Posted on 02/14/2006 9:25:07 AM PST by Mr. Brightside
First Doctor to Treat Cheney Victim Tells Texas Paper He Wanted to Send Him Home
By Joe Strupp
Published: February 14, 2006 12:05 PM ET
NEW YORK While news reports from The New York Times to the Austin American-Statesman have been describing the injuries to Harry Whittington, the victim of Vice President Dick Cheney's accidental shooting, as more serious than first believed, as he remains hospitalized today, the tiny Alice [Texas] Echo-News Journal will offer a different version later today, E&P has learned.
According to the afternoon daily, located about 60 miles from the shooting site, the first doctor to treat Whittington immediately after the Saturday shooting contended that his wounds were superficial and not in need of further hospitalization.
"If it were just a normal citizen, he would have sent him home with antibiotics," said Ofelia Hunter, Echo-News Journal editor, who talked to the doctor. "He felt that it was more royal treatment that he was getting."
Hunter's comments referred to Dr. Raj Subnani, who treated Whittington at the Christus Spohn Hospital in Kingsville where he was first taken before being transferred to the Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial in Corpus Christi, where he remains.
Hunter, who plans to run a story about Subnani this afternoon, said she interviewed the doctor Monday. The editor, who is one of three newsroom staffers at the paper, indicated that the doctor was not in favor of transferring Whittington because he did not believe he required further hospitalization.
"He felt he was transferred because of his prominence, and that he was already stable," Hunter said. "It was more because of who he was." That is in marked contrast to reports in most major newspapers that Whittington required intensive care treatment, was hit with more than 100 pellets, and that some of the wounds were so severe the pellets could not be removed.
Hunter also reports that Subnani was upset that the Corpus Christi Hospital was being credited with treating Whittington. "More than anything because Corpus Christi staff is getting all of the attention and his staff did all of the work," Hunter said of Subnani. "Media outlets are giving them the credit."
The Echo-News Journal, which publishes every day except Saturday, did not get the early scoop that its neighbor, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, did. While the Caller-Times has been credited nationwide with breaking the shooting story online Sunday, Hunter said her first report on the shooting was an AP story in the Monday paper.
While she praised the Caller-Times for its work, Hunter also criticized officials for not revealing the news earlier to local journalists. "We should be able to get that information," she said. Hunter also said the Armstrong Ranch, where the shooting occurred, is known as a place where political heavyweights often visit, noting that Cheney comes down at least once a year. But she said there had been no similar incidents therr in the recent past.
LOL.
I see from watching Fox....that Karl Rove is now involved in "Birdshotgate"....the moonbats are beside themselves.
Not even close.
Hospitals have to do enough tests to protect themselves, and counter the millions upon millions of dollars they lose every year to frivolous lawsuits.
Do some serious medical tort reform like the President has been pushing, and hospitals will no longer have to do this, and health care costs will plummet..
I can't handle watching the press briefing today...let me know if Gregory or any other reporter apologizes for over-reacting and being out of control.
bump!
As I see it, the only reason he ended up in intensive care was because of his age.
Gregory. If ever there was a girly man.
Is the blond who asked "Is this a done deal?" the same one who asked if Whittington had been killed would it have been a bigger story?
They are losing what minds they have left
Do the bozos in the MSM ever think about ANYthing??
(Rhetorical question.......don't answer :)
I missed that. My dad just called.
Why choose just one? The MSM has two sides of their mouths they can speak from. And that doesn't even count when they are just talking out of their backsides.
Hearing about them after the fact is hard enough to take.
I just tuned in. Has Gregory even spoken at the press conference today?
No .. they are too full of hate and anger they can't think of anything but to take down Bush and Cheney
I thought he was in intensive care.
So far they aren't as bad as they were yesterday
Maybe they realized they had a lawyer in the emergency room and decided to retrieve a little money from the bar association by sticking him in ICU.
I think I mentioned this to you last week, but will repeat it here.
Ari Fleicher's book "Taking Heat" was excellent. He details with specific transcripts and newspaper headlines just how often the press lies. Deliberately.
Reporters would call him for a quote. He'd give it to them. They'd call back later in the day for other info and he'd ask them for the quote. They'd read it back word for word to him. Then in the paper, it would be incorrect. In a way that made the administration look bad. Naturally.
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