"Emanuel's aides said he was willing to talk to Sheehan and her cohorts, but he and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) and incoming Rules Committee Chairman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) headed inside the Cannon Caucus room when it appeared the shouting would not stop...."
First of all, Emanuel and Hoyer had plenty of opportunity to talk to and with Cindy Sheehan but made their position quite clear that they were opposed to her. There was nothing left to do but protest their ignoring of her. The Democratic Party headed by the DLC have no intention of honoring the dissent by many of the Democratic base as being valid. They have stated that the progressives will just have to go along with their decisions about how the Party should be run because they have no alternative.
No, the alternative is not to support the Party regulars like Emanuel and Hoyer. If the base abandons the Party, it will be because the DLC with Emanuel and Hoyer no longer reflect the values of the Democratic Party. The DLC'ers are looking more like Republicans every day. There's not much difference between the stated views of Hillary and Bush.