Bush gets first look at anti-war protest near ranch

By Patricia Wilson

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) – President George W. Bush got
his first look at an anti-war vigil near his ranch on Friday as
his motorcade took him by the protest site lined with small
white crosses representing fallen American soldiers in Iraq.

When Bush’s black sport utility vehicle carried him past
the site to a Republican fund-raiser, the protest leader, Cindy
Sheehan, whose son was one of the nearly 1,850 U.S. soldiers
killed in Iraq, held up a sign that said: “Why do you make time
for donors and not for me?”

Other signs said: “Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam,” “Bring Them
Home Now” and “Meet With Cindy.”

The protest vigil began last Saturday and is being led by
Sheehan, who has been demanding a meeting with Bush to discuss
her opposition to the Iraq war.

Two rows of state troopers faced several dozen activists
behind a cordon of yellow police tape as Bush’s 15-vehicle
motorcade cruised by without slowing.

About two hours later, the president passed by on the
return trip and did not stop. Sheehan raised a white cross as
the convoy passed.

Bush left his ranch to go to Stan and Kathy Hickey’s Broken
Spoke Ranch for a barbecue lunch to raise more than $2 million
for the Republican National Committee. The 230 people attending
were among the party’s biggest donors.

Hundreds of small white wooden crosses — each hand-painted
with the name of a fallen soldier — have been erected along
the side of Prairie Chapel Road leading to the Bush ranch.

Sheehan’s son, Casey, was killed in combat in Iraq in April
2004 and she met with Bush in June 2004, but she wants another
meeting. The White House has refused.

With Americans increasingly questioning the U.S.
involvement in Iraq, Bush tried to address Sheehan’s concerns
on Thursday.

“Listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan,” Bush told
reporters. “She feels strongly about her position. And she has
every right in the world to say what she believes. This is
America.”

He said he has thought “long and hard” about her demand to
“get out of Iraq now” and strongly disagreed, saying a
premature withdrawal would betray the Iraqis just as they are
being trained to defend themselves and allow for a U.S.
pullout.

Sheehan’s group, Gold Star Families for Peace, released a
protest ad that the organization said would run on cable
television channels near Bush’s ranch during August.

“Mr. President, I want to tell you face to face how much
this hurts. I love my country, but how many more of our loved
ones need to die in this senseless war? How many more soldiers
have to die before we say enough?” she said in the ad.

The total ad buy was put at $15,000.