Sheehan considers challenge to Pelosi
CRAWFORD, Texas - Cindy 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.
"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."
Messages left with Pelosi's staff were not immediately returned. The White
House declined to comment on Sheehan's plans.
She plans her official candidacy announcement Tuesday. Sunday wrapped up what
is expected to be her final weekend at the 5-acre Crawford lot that she sold to
California radio talk show host Bree Walker, who plans to keep it open to
protesters.
Sheehan announced in late May that she was leaving the anti-war movement. 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. She said she wanted to
change course.
She first came to Crawford in August 2005 during a Bush vacation, demanding
to talk to him about the war that killed her son Casey in 2004. She became the
face of the anti-war movement during her 26-day roadside vigil, which was
joined by thousands. But it also drew counter-protests by Bush supporters, many
who said she was hurting troop morale.
Sheehan, who has never held political office, recently said that she was
leaving the Democratic Party because it "caved" in to the president. Last week,
she announced her caravan to Washington, an undertaking she calls the "people's
accountability movement."
"I didn't expect to be back so soon, but the focus is different than it was
before," Sheehan said Sunday. "Instead of talking and making accusations, we're
going into communities and talking to the people who've been hurt by the Bush
regime. We're finding out how we can help people."
Sheehan, who will turn 50 on Tuesday, said Bush should be impeached because
she believes he misled the public about the reasons for going to war, violated
the Geneva Convention by torturing detainees, and crossed the line by commuting
the prison sentence of former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.
She said other grounds for impeachment are the domestic spying program and the
"inadequate and tragic" response to Hurricane Katrina.
Libby was convicted of lying and obstructing justice in an investigation into
the leak of a CIA officer's identity.
Sheehan said she hopes Pelosi files the articles of impeachment so Sheehan
can move onto her next projects, including overseas trips for humanitarian
work. But if not, Sheehan said she is ready to run for office.
"I'm doing it to encourage other people to run against Congress members who
aren't doing their jobs, who are beholden to special interests," Sheehan said.
"She (Pelosi) let the people down who worked hard to put Democrats back in
power, who we thought were our hope for change."
Pelosi was elected to the House in 1987 and became the first female speaker
in January.
Sheehan said she lives in a Sacramento suburb but declined to disclose which
city, citing safety reasons. The area is outside Pelosi's district, but there
are no residency requirements for congressional members, according to the
California secretary of state's office.
By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writer
---------------------------------
Get your own web address.
Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
