Hoosiers protest at Cheney visit

Close to 75 demonstrators turned out to protest Vice President Dick Cheney's Friday visit to a Jeffersonville, Ind., fundraiser. Cheney came to support Republican Mike Sodrel, who is running for the ninth Congressional district office. \nKevin Boehnlein, Sodrel's campaign manager, said that $150,000 was raised, with 75 percent of the funds coming from within the district. \n"We hit all of our goals," Boehnlein said. "That's the most amount of money raised in the district, as far as I know."\nThis was the first visit to Jeffersonville by a "high-level politician" since 1964, when Lyndon Johnson dedicated the local post office, Boehnlein said. \n"It helps build credibility for a campaign, (and) gives psychological support," he said. "We're hoping that high-level support will help us like it did in 1964."\nCheney, speaking to about 400 supporters at the $250-per-person event, praised the Bush administration for freeing the Iraqi people and cracking down on terrorists, according to The Associated Press.\nActivists demonstrated outside Kye's restaurant, where the reception was held. The demonstrators, in opposition to Cheney's statements, accused Bush of starting a war "based on lies."\n"For me, this has been an unjust war from the beginning," said Tom Wannemuehler, a resident of Louisville, Ky. "We need a change of administration."\nWannemuehler, who was protesting Cheney's visit, said he thought the weapons of mass destruction claims being made by the Bush administration were outrageous. \nChristine Perlin, one of the protesters, said one of the reasons she opposed the war was because victims of war are women and children.\n"As is becoming clear now, he (President Bush) wanted to invade Iraq from the start," Perlin said. "You're talking about al Qaeda and Iraq, and there isn't any connection (between the two)."\nShe added that working with countries would be a more effective way to deal with international disputes. \n"We need to work with our international allies ... get some professional diplomats involved in this, and, of course, the United Nations," Perlin said.\nAcross the street, Republican supporters voiced their support for the vice president. The two groups occasionally engaged in shouting matches over a myriad of issues. \nRobin and Brian Zipperle, who attended the reception, said although they were pleased that people came out to voice their opinions, they thought the protesters took for granted their right to protest. \n"It was wonderful that these people came out to protest, but if they were in (Saddam's) Iraq, then they wouldn't have been able to," Robin said. \nWannemuehler said he is concerned about the impact political fundraisers have on the community in which they are held.\n"It's amazing how much money is being spent (on campaigning)," he said. \nPerlin agreed politicians should consider the host community when hosting fundraisers.\n"Politicians take the profit and leave the expenses with the town they were in."\n-- Contact Nation & World editor Obaid Khawaja at okhawaja@indiana.edu.