George Bush got his first look at the protestors today as he drove by in his
motorcade. Latest reports put the total number of protestors staged outside his
Crawford ranch at over 700. Cindy Sheehan was standing there holding a sign
saying:

“Why do you make time for donors and not for me?”

and other signs included:

“Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam”

“Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam”

While this excitement is going on, more families are heading to Texas to join
in the cause:

Georgia Couple Joins Crawford Protest

WTOC 11

The protest outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, is getting
bigger. Dozens of people are joining Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey died in
Iraq. He had only been in Iraq for five days.

Sheehan wants the president to pull the troops out of Iraq immediately and
tells the president if he’s so in favor of the war, why doesn’t he send his
family to fight?

“What was the noble cause that my son died for?” she asked. “I don’t think
it’s noble. I don’t think a war on aggression on a country that was no threat
to the United States is noble. I want to know, George Bush, if you think this
is such a noble cause, do you encourage your own daughters to go over, take
the place of a soldier who wants to come home?”

“I’ve heard her position from others, which is get out of Iraq now,” said
the president. “And it would be a mistake for the security of this country and
the ability to lay the foundations for peace in the long run if we were to do
so.”

Sheehan vows to stay there until President Bush comes out to talk to her,
saying she’ll continue her protest to Washington if he doesn’t.

A Hinesville couple’s joining the protest. Phil and Linda Waste have three
sons and two grandchildren who’ve all had tours of duty in Iraq, fighting a
war with which they disagree.

With so many family members to worry about, Linda has had to do a lot of
math. “They have given a total of 57 months already with 18 more on seven
deployments,” she said. “And we’re looking at the possibility of 24 more
months. Our family has given enough.”

“We support our troops,” said Phil. “Bring them home now.”

The Wastes are in Texas, lending support to Cindy Sheehan’s protest. The
president they’re so desperate to talk to says he understands their concerns.

“I think about their cries and their sincere desire to reduce the loss of
life by pulling our troops out and I just strongly disagree,” President Bush
said.

President Bush says at this point in the war, the loss of life would be
greater if we did pull out all the troops instead of keeping them there to
finish the job. “We’re training the Iraqi security forces so Iraqis can defend
themselves,” he said.

No matter which side people take, Linda Waste told us on the phone it’s
been intense. “It’s been an incredibly moving experience.”

She says the president’s comments about the protest aren’t quite what they
were hoping to hear when it comes to Cindy Sheehan.

“Unless he is speaking directly to her, answered her questions, answered
the questions of all the Gold Star members and military families who are
speaking out, he has given empty words,” she said.

Linda and Phil Waste are scheduled to come back to Hinesville late Saturday
night.

Oh George it is hot in Texas and its not just the temperature. The burn is on
to get you to answer for your lies you told us and used to send our soldiers to
die. We will not rest until you come clean and face your judgement!