A Mother of Slain Soldier Seeks Audience of the President
August 12th 2005

Cindy Sheehan, the mother of Casey Sheehan, has staged a peace vigil outside the Presidents Ranch in Texas.  She has demanded to meet the President to ask why the US went to war in Iraq. 

Her son Casey was killed in Iraq after volunteering for a rescue mission where he and six others were killed last year after he re-enlisted.  Casey was the first of four children born to Cindy and Patrick Sheehan.  According to Cindy her son lived a typical suburban experience.  He loved Nintendo, G.I. Joes, watching Wrestlemania and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

His decision to sign up surprised his family, according to the Washington Post.  “One night he came home after running some errands and "announced that we were looking at the newest recruit in the U.S. Army," Patrick Sheehan recalled a few days after Casey's death.”  Casey had dreams of working as an Army Chaplain’s Assistant. 

The Presidents motorcade passed the growing group of war protestors gathered outside his Ranch on Friday. Law enforcement has placed restrictions on where the group can stand, according to AP.   Officers required the group to stand behind yellow tape, but no one was asked to leave. 

As the motorcade passed Cindy held a sing that read ``Why do you make time for donors and not for me?''.  It is unclear whether the President saw the sign.  Earlier the President has said he sympathizes with the mothers loss.

There is talk of the group following the President back to Washington when he leaves Texas.  So far the group outside the Ranch has grown to more than 100 people. 

President Bush arrived on Friday at Stan and Kathy Hickey’s Broken Spoke ranch, next to the President’s Ranch, to attend a fund raiser.  According to AP “All have contributed at least $25,000 to the RNC, and many are ``rangers,'' an honorary campaign title bestowed on those who raised $200,000 or more for Bush, or ``pioneers,'' those who have raised $100,000 or more”.

If you have any comments or corrections please email me.

By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer

Keywords: Crawford TX