Victim's brother against mom's actions
Jim Krause said president expressed sorrow when he and Cindy Sheehan saw him last June.
By Matthias Gafni
Times-Herald, Vallejo
As Vacaville's Cindy Sheehan remained in the media spotlight Thursday, another relative of a Solano County soldier killed in action quietly aired frustration and disappointment over Sheehan's protest near President Bush's Texas ranch.
Jim Krause, 53, of Fairfield, lost his younger brother, Sgt. Elmer C. Krause, in April 2004, when his vehicle was ambushed by Iraqi insurgents. Sheehan's son, Casey, was killed in combat in Iraq, also in 2004.
Elmer Krause was born and raised in Vallejo before moving out of state. Jim Krause, soft-spoken, said he was praying for Sheehan to drop her anger and worried that she will become a poster person for the far left.
"I know she's a grieving mom and she has a lot of issues with anger," Krause said. "I'm in the same company as her, as far as grief. I deal with it my way, but anger is not coming out."
Sheehan, 48, has camped out along a road near Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch since Saturday, vowing to stay until his Texas vacation ends later this month. Sheehan wants to meet face-to-face with the president.
Krause said Sheehan already had that opportunity, as did he. Krause and other family members traveled to Fort Lewis, Wash., to visit with President Bush in June 2004. Sheehan was there, along with other grieving families.
Sheehan has said her feelings have shifted since from shock to anger. She has said she was offended when Bush didn't know her son's name.
"I wouldn't expect him to have all the soldiers' names on the top of his head," Krause said. "He didn't know Elmer's name."
Krause said his two sisters, who went with him on the visit, spoke to Sheehan before they met the president. "My sister did say that Sheehan was hurting at the time," Krause said.
Overall, Krause said his visit with the president was positive.
"When the president met with us he was very genuine, very real, very sincere," Krause said.
"As the president walked into the room that day," Krause said, Bush saw his sister crying and came over and gave her a hug. "I proceeded to tell him about Elmer and what happened."
Krause described to the president how his brother's body was found in a shallow grave with four other men and how his remains had to be identified using DNA.
"His eyes watered up and started to tear when I told him that and he said, 'I'm so sorry,' and that Elmer was in a better place," Krause said.
Krause said he and his family spent about 10 to 15 minutes with the president.
"I asked him, 'Why us? Why did you take the time out of your schedule to meet with us?' He said he wanted to meet with all the families at that time," Krause said.
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