Sheehan Qualifies To Challenge Pelosi

SAN FRANCISCO — Cindy Sheehan, an icon of the anti-war movement, has qualified to challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her seat in Congress.

Sheehan, 51, says Pelosi failed to persuade her party to end funding for the Iraq war after Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2006 midterm elections. She also accused the speaker of failing to hold the administration accountable for the administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

Sheehan, who lost her son in the war, is best known for beginning a vigil outside President Bush's Texas ranch in August 2005.

"I feel like Nancy Pelosi, as the Democratic leader, has failed our country miserably, funding for more war," Sheehan said Monday. "The speaker's failed to hold George Bush and Dick Cheney accountable."

San Francisco election officials on Monday said Sheehan turned in 214 more valid signatures than the 10,198 she needed to qualify for the November ballot as an independent candidate for the 8th Congressional District seat.

The speaker welcomes the challenge, said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill.

"The speaker has the highest respect for Cindy Sheehan. Ms. Sheehan lost her son in the Iraq war and has the right _ as every American has _ to run for office," Hammill said in a statement.

Pelosi, 67 and in her 11th term, has said she is disappointed that Democrats have not been able to stop the war in Iraq. Last year, the House passed legislation giving Bush $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with no deadlines for troop withdrawal.

Pelosi won her 2006 campaign with 80 percent of the vote. Sheehan also will be at a distinct financial disadvantage as she takes on one of the most powerful politicians in the country.

She said her campaign has collected more than $300,000, compared with nearly $2.4 million collected by Pelosi through the end of June.

The other candidate on the ballot for the 8th district seat is Republican Dana Walsh.

Comments

[alguien]

why in the world did huffpo use that picture of sheehan? she looks like marge from the dame edna show.

[mike53]

My guess it was the best one they could find.

[research]

WRONG: http://www.cindyforcongress.org/

[Texas4Obama]

So, if Sheehan takes some votes away from Pelosi then the Republican might will win!
Thank a lot Sheehan!

Once Obama becomes President and we have more Democrats in the House and Senate - things will get done!

Obama/Sebelius '08

Pelosi '08

[ifihadahammer]

Maybe you missed the memo about Democrats gaining control in 2006. It's not just Bush holding them back, you see, because if they stood together to hold Bush accountable and impeach him, he really wouldn't be in the way.

But whatever, Pelosi hasn't done her job and hooray for Sheehan or any other plane Jane American stepping up to fulfill their civic duty when other elected officials refuse to do so.

[ErikW65]

Re. "then the Republican might well win!"

As the congressional representative of San Francisco??

I can't think of a better seat for Cindy to challenge.

[ObGyn]

Is that you, Leah? Has to be you.

[BigLib]

Poor Mother Sheehan. Kicked to the curb by the Left; ignored by the Right.

What trouble is Queen Nan planning for anyone who dares to take the spotlight from her?

[ErikW65]

Don't look for a lot of Dems to line up behind Cindy. Pelosi/Reid have enforced the "no Impeachment" rule quite well, judging by the degree to which representatives of even the bluest states are parroting the party line.

[research]

Go Cindy Sheehan!

Folks contribute to her campaign!

Nancy Pelosi is so bad that we would have been better off with a republican congress. Nancy allowed the passage of bills that Bush wanted, but could NOT get passed with a republican congress.

If only this democratic congress had been a "do nothing" congress:

The war in Iraq would be over: Defunded.

Fisa spy on everyone bill would not have passed.

Mukasey would not by AG.

That was one nasty picture of Cindy that you picked. Shame on you.

[ErikW65]

She couldn't even "do nothing" right! The one absolute thing the founding fathers gave Congress as a last resort against a unitary executive is the "purse-strings" and she couldn't even control those. Pelosi is truly lousy. Bet she's never read the Constitution, either.

[BigLib]

Will conduct her campaign from a ditch?

[TekBoss]

Please dear God in heaven ... spare us from a season of Pelosi versus Sheehan.

Sheehan has NO politcal skills what-so-ever and Pelosi doesn't have the backbone to stand up and do what's right (and what she took an oath to do).

Will SOMONE with at least a LITTLE political accumen and enough backbone to actually do what is right please replace these two as our choices??? PLEASE!!!!

Don't make me run!!!! I'll win and then you'll be in deep doo doo.

[nicholasclaxton]

If I was Mrs. PeLOUSY I'd be nervous...Somethings don't require money and Pelosi is the poster child for what democrats shouldn't be...She has not done much of anything to hold this admin accountable and its slap in the face that she goes out and flat out says she won't...If nothing more she should be bringing Cheney up on investigation into the 'forged letter' or wiretapping or on and on and on the list goes.
She thinks by leaving the Bush Admin intact that its making the dems look so much better, perhaps, however enough people know the truth and she is SIMPLY NOT DOING HER JOB. 11terms is enough.

I hope the voters of CA's 8th oust pelosi as I think that would send a signal like no other to not only the dems but to the entire body of congress. This is country belongs to the citizens not the politicians.

Enough nonsense!

[steamboat]

Won't happen.....Pelosi has too much machine and money behind her......Also, she'll have every big-name democrat coming in to tell the people how wonderful she is.....Which, of course, is a joke.

[ErikW65]

Pelosi should be ousted- she's proved worthless as a bulwark against Bush/Cheney and their neoconservative agenda. While the neocons have trampled the Constitution, Pelosi finds it "too divisive" to hold them accountable. She is disgusting in her complicioty with this Adminitration; finding excuses not to prosecute them based on some political calculus. Go Cindy!

[SEQUOIABISON]

This makes no sense whatsoever, and is the most ridiculous idea i have ever heard.

Ignoring the party that started the war that killed her son and going after a congressional seat that voted against the war?

I think her anger is misplaced, Nancy did not vote for the war nor does she support the war, taking a seat from a republican who does support the war would make a lot more sense.

[ErikW65]

Cindy lives in San Francisco. She's going after the seat that represents her. I think your charge of ridiculousness is misplaced.

[LateeLady]

Although I would likely have gone about it differently, I do applaud Cindy for turning her grief into action and her action into activism. Plus - I think it's healthy for all elected officials to not become complacent in their elected role and be subjected to competition.

[LeftLeanWing]

Doesn't Sheehan look like Peppermint Patty from the Peanuts Comic Strip

http://www.snoopy.com/comics/peanuts/meet_the_gang/images/meet_peppermint_patty_big.gif

[geobushono]

Just today, nancy announced her caving once more to the play book written by the MINORITY Party.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/pelosi-indicates-openness-to-offshore-drilling-vote-2008-08-11.html

CINDY, if I still lived in Noe Valley, I'd be knocking on doors for you.
I hope to see you Representing the CA-8th.
You are the Vanguard of change.

[Norge]

Sheehan is a wonderfully strong and determined lady with enormous resources of courage
defying the likes of Cheny and his ilk.
Amazing that the notsees have not liquidated her or at the least silenced her.

Rolf Krogsæther

[mi]

I wish Nancy was as courageous as Cindy has been these past years.

[Bobleblah1]

Greatest news we have had in weeks.

If you are a progressive, This is a great opportunity to go out and do the research on your own.
You will VERY EASILY discover Nancy Pelosi behind countless organized attempts at destroying the progressive agenda.

Name any REAL issue that progressives care about from the Iraq war, to Bush crimes against the constitution, to impeachment, to the confirmation of Mukasey atop the already corrupt justice department, to this newest grab for supposed offshore drilling.
You will find Nancy Pelosi scheming and plotting to transfer more power to Bush and stall progressives from attaining any goal they ever had.

Wake up people!
The progressive movement is a danger to Nancy Pelosi and this is why she has set out to demoralize and destroy it by making sure the progressive agenda isnt followed, even when the power is their to make it possible.

No one expects Cindy Sheehan to become speaker of the house, but people do know that her winning that seat in the bay, means NO MORE PELOSI. That in itself will have given the progressive movement a HUGE victory against the neocons.

http://cindyforcongress.org/