In the news of late was Senator Boxer's efforts to dissuade Sheehan from challenging Senator Feinstein, the senator's own efforts to diffuse an incredibly liberal base in San Francisco by saying she was lied to.

Sheehan's silver lining: she doesn't require knowledge of any subject, her staff will talk for her. Every senator can't be knowledgeable on every topic. Sheehan will serve as a facade for a grouping that considers even Senator Schumer to be an extremist right-winger.

I agree that Sheehan won't beat Feinstein, but Sheehan is well financed, networked, and capable of running as an independent. That would be ideal because it splits Feinstein's base and may allow a Republican to take the seat.

Posted by: DaveO at February 9, 2006 12:08 PM

---

Jesus...which right-wing blog did you copy and paste that pile of bile from?

"Cindy Sheehan can expect donations from the Code Pink fringe, but then they will expect her to bring their concerns front and centre. Complete American withdrawal from world affairs. Abandonment of Israel. Wholesale disarmament. Appeasement of the Muslim radicals."

withdrawal from world affairs? abandonment of Israel? Wholesale disarmament? Appeasement of Muslim radical?

Last I checked, she simply wanted to find out what great cause her son died for, and for troops to be pulled out of a war that should never have been started in the first place.

This is the first post of yours that I've read on Cindy Sheehan. I used to think that you were a reasonable thinker, despite the fact that I disagree with you on numerous things. Now you look just like the American right wing blowhards, foaming at the mouth and exaggerating beyond belief. Do yourself a favour and remove your post. You look pretty unhuinged, and give reasonable commentators a bad name..

Posted by: Dave at February 9, 2006 12:34 PM

---

Like the stench of a fart, the woman lingers. Be gone baggage!

Posted by: Agent Orange at February 9, 2006 12:38 PM

---

I say keep the post up there, it's right on the money!

Posted by: dave at February 9, 2006 12:39 PM

---

Sheehan may have a better chance than you give her credit for. Remember San Fransisco is the most left leaning city in America. Moonbats practically run city hall there. If Sheehan has a chance at a senate seat its there.

There are plenty of 1 or 2 issue politicians around, staff and party platforms generally flush out a candidates the other issues.

She may well ride the anti-bush, anti-Iraq war into a senate seat. Pretty much all she has to do is beat Feinstein in the primary. I dont think a republican has much of a chance out there.

Posted by: Curtis at February 9, 2006 12:45 PM

---

Sheehan may have a better chance than you give her credit for. Remember San Fransisco is the most left leaning city in America. Moonbats practically run city hall there. If Sheehan has a chance at a senate seat its there.

Remember that a Senator represents the entire state. You might be thinking of a Representative, who represents a small portion of state called a "district", not unlike our ridings.

Posted by: Steve Janke at February 9, 2006 12:49 PM

---

Fair enough. San Fransisco is the most leftist city in America, how far behind is LA? The rest of the state? Realistically I think the democratic candidate will win the seat - if Sheehan is the democratic candidate - she'll go to Washington.

Do you honestly expect the republicans to gain seats, with all the Bush controversies swirling around. Sheehan is the perfect protest vote candidate.

Posted by: Curtis at February 9, 2006 01:09 PM

---

I hope she wins it would be really good but, not for democrats.

I used to be in the military and if I had paid the ultimate price the thought of my mom acting like a loony like she does gives me nightmares.

Her son volunteered to server her country she should respect his CHOICE to do that.

the US kills 3,000 kids a day +- via abortion does she worry about that?

More kids a day are killed than US soldiers in the so called Iraq War.

And the children killed don't get a choice unlike her son who could have let his hair grow long done drugs and sat around bad mouthing his country.

Then mom might have been proud.

Bush met with her once. What more does she want. Should he meet with every american 5 times?

The USA freed a lot of people they can be proud, and by stopping saddams killing even with a war going on fewer people are dying than Iraq at peace.

Posted by: DrWright at February 9, 2006 01:24 PM

---

Dr. Wright

by stopping saddams killing even with a war going on fewer people are dying than Iraq at peace.

--don't even know where to begin on this one...how about if you provide some figures to back your assertion that fewer people are dying in Iraq now than before the war started.

Please, please, please...I'm begging you. Make me see the light. Show me the statistics that back this claim up. As a matter of fact, if you can show me one document (that stands up to scrutiny) that proves that less people are dying in Iraq now than before the war, I will give you my pay for the next six months, and I'll even name my first, second, third, and fifth born after you.

So...whaddaya say? Care to back up your statement with facts?

Posted by: Dave at February 9, 2006 01:57 PM

---

DrWright...As a doctor you should know a mother's grief sometimes defies explanation.

Posted by: Liberal Ron at February 9, 2006 02:00 PM

---

Imagine:
-Cindy Sheehan wins California senate seat.
-Democrats win presidency
-U.S. pulls out of Iraq
What other issues could she possibly have any thoughts on? Save the pine beetle or the endangered housefly?

I don't think there is too much to worry about here. The politicos will recognize her for what she is.

Even if handlers and advisers are there to flush out everything EVERYTHING she doesn't know, she is a nut bar loose cannon whose only agenda is self promotion. There would be no way to control her and they know this.

As much as I might wonder about the politics in California, I give the voters there credit for intelligence. They will realize that her effectiveness as one of their senators in Washington would be absolutely nil.

Let her run against Feinstein for the party ticket or as an independent. Hopefully the humiliating defeat will make her fade into obscurity as the rather strange footnote in history that she deserves.

Cheers

Gerry

Posted by: gerryinmontreal at February 9, 2006 02:29 PM

---

Dave and Dr. Wright - respectfully, your arguments are specious.

Dave - how much is 6 months pay worth in US$? The US military avoids deathcounts these days; and if you want a strict accounting, what are the parameters of the count? Do I include natural deaths: age, disease, accidents/acts of God? Do I include those killed by terrorists? Murder? What about those who've gone missing - do we presume them dead? These are exactly the questions the US Army has asked of critics wanting a body count. If you want to look at causality, as is America caused the death of X number... then you get into a philosophical argument in defining "cause."
Well... what's it going to be? Oh, yes - the US Army did publish a parameterized body count (3K) which was grossly ridiculed. So Dave, your argument is roughly the same as debating the colors of dinosaur feathers.

Dr. Wright - without access to insurance claims submitted by abortionists, your numbers are suspect. I am not an abortionist, but the numbers are so highly politicized that I will wait for a disinterested third party to release [parameterized] numbers.
Ms. Sheehan's behavior before and after her son's death were consistent with respecting her son's decision, if her own words in meeting with Mr. Bush are to be believed. Since then... was it the finality of death? Or was it that she was targeted for grief-exploitation, which explains why she has a lot of experienced political operators pushing her along.

Regardless, California has enough Republicans and non-extremist Democrats to place an "old-line" (pro-business, anti-Christian-right) Republican in office. Sheehan can split the Democratic Party of California as a candidate.

Posted by: DaveO at February 9, 2006 02:41 PM

---

Nope...

Darn, that might have been fun to watch.

Posted by: rachel at February 9, 2006 02:55 PM

---

DaveO

Dave - how much is 6 months pay worth in US$?
-approx. 12480 bucks, depending on the exchange rate.

The US military avoids deathcounts these days; and if you want a strict accounting, what are the parameters of the count? Do I include natural deaths: age, disease, accidents/acts of God? Do I include those killed by terrorists? Murder? What about those who've gone missing - do we presume them dead? These are exactly the questions the US Army has asked of critics wanting a body count. If you want to look at causality, as is America caused the death of X number... then you get into a philosophical argument in defining "cause."
Well... what's it going to be? Oh, yes - the US Army did publish a parameterized body count (3K) which was grossly ridiculed. So Dave, your argument is roughly the same as debating the colors of dinosaur feathers.

--try and keep up. I never made an argument. I simply asked Dr. Wright to provide me with the numbers that back up his assertion.

So DaveO, your attempt to counter me was pointless, as I never made any claims, other than my offer. Which still stands, btw.

Posted by: Dave at February 9, 2006 03:07 PM

---

Dave

"[T]ry and keep up[?]" An argument has among its definitions "discourse intended to persuade" (Merriam-Webster). Semantically, your post looks to persuade Dr. Wright that he is in error.

As to your claim, you make the demand for statistics that can stand up to scrutiny - how can any statistics withstand scrutiny unless it comes from a source you trust? Your implication is that you must go to Iraq in person and investigate each death in order to satisfy yourself. And so the circular discussion continues with argument and counter-argument with neither side trusting the other enough to do independent research... next topic?

Posted by: DaveO at February 9, 2006 04:48 PM

---

Dave

..."which right-wing blog did you copy and paste that pile of bile from?"
"...American right wing blowhards, foaming at the mouth and exaggerating beyond belief"

One could get the impression that reading right-wing blogs somehow bothers you.

Did you, by the way, read the top header of this blog...

Posted by: Pete at February 9, 2006 04:56 PM

---

Today, Cindy Sheehan is offering herself on E-bay for purchase.

Who knew you could try to get more people to buy a longer 15 minutes of fame?

When you research out Cindy Sheehan, you find a different person than perhaps she wants the media to see.

http://theinfozone.net/news_stories/infozone-news_Anti-War-Protests_.html

TIZ

Posted by: TIZReporter at February 9, 2006 05:15 PM

---

Dave O:

Once again: I made no claims. I just want to know where Dr. Wright got his information...

Pete: I have no problem with right wingers, just right wingers who tread in dishonesty and smear tactics. Left wingers who do that too, come to think of it... I'm thinking about the Limbaughs, O'Reillys, Malkins, Coulters and their ilk. Real conservatives, those who are smart, thoughtful and who want to have an HONEST discussion about the issues, I have no problems with. There's plenty you can genuinely disagree with Cindy Sheehan about. There's no need to smear her with ignorant , inflammatory statements that bring nothing to the discussion. Remember folks, we're Canadians here. We've always been able to disagree honestly and respectfully. Those of us who are not elected to parliament, anyways.

oops, almost forgot,
Meet the new boss...

Posted by: dave at February 9, 2006 07:41 PM

---

Dave

Here is a few bits about Saddam’s mass graves, with the link below it.
Dave, I don’t expect you will take it seriously, here are some numbers that you were asking Dave O for.

Since the Saddam Hussein regime was overthrown in May, 270 mass graves have been reported. By mid-January, 2004, the number of confirmed sites climbed to fifty-three. Some graves hold a few dozen bodies—their arms lashed together and the bullet holes in the backs of skulls testimony to their execution. Other graves go on for hundreds of meters, densely packed with thousands of bodies.
"We've already discovered just so far the remains of 400,000 people in mass graves," said British Prime Minister Tony Blair on November 20 in London.
“We've already discovered just so far the remains of 400,000 people in mass graves," said British Prime Minister Tony Blair on November 20 in London�

. http://www.usaid.gov/iraq/legacyofterror.html

Official Iraqi documents recovered after the fall of Saddam regime suggest a staggering 5 million executions were made during Bath era alone. Over 10 million were also imprisoned.

http://www.shianews.com/hi/articles/politics/0000374.php

Most of the graves discovered to date correspond to one of five major atrocities perpetrated by the regime.
· The 1983 attack against Kurdish citizens belonging to the Barzani tribe, 8,000 of whom were rounded up by the regime in northern Iraq and executed in deserts at great distances from their homes.
· The 1988 Anfal campaign, during which as many as 182,000 people disappeared. Most of the men were separated from their families and were executed in deserts in the west and southwest of Iraq. The remains of some of their wives and children have also been found in mass graves.
· Chemical attacks against Kurdish villages from 1986 to 1988, including the Halabja attack, when the Iraqi Air Force dropped sarin, VX and tabun chemical agents on the civilian population, killing 5,000 people immediately and causing long-term medical problems, related deaths, and birth defects among the progeny of thousands more.
· The 1991 massacre of Iraqi Shi’a Muslims after the Shi’a uprising at the end of the Gulf war, in which tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in such regions as Basra and Al-Hillah were killed.
· The 1991 Kurdish massacre, which targeted civilians and soldiers who fought for autonomy in northern Iraq after the Gulf war.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/27000.htm

Personally, Dave, I think you should keep on challenging people who present unrefined ideas to us all. People should be able to back up their claims with sound arguments, reasoning and facts. You keep everybody sharp.

...I can see for miles and miles...

Posted by: at February 9, 2006 09:36 PM

---

She has other issues than Iraq, don't you remember her demand that troops be withdrawn from "occupied New Orleans"? I imagine her next idea will be to demand the same for "occupied Fort Bragg", etc.

Posted by: Jay at February 10, 2006 12:36 AM

---