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 Outside the Beltway 

Cindy Sheehan Husband Files for Divorce

Patrick Sheehan, the husband of lunatic protestor and Gold Star Mother Cindy Sheehan, has filed for divorce.

Husband of ‘Peace Mom’ Files for Divorce (AP)

The husband of Cindy Sheehan, the mother camped outside President Bush’s Texas ranch to protest the death of a son in the Iraq war, has filed for divorce, according to court documents. Patrick Sheehan filed the divorce petition Friday in Solano County court, northeast of San Francisco. His lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.

The couple’s eldest child, Casey, 24, was an Army soldier killed in April 2004. Cindy Sheehan has said the stress of the death led to the separation of the couple, who were high school sweethearts.

Sheehan has vowed to remain in Texas through Bush’s August vacation, unless he meets with her. She began her protest 10 days ago and has since been joined by more than 100 anti-war activists. “Our message is to bring the troops home,” Sheehan, of Vacaville, said Monday.

The death of a child is a huge strain on any marriage. Having one’s spouse politicize that tragedy to garner attention for a bizarre political agenda can not be helpful.

Correction: The original had Ms. Sheehan as “Cathy” rather than “Cindy.” OTB regrets the error.

Note: An update on the appropriateness of this discussion transmogrified into a new post: Is Cindy Sheehan’s Divorce Fair Game?

About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.

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Comments
 

when you write a story/commentary it would probably help if you got at least the easiest facts correct. It's Cindy not Kathy. By the way, have you lost a child? If you did, do you really know how you would react? Pray to God you never have to find out.

Posted by mark | August 15, 2005 | 11:50 pm | Permalink
 

Those are kind of some meanspirited comments to make. All to serve a political point.

Posted by talboito | August 16, 2005 | 12:20 am | Permalink
 

The first three wives of lunatic talk show host and drug addict Rush Limbaugh also filed for divorce.

Did you get a kick out of that, too?

Posted by Pug | August 16, 2005 | 08:56 am | Permalink
 

Only if Rush had made them a part of his schtick. If he never talked about them, it would be irrelevant.

Sheenan is the one who started the "my family is behind me" meme. This sort of brings up the fact that perhaps she isn't being honest and is germane to the topic.

If she never brought them up, then you would have a point.

Posted by whatever | August 16, 2005 | 09:52 am | Permalink
 

OK. Then let's try Newt Gingrich.

The first three wives of former Congressman and well known promoter of "family values", Newt Gingrich, have filed for divorce.

By the way, Rush has always made family values part of his schtick, has he not? Turns out to be a three times divorced drug addict?

I cringe when I hear some of the things Cindy Sheehan says, but gleefully pointing out her husband has filed for divorce is unbecoming, really.

Posted by Pug | August 16, 2005 | 10:07 am | Permalink
 

This sort of thing cheapens the debate in every direction, whatever your justifications.

Posted by janine | August 16, 2005 | 12:01 pm | Permalink
 

Sorry Pug, "I know you are, but what am I?" is not exactly an impressive debate tactic. Thanks for playing.

Posted by TBstl | August 17, 2005 | 12:50 am | Permalink
 

If that was her eldest then why isn't she home with her other children? They are going to feel like they don't matter as much as this death. We have 2 over in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan Wouldn't know what to do if we lost one but i would spend more time with the rest of the family and appreciate they're still here. Rather than trying to camp outside at somebody's house.

Posted by tina tretter | August 21, 2005 | 09:29 pm | Permalink
 

Husbands and wives are often from different backgrounds, have different values. During the Vietnam war it wasn't all that unusual among my friends for the mother to be totally against her son going to the war, while the father counseled him to "be a man," and enlist.
Usually those values are shared by the spouses' parents. The idea that people share their in-laws political leanings is fanciful at best.
So what?
Either Sheehan and the other gold-star mothers who are against the war are making a good point on its merits, or they're wrong. If what she's saying is absurd, then that should be apparent without reference to the state of her marriage.
But what is the answer to her question: "What was the noble cause?" I remember a book from a long time ago, written (I believe) by a retired commandant of the Marine Corps, who spoke bitterly about his combat experience during the 20's in Central America, "Keeping the World Safe for the United Fruit Company."
In case you don't get the joke, the slogan supporting US entry in WWI was "Keeping the World Safe for Democracy."
The point being that the military historically has been used quite often to occupy foreign countries that offend us. They are wars of choice, and sometimes the goals seem ill-defined, or outright dishonorable (The occupation of the Phillipines comes to mind, as do the numerous occupations in Central America).
So why shouldn't Sheehan be angry because her son died, while Bush's kids and Cheney's kids are flitting around in civilian clothes. During the Civil War, Lincoln's son was in the army. During WWII, Eisenhower's son served as a Lieutenant in a Ranger Unit. During the Revolution, Washington was disgusted that his wife's son by an earlier marriage refused to serve.
If Iraq is worth the price in blood, then the shot-callers should be willing for their own children's blood to be shed.
seo

Posted by seo | August 23, 2005 | 12:49 pm | Permalink
 

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