President Bush: Meet With Cindy!

This weekend Cindy Sheehan, the mother of Casey Austin Sheehan who was killed in Iraq in April of last year, went visiting and took along a few friends. Cindy has been trying to talk with President Bush about the war that killed her son. Cindy has been trying to discuss the war with Mr. Bush for awhile. She tried to set up an appointment with Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Bush in January but recieved no answer. She tried again in June...but again no response.

This week, Mr. Bush retired to his ranch for a 5 week vacation. Cindy thought she would drop in. She brought a few friends for the ride out to Crawford. A few more came by car. Then the media showed up. By Sunday, the story was all over the press, television and radio. So as not to appear rude, Mr. Bush dispatched a few of his aides to listen to Cindy's concerns. But no dice, Cindy wants to talk to the man who sent her son to die in Iraq. She has been camping in a ditch about three miles from the Presidential ranch in Texas. She has been given a nice warm ditch to pitch her tent in and the Secret Service is keeping their eye on her. On Thursday, if she is still there, she has been told she will be arrested because she represents a "threat to National Security." (I wonder how she will become suddenly more threatening on Thursday....she has been peacefully demonstrating since her arrival on Friday...from her designated ditch....complete with fire ants.)

Cindy is hanging tough. She will stay as long as the President stays, baking in the hot Texas sun waiting to take her concerns to the President. If he doesn't talk with her, she will move her camp to Washington and wait there. If she is arrested...and released before the end of August, she will be back at the ranch....waiting.

Her son is dead: sent to war based on what seems to be false intelligence...and many believe flat out lies. The President doesn't want to talk about that either. He wants to "stay the course." He is willing to let more young Americans die. Cindy lives with the pain of her son's death...and she doesn't want anymore families to experience her gut wrenching grief.

Mr. Bush...MEET WITH CINDY. If you dare.

Cindy's interview with NPRs Morning Edition can be linked here