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 News from Around the Americas | August 2005 
Crawford Texas Gets Ready for Dueling Rallies
 AP
| | President Bush supporter Mark Voss chants that he wants the crosses for fallen troops taken down. |
Crawford, Texas - The one-stoplight town of 700 residents, Crawford, Texas, located near President Bush's ranch, braced for thousands of visitors Saturday, most in a cross-country caravan for a pro-Bush rally and others to support Cindy Sheehan's anti-war demonstration.
More than 3,000 people were expected at the school football stadium for the culmination of the "You don't speak for me, Cindy!" tour that started last week in California.
It would be the largest counter-protest since Sheehan started camping out off the road leading to Bush's ranch August 6.
She vowed to remain unless he talked to her about the war with Iraq that claimed the life of her son Casey and more than 1,870 other U.S. soldiers.
The pro-Bush caravan was coordinated by Move America Forward, a group led by former California Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian and Republican strategist Sal Russo.
Meanwhile, hundreds were expected at Sheehan's camp for a somber Saturday ceremony honoring soldiers in Iraq.
The protest, which has swelled from dozens on weekdays to about 1,000 the past two weekends, will end Wednesday.
Bush has said he appreciates Sheehan's right to protest and understands her anguish but will not meet with her. His vacation in Texas is to end September 2.
Sheehan and other grieving families met with Bush about two months after her son died last year, before she became a vocal opponent of the war.
Crawford hasn't seen this big a crowd since the scathing documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" was shown last summer on a screen at the football field, drawing about 3,000 people. T
The screening was organized by the Crawford Peace House, which also is helping Sheehan.
Earlier that night, more than 300 Bush supporters held a rally to counter the showing of the film. |
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