Posted on 02/14/2006 12:57:36 PM PST by SmithL
WE'LL LEAVE the lawyer jokes and wisecracks about a trigger-happy foreign policy to talk-show comics. But Vice President Dick Cheney's accidental shooting of an attorney buddy on a quail hunt has a serious side beyond the birdshot injuries.
The incident took nearly 24 hours to be made public, and then only when the ranch owner hosting the hunt poured out her chatty, impressionistic account in a phone call to a local Corpus Christi, Texas, newspaper. Using this uncontradicted account, the vice president swung his shotgun to follow a quail and accidentally shot a hunting pal in the face and chest who was some 30 yards distant. Thankfully, the victim is expected to fully recover from this peppering of small birdshot.
But there was no official briefing or law-enforcement explanation from the VP's extensive security entourage.
This evasive, haphazard treatment speaks volumes about the White House's clunky handling of the unexpected. This is a crew that doesn't want to open up if the results can't be scripted, controlled or tidied up.
As of Monday night, Cheney, who avoids most public contact save for speeches before friendly crowds, still hadn't issued a full statement about the episode.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Another pressy assuming the world bows at his feet.
HIPAA Laws apply even to friends of the Vice President.
Why does the press care so much about how long it took to report this to the nation?
It was an accident. Pure and simple.
Oh yeah, I forgot, the press hates Bush & Cheney.
Did they get this exercised when Vince Foster was found DEAD at Fort Marcy park off the GW Parkway in Virginia?
Just maybe, the man is more worried about his friend then a stupid press release?
I've not heard any Dem elected officials comment on this, only some of the pundits and they're soft pedaling it. Could be because of some past behavior by them. It's the liberal media in a feeding frenzy.
Kind of weird but.....Cheney shoots lawyer.....stock market goes up. Hmm.
great source... /not
"...and then only when the ranch owner hosting the hunt poured out her chatty, impressionistic account in a phone call to a local Corpus Christi, Texas, newspaper. Using this uncontradicted account,..."
---
And this is 'Exhibit A' why they don't want to talk to ya.
Big deal, The Clintons' still haven't told the press they shot Vince Foster.
Enjoy your slide into the crapper.
No comment from them on how long it took Hitlery to report the where abouts of FBI files or that she took forever to report that she stole White House furnature.
Go figure.
Yet another MSM bed-wetter tearing his hair over the fact that Cheney didn't get right on the blower to him, personally.
Silly us, we thought our world revolved around the sun.
I am so sick of these MSM idiots! It was an accident STUPID!
They choose to promote the news that they want the American people to know about. It's not news if it doesn't fit into their agenda.
I guess that's why the ABA has decided against inviting Cheney to their next convention.
Slow news week...
SInce this proves that shotguns are not that fatal, can we get them off of the assault weapons list?
I think Cheney handled this well.
He got the guy medical care.
He gave the family a chance to be notified and hear the whole story before the press got to do their usuall disservice to all involved.
The White House did what it should have done. Nothing. This was an accident outside of the official duties of the Vice President. The White House has no need to comment on this issue.
The press is trying to make something out of nothing in a very childish manner.
Cheney's accident was a horrible mistake. His handling of the situation after the incident has been excellent. The press' handling of the incident after they found out about it has been horrible, self indulgent, and childish.
By my quick count, there are at least two deliberate lies in that one sentence. First, it has been reported that the Secret Service called the local sheriff's office shortly after the incident occurred to report the accident. That certainly counts as making it "public" - it would have been entered into a police blotter of some kind. Second, the phone call to the local newspaper reporter reportedly took place the morning after the incident, which is hardly "nearly 24 hours", and that reporter published a story on the newspaper's web site, also hardly "nearly 24 hours" after the incident. So, here we have, yet again, a newspaper editor who can not be trusted to even make a minimal attempt to stick to the facts, because the facts contradict his or her bias and preconceptions.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.