The Sheehan saga
"It's easy to see why Cindy Sheehan, the 48-year-old mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, has become the new face of the anti-war movement," the New York Sun noted yesterday. "But as sad as Ms. Sheehan's loss is — and we don't belittle it — she has put herself in league with some extreme groups and individuals."
Among her sympathizers, the Sun pointed out: filmmaker Michael Moore, Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, Military Families Speak Out and the Crawford Peace House; Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat; Rep. Maxine Waters, California Democrat; and United for Peace, which is "flogging Ms. Sheehan's story in the run-up to its big weekend of 'civil disobedience' and 'direct action' next month in Washington."
And while liberal-leaning watchdog Media Matters for America tracked Mrs. Sheehan's story as "a lie through the conservative media," Matt Drudge was selected as the conduit for a message from the greater Sheehan family. In an e-mail to Mr. Drudge, the family wrote yesterday:
"The Sheehan Family lost our beloved Casey in the Iraq War and we have been silently, respectfully grieving. We do not agree with the political motivations and publicity tactics of Cindy Sheehan. She now appears to be promoting her own personal agenda and notoriety at the the expense of her son's good name and reputation. The rest of the Sheehan Family supports the troops, our country, and our President, silently, with prayer and respect. — Sincerely, Casey Sheehan's grandparents, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins."
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