Cindy Sheehan Arrested In House Gallery Before The State Of The Union Address

From CBSNews/AP.

(AP) Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was arrested and removed from the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address, a police spokeswoman said.

Sheehan, who had been invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, a misdemeanor, said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. Sheehan was taken in handcuffs to police headquarters a few blocks away and her case was processed as Bush spoke.

Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said.

Police handcuffed Sheehan and removed her from the gallery before Bush arrived. Sheehan was to be released on her own recognizance, Schneider said.

"I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq."

I wonder if Sheehan's new squeeze buddy, communist President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, would allow a Presidential address to be protested thusly, and if the subject of the arrest would be released "on her own recognizance" shortly thereafter. Unlike the United States, Chavez has no qualms about throwing political adversaries in either the clink or an early grave.

Cindy charges on, living inside the comfortable arms of freedom provided to her by a country she hates.