubbs]

73. From Attention Whore to Vote Whore

The transformation is complete

[IsItJustMe]

74. Some here seem to be showing disrespect towards Cindy in these posts. In my book,

she's a frickin hero. She has done more to try to end this insane war than anybody in this country. She is also one of the few people in this
country that has stood to the pResident.

Unlike alot of up, talk, talk, talk, talk; her is a woman with tremendous courage and a person of action. My hats off to her and I wish her gods speed.

Truly a rare breed.

[skipos]

75. Even though both Sheehan and Pelosi have high unfavorable ratings

I predict 2-3% for Sheehan if she makes it to the election.

[BigDDem]

77. Cindy Sheehan-Romney

will flip flop by then. Like she did with her run against Dianne Feinstein.