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| The Financing of Camp Casey |
| 2005-08-26 |
| With the President back at his Crawford ranch, the anti-war protest right outside his ranch is getting a lot more media attention. ABC7 looks at who is financing the operation and who's providing on-the-ground support. The camp at Crawford is full of Cindy Sheehan supporters, people from all walks of life. But off to the side are a small group of professionals, skilled in politics and public relations who are marketing her message. Cindy Sheehan kneels before a cross with her son's name on it, touches his picture, wipes her tears. It's an outpouring of emotion that is part of a scheduled news event organized daily for the television radio and print reporters who crowd in to capture a mother's grief. Cindy Sheehan: "And I'm never going to see him again, I'm never going to hold him again, I'm never going to hear his voice again." Sheehan's message hasn't changed since she got here but the support staff interested in getting that message out to the world has grown considerably. Organizers are set up in this house trailer. Their meetings are closed to reporters. Leading the group is Fenton Communications employee Michele Mulkey, based in San Francisco. Fenton specializes in public relations for liberal non profits. Their bills are being paid by True Majority, a non-profit set up by Ben Cohen, of Ben and Jerry's ice cream fame. Ben Cohen: "People are willing to listen to her and we want to do as much as we can to make her voice heard." Cohen's liberal group has teamed up with Berkeley-based moveon.org, an anti-Bush group co-founded by Joan Blades. Earlier this month, MoveOn.org helped organize anti-war vigils in support of Cindy Sheehan. Current Democratic National Party chair Howard Dean's organization, Democracy for America, is also involved. As is the more radical anti-war group Code Pink, organized by San Francisco's Medea Benjamin. Money donated through these groups and others is helping to pay for Gold Star families whose children have been killed in Iraq to attend anti-Bush protests. This week, Simi Valley, California Gold Star wife Melanie House flew to Idaho for a protest and then flew to Crawford. Reporter: "Can you tell us if you're getting help in airfare to come down here?" Melanie House: "What difference does that make?" There is real reluctance to talk about whose paying. And the PR machine that's promoting Cindy Sheehan. But not everyone here is completely comfortable with it. Gold Star mother Karen Meredith went to Crawford from Mt. View. Her son Ken Ballard died last year. Karen Meredith: "Sometimes things don't feel quite right to me. They don't feel wrong but maybe that's how they do it in the marketing business." ABC7's Mark Matthew: "You feel you're part of a marketing business?" Karen Meredith: "Possibly. Yeah I think so." video |
| Posted by:Captain America |
| #15 Cindy Sheehan has become a Teresa Heinz Kerry without her own fortune. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-08-26 23:19 |
| #14 Leigh- Easy, ther are almost 2,000 gold star families that are sitting quietly supporting their sons and daughters decision to defend our country and honoring thier sacrifice. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW MOONBATS THE GOLD STAR COMMUNITY DESERVES OUR TOTAL HONOR AND RESPECT. I'm sure you were only discussing the idiot in Cal. |
| Posted by: 49 pan 2005-08-26 22:35 |
| #13 Gold Star Families = Families that Honored their sons/fathers/husbands ultimate sacrifice in WWII. Gold Star Families = Families that dishonor the ultimate sacrifice of their sons/daughters in OIF. Disgusts me to see "Gold Star" defamed this way. |
| Posted by: Leigh 2005-08-26 20:10 |
| #12 BOYCOTT BEN & JERRY'S ICE CREAM. A COUPLE OF CENTS FROM EACH QUARRT HAS TO GO TO THIS CAUSE - APPEASERS & NITWITTERY |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-08-26 19:05 |
| #11 Reporter: "Can you tell us if you're getting help in airfare to come down here?" Melanie House: "What difference does that make?" It makes a hell of alot of difference. This movement being financed by these groups is shameful. When they make their move to DC, I hope they don't park outside Walter Reed Hospital. |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-08-26 17:59 |
| #10 Cindy is like a tonic for the MSM. They just love her anti-Bush, anti-America message and it is one that they think can't be argued with because her son was killed. Well, I think they are wrong. The average person knows she is demeaning her son and all of the troops with every word she speaks. The more the radical left opens its mouth, the more they will alienate the majority of Americans. |
| Posted by: Remoteman 2005-08-26 17:33 |
| #9 Anyone who wants Sheehan's efforts to fail should encourage her to talk more. Cindy Sheehan does more damage than good for the far left's anti war message the more she talks. Were the PR strategists really running the show they wouldn't let her open her mouth because she is a blathering idiot whose positions are left of left with her freedom fighters bullshit. The right will crush her, guaranteed and the casualties will be those who put any faith or effort into her protest. Cindy Sheehan INC. will backfire if the intention is to bring the center further to the left, however if the goal is to continue to solidify the left's propoganda used on its own members, then it will do just that. Moveon's constituency feeds off of this shit, and have plenty of money to throw at Sheehans effort if it works in rallying the lefties. The left who wanted to use her should have interviewed her and wrote her positions out for her if they wanted to change any minds, but that's not what they want, they just want a postergirl antiwar widow or mother who they can point to to increase loyalty and antiwar sentiment in their base. Again just my two cents. EP |
| Posted by: ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-08-26 17:16 |
| #8 Thern a fearsa markatear in our mist who could shed some lite on thisn |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-08-26 16:03 |
| #7 They did, but it's the principle of the thing. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-08-26 15:38 |
| #6 I think they sold the company. |
| Posted by: BillH 2005-08-26 15:36 |
| #5 Ben's the bozo who did not want to expand into France because they did not sign the test ban treaty. Wealthy bozos basically fund the left. It's a total misnomer that the wealthy are to the right. |
| Posted by: JAB 2005-08-26 15:30 |
| #4 My wife put some in the cart the other night. I threw it right back. She settled for Brighams. And I'll bet I'm not the only one who does it because I noticed it's been the only ice cream on sale every week all summer. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-08-26 15:25 |
| #3 I have suddenly developed an aversion to B & J Ice Cream.....cones made with it keep tumbling to the left |
| Posted by: USN, ret. 2005-08-26 15:17 |
| #2 ...and don't forget to toss a buck in the "Neo-Nazi's For Cindy" donation can on the way out. Ben Cohen will thank you for it... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-08-26 15:16 |
| #1 Funding by left-wing groups? Where's the Obvious Meter? |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-08-26 15:09 |