Lance and the shrub holdin things down

The_Hook_Up

Monday, August 22, 2005By Greg PalastCrawford,Texas - Celebrity bike champ Lance Armstrong joined President George W.Bush this weekend at the Crawford Ranch to celebrate the thirtieth dayof the President's vigil against Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldierkilled in action in Iraq. Armstrong,fresh from his victory in the Tour De France, is seen here with Mr.Bush riding across the symbolic gravesite of Casey Sheehan, deceasedArmy specialist, son of the bereaved Mrs. Sheehan. "We muststay the course," said a resolute Mr. Bush who vowed to "extend myvacation as long as necessary to accomplish this mission" and forceSheehan to give up her siege of the Western White House.Armstrongset an upbeat tone when he said, "You know, I overcame cancer to becomea hot-shot biker. It takes hard work and a belief in yourself thatsays, "Never give up, never say 'die.'" A Presidentialspokesman said that given the Commander-in-Chief's limited workschedule and attention span, he would not have time to see Mrs.Sheehan. However, a place in the schedule had to be made for Mr.Armstrong because the celebrity peddler, like the President, hasseveral major corporate sponsors with urgent needs.Armstrongsaid he thought it inappropriate to politicize the office of thepresident, noting that his own appearance at the ranch was arranged bythe Discovery Channel, "for craven commercial purposes only."Mr.Bush, backing over the symbolic gravestone, said he understood thedifficulty of military families with kin in Iraq. During the war inVietnam, the President was a combat pilot assigned to protect Houstonfrom Viet Cong attack.Greg Palast is the author of the NewYork Times bestseller, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. Subscribe tohis commentaries at www.GregPalast.com.

gloom

never say 'die.'