Cindy Sheehan protests the Democrats

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Cindy Sheehan, the "peace activist" who famously besieged President Bush at Prairie Chapel Ranch, yesterday routed the leaders of the new House Democratic majority from their press conference where they attempted to present their legislative agenda.

Chants of "de-escalate, investigate, troops home now," drowned out the new majority leaders, including Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the chairman of the Democratic House Caucus.

The flustered lawmakers retreated to a room behind closed doors, and surrendered the field to Mrs. Sheehan, whose son, an Army soldier, was killed in Iraq in 2004.

With her quarry in full retreat, she scolded Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi for abandoning the war issue in the agenda for the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress, which convenes today. The agenda focuses on other promises from last year's campaigns, including raising the minimum wage, stricter ethics rules and cutting student loan interest rates.

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"Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leadership can no longer tell us what is on the table," Mrs. Sheehan said. "We are the ones that put them in power and they are not including the peace movement. ... It needs to be at least included in the discussion."

She demanded the elimination of funding for the war, an investigation and impeachment of President Bush for what she called "lies" to justify the war.

Mrs. Sheehan was leading about 75 others lobbying congressional offices when they happened upon the press conference. The Democrats were there to present new ethics proposals as part of the 100-hour agenda with which they plan to begin the House majority today.

"Iraq is a high priority for Democrats," said Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider, and a legislative agenda was not the place to address the war issue.

She said the call last year from Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, for troop withdrawal "changed the course of the debate [and] sent a signal that Democrats will stand up and hold the administration accountable."

Mrs. Pelosi did not attend the press conference.

After the interruption by the Sheehan-led activists, Mr. Emanuel and other top Democrats returned to the microphone and, in response to reporters' questions, addressed some of Mrs. Sheehan's demands.

"Well, we're going to do the one thing that's been missing ... and that's oversight," Mr. Emanuel said. "We have had a policy where the Congress -- from resources to strategy -- has abdicated its responsibility of overseeing an administration's foreign policy in that area. And the American people, both in blood, treasure, and prestige, is now paying the price for a Congress that abdicated its responsibility."

Mr. Emanuel promised hearings on the war that would answer the types of questions Mrs. Sheehan and the voters are asking.

"That is the most important thing to do, because when you have questions asked, you do not get a Congress that just rubber-stamps the policy," he said. "Now you see the consequence of a rubber-stamp policy, which is what we have in Iraq."

After the press conference, Mrs. Sheehan told reporters that Democrats had abandoned the party's grass-roots anti-war supporters as soon as the election was over.

"I'm disappointed to see that they are talking about giving the president more money for the war," she said. "I'm disappointed to hear that impeachment is off the table. We are here to let them know that we are setting the table now."

Most analysts credited the Iraq war issue with fueling anti-Republican sentiment that propelled Democrats to a congressional majority for the first time in 12 years.