Hiram Lewis IV, GOP challenger for Robert Byrd's US Senate seat, is publicly embarrassing himself and/or disqualifying himself from becoming a serious contender to unseat Byrd in West Virginia. He has announced a new "Meet With Hiram" campaign targeting anti-Bush and anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan.
Together with the conservative activist organization RightMarch.com, he will travel to Crawford, Texas, to demand a meeting with Cindy Sheehan. "If she refuses to meet with me there, I will follow her on her bus tour and continue to demand a meeting until she agrees to talk with me face-to-face." said Lewis. He further pledged to "dog her steps" until she meets with him.
For several reasons, this charade takes Mr. Lewis out of serious contention for the US Senate. First and foremost, he has little understanding of the First Amendment. Whether you agree or disagree with Cindy Sheehan, she has every right to protest the President's war policy. Only a thug would "dog" her or harass her because she is speaking out. For a citizen to follow her and harass her for her speech would be contemptible, but for someone running for the US Senate to do so as a political stunt, is outrageous and over-the-top.
Secondly, from a public relations point of view, this will be a disaster for Lewis. Why would this man, who is trying to convince the public in West Virginia that he has the temperament to be a US Senator, hound and "dog" a woman distraught with grief over her son dying in the Iraq war? Moreover, Mr. Lewis has been bought and paid for by RightMarch.com. He is performing a political stunt to counter Cindy Sheehan's spontaneous protest and that is obvious on its face.
Article comments
1 - Marc
So it's free speech for thee (Sheehan) and non for me (Hiram Lewis IV).
Is that how it works? I won't comment on the quals of Lewis, he may very well be a nutcase of the first order but that matters little.
In very plain language you're saying he doesn't have the same rights as Sheehan. NUTS as a famous general once said.
BTW even if he "dogs" Sheehan it won't be for long. She is only planning to stop in the first two cities then bail; out of the moonbat parade.
2 - Balletshooz
Sure, and the Iraq war is popular, and Bush has a high approval rating, and Republicans are going to eliminate the fillibuster. Any other wise predictions?
He has a right to speak, but hounding a protestor and stalking her is not speech. Its criminal. Secondly, if he wants to run for Senate, that is a lame way to "speak", by trying to silence another speaker.
If he has something to say fine, but he doesnt. Hounding Sheehan to shut her up is not protected speech.
3 - Anthony Grande
Isn't Robert Byrd the one who was in the KKK???
I think Robertson should call for a Christian assasination on him too.
4 - RogerMDillion
Be careful with that talk, AG. That's nothing to joke about. You might have a visit from the Secret Setrvice before you know it.
5 - Balletshooz
roberts was in the kkk like 50 years ago when all white people were prejudiced. he has left the group and repudiated it. Want proof? He is a Democrat.
6 - Canadian Gypsy
Since March 2002 48 thousand Americans have lost their lives to senseless violence in the US. In 2004 there were almost 16000 murders committed in the US. I wonder how Cindy Sheehan feels about that. I bet Hiram Lewis would have a lot to say about it. Maybe she should be concentrating on the the senseless deaths in the US and not using the death of US soldiers in Iraq.
7 - Balletshooz
"In 2004 there were almost 16000 murders committed in the US. I wonder how Cindy Sheehan feels about that."
you would probably know if her son was killed that way, but he wasnt. nice red herring.
"I bet Hiram Lewis would have a lot to say about it."
I dount it, all he wants to do is intimidate the woman and shut down her speech rights. he really does not have much to say about anything relevant.
8 - Anthony Grande
Once a klansman always a klansman. You have to be full of hate to be in the KKK. What did Byrd do? Drill a hole in his head and drain all the hate? NO, it is still there.
"roberts was in the kkk like 50 years ago when all white people were prejudiced."
Just like a Democrat, when everyone is rascist be rascist, when everyone isn't rascist don't be rascist.
Republicans were always for civil rights, Dems were on the otherside.
9 - Canadian Gypsy
Correction to my previous post.
[Maybe she should be concentrating on the the senseless deaths in the US and not using the death of US soldiers in Iraq.]
Should have read:
Maybe she should be concentrating on the the senseless deaths in the US and not exploiting the death of US soldiers in Iraq to advance her self-serving agenda. T
10 - Balletshooz
Republicans were always for civil rights
That is the laugher of the year.
Ask the famous republican leaders who are for civil rights, strom thurmond, trent lott, jesse helms, david duke, they used to be democrats, now they are republicans.
Byrd is still a democrat, thereby proving he is no longer racist.
The kkk are not friends of liberals. nice try.
That is why 90% of blacks vote dem? or how would you explain it? are they just stupid minorities who dont know any better?
11 - Canadian Gypsy
"Once a klansman always a klansman. You have to be full of hate to be in the KKK. What did Byrd do?"
And Cindy Sheehan isn't an anti-Semite? Hmm. Seems to me that there's White Supremacist movement in Crawford offering their support to Sheehan. She has denounced that yet, has she?
12 - billy
"not exploiting the death of US soldiers in Iraq to advance her self-serving agenda"
what is her agenda?
she is camped in a ditch and her account is overdrawn.
meanwhile a senate candidate along with rightmarch, who has bought and paid for his existence, are protesting the protestor while he runs for office and tries to get pr.
not even close. Lewis is a political opportunist. Sheehan is a saint.
13 - Marc
"Sheehan is a saint."
How many saints have said the US is a "repugnant nation?" How many saints have called a sitting president a "murderer?" How many saints have aliagned themselves with those that advocate not only a free Palestian but a complete destruction of Israel to achieve that goal?
billy you're now beyond "silly" billy and have crossed over to "delusional" billy.
"she is camped in a ditch and her account is overdrawn."
Really? Then whose paying for her bus trip across America?
14 - Pmeisner
What is the idiot Lewis going to do if Sheehan meets with him? She hasn't exactly been hiding from anyone, unlike Bush.
15 - BigTobacco
The "conservatives" are really grasping at straws... when they ought to be trying to salvage their movement.
I stopped voting Republican once the party came to find definition and meaning in the words of crude hacks like Limbaugh and Hannity. The only way I can describe it is like when a little kid watches Superman and then tries to fly off the roof of his carport. Republicans aren't right 100% of the time and Democrats aren't wrong 100% of the time, disagreeing with a war is not evil if you have good reasons to do so, our Supreme Court is not the Taliban, and Jesus does not support torture because the President is a Christian who mistakenly supports things that resemble torture.
Byrd was in the KKK half a century ago, and everybody is ashamed of that. Ronald Reagan kicked off his campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi as an overture to the KKK, yet conservatives don't even register the grave symbolism of such a deed and for the most part gloss over the whole GOP tradition we call the "Southern Strategy." Traditionally, Republicans have had many wonderful ideas, but you have to be crazy not to notice that the GOP's language and policies are carefully crafted to appeal to people who have bigoted viewpoints. This is not to say that the leaders themselves are bigots, but they are playing with bigotry to get votes.
I have worked to try to discourage my fellow conservatives from throwing their lot in with people who talk and act like ridiculous fools. But now I fear that there is no hope for the GOP. Half the party is going to sink like a stone.
And I can't say that I mind all that much. I think the half of all Democrats are crooked, too, and I supported the impeachment of Bill Clinton... But at least with the Democrats, I can have a rational discussion. They, at the present moment, are the most intelligent option available for people who care about America. They aren't perfect. And part of me wishes that the GOP would get its act together. But I'm not going to hold my breath.
16 - BigTobacco
Sheehan has an open invitation for vets and families to meet with her. Many have taken her up on this option.
But Hiram has not taken her up on this option. I'm guessing because he wants to use it as a campaign stunt and try to stack the deck to get a reaction out of her as opposed to a thoughtful discussion.
I mean, look at his whole smug, snarky attitude. They guy belongs on right wing radio not in government. The Conservatives don't want to engage with the facts... they have been trying to cover them up for the past three years (from the Downing Street Memo to pictures of coffins to Abu Ghraib). The last thing he wants is an open debate. He probably will just scream at her and try to find some way to hurt her. From the sounds of most right wingers, this is what they like most... brutality and hate.
17 - Anthony Grande
"That is why 90% of blacks vote dem? or how would you explain it? are they just stupid minorities who dont know any better?"
This is because they have been brainwashed by the democRATS to think that it is the Republics fault for their lack of education, wealth and literacy. Blacks sometimes ask me, "What have Republicans ever done for us?" and I always answer, "What have the democrats ever done for you, how come you are uneducated? Why is your family poor? Have the democrats actually helped you at all?" and instead of answering they always label me as a rascist.
Just look at the famous blacks who have been educated: Condy Rice, Colin Powell and Bill Cosby are all blacks who have done something better with their lives after getting an education. It just happens that they are all conservative.
"But now I fear that there is no hope for the GOP. Half the party is going to sink like a stone."
What is that prediction based on??? I can make a more logical prediction by saying the same exact thing about democRATS.
18 - Phil
Bob "sheets" Byrd is a senile old joke to those who are most knowledgeable and live in the state of West Virginia. If he has been so great for the state why are we almost last in everything from education to economy...
19 - steve
sheenan is only bringing dishonor to her son's death. I would be ashamed of my mother if she used my death to propel her political agenda. she already spoke to bush, there is no need for the two to converse again.
20 - John Rains
Some Facts:
Cindy has been quoting David Duke's web site. Check her qoutes and look it up, if your in denial. David Duke voted for John Kerry in 04. The Republicans tried to block his running for governor in LA but the ACLU came to his rescue.
Robert Byrd used the "N" word in 2001 on Fox News Sunday. He's always been a Democrat and he's not sorry he was in the Klan. In his recent book he said that the Klan was an upstanding orginization full of doctors lawyers. Check out his book. You might look at his voting record too
Most blacks and most democrats dont know this about Byrd or Duke because this is not favorable news for Dems and it is only covered on talk radio and obscure news outlets and Fox News. Just check out the Trent Lott blunder if you dont believe.
21 - steve johanson
Yes, Hiram is a nutcase!