Posted on 02/14/2006 1:40:06 PM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
WASHINGTON - Vice President Cheney had no license to kill - quail, that is.
After the White House reluctantly conceded yesterday that it sat on the blockbuster news that Cheney shot a hunting buddy Saturday, the veep's office revealed he didn't even have the proper $7 stamp on his hunting license to shoot quail in Texas.
"The staff asked for all permits needed, but was not informed of the $7 upland game-bird stamp requirement," Cheney's office said in a statement last night.
Although he was hunting illegally when he blasted Austin millionaire Harry Whittington, Cheney will get off with a warning from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, his office said.
The latest embarrassing disclosure came hours after a pair of angry exchanges between reporters and White House spokesman Scott McClellan, who admitted that top aides and President Bush knew on Saturday night about the accident, but revealed nothing.
Word of the accident only got out the next day after ranch owner Katharine Armstrong disclosed to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that Cheney had shot Whittington, 78, as he flushed out a covey of quail.
Armstrong said Whittington walked up behind Cheney without announcing he was there and was "peppered pretty good" when Cheney turned to fire at quail.
Whittington was hit with bird shot in the face and upper body and was in stable condition yesterday at Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi. His doctor said some of the pellets would remain lodged in Whittington's body permanently. The doctor said Whittington was hit with "less than 100" pellets.
While Whittington should have announced himself, seasoned hunters said primary responsibility lies with the shooter.
"It's incumbent upon the shooter to assess the situation and make sure it's a safe shot," said Mark Birkhauser, president-elect of the International Hunter Education Association. "Once you squeeze that trigger, you can't bring that shot back."
Team Bush declined to identify the third hunter in the party, U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Pamela Willeford, and defended its decision to say nothing about the shooting on Saturday.
Armstrong suggested to the veep the shooting was going to become news and volunteered to tell the local paper.
"The vice president spoke with Mrs. Katharine Armstrong, and they agreed that she should make that information public," McClellan repeatedly stonewalled.
But having a private citizen contact the press deviated from the White House practice of sending out e-mails to the media. In an off-camera briefing marked with name-calling and loud give-and-take, McClellan was repeatedly asked about the delay and the curious method of getting the information out.
"You're totally ducking and weaving here. We don't care if some ranch owner called the local paper," NBC's David Gregory said.
"David, hold on, the cameras aren't on right now. You can do this later," McClellan shot back.
A red-faced Gregory returned fire, saying, "Don't accuse me of posing for the cameras. Don't be a jerk to me personally. When I'm asking you a serious question you should give me a serious answer instead of jerking us around."
Another reporter dryly asked if it was now standard White House policy to release information through private citizens. The contentious scene was repeated at the afternoon on-camera briefing, though without name-calling.
The shooting is being probed by the local sheriff's office, which did not begin its investigation until a day after the hunting accident happened.
The White House refused to say whether Cheney had ever taken a hunter's safety course. It did disclose that Bush was told about the shooting Saturday night by chief political adviser Karl Rove.
Cheney watchers noted the vice president has a history of sitting on information. Among his best-kept secrets, Cheney:
Refuses to disclose his taxpayer-funded travel expenses, including the money spent to take him and his friends hunting.
Still keeps under wraps the names of the corporate energy and utility execs who attended secret meetings of the White House energy task force in 2001.
Refuses to discuss his alleged role in leaking the identity of CIA spy Valerie Plame.
I'm just glad he didn't shoot a Mexican.
Right on, Peach. I know because of the privacy hysteria that our minister cannot ask at our local hospital if there are any Protestant patients who would like him to visit.
Another local hospital has private rooms--I thought they went out years ago--because of this very issue. A second patient in the room can overhear dialog between his/her roommate and their doctor. Of course this is financially advantageous for the hospital!!??!!
Who would expect the MSM to be anything but hungover with it's constant w(h)ining?
IIRC hearing correctly, the quail stamp was just made a requirement very recently.
Perhaps even since the first of the year. At any rate, the Veep was giving a warning about it from Fish and Game. The warning carried no penalties, fines etc.
IOW, big whoop.
bump that
Did you forget the /sarcasm tagline?
He must go to the same hairdresser as NC's John Edwards.
Huh?
I agree to an extent, but think the two scenarios should be viewed in context. Back when Cheney was SecDef, I knew he was an avid hunter, and most likely has been for the better part of his years, and while experience prevents accidents, the statistical chances of somebody being involved in an accident over 40-50 years of hunting is somewhat greater than the chances of someone going hunting once as a mere political ploy. Likewise, it would have been virtually impossible for Kerry to accidentally shoot someone because Theresa didn't let him have any live rounds on that trip and his man servant had to do all the actual shooting.
It's a new requirement that's only been in effect since September. I bet there's lots of hunters in Texas who don't know about it.
A Canadian friend was at the gym today and said "What do you think? I don't even like Dick Cheney but I think this hysteria over his shooting another hunter accidentally is absolutely ridiculous. What is wrong with the media? (She didn't have all day to listen). Why aren't they reporting the really important news? They are all fools".
As a little old grandmother who doesn't hunt, even I know one does not walk in front of, around or behind a hunter holding a shotgun which sprays shot! Too bad the White House press corps wasn't tagging along. Their sitting days would be over for quite a while!
"Did you forget the /sarcasm tagline?"
Are you serious? You don't see any problems here? What could you possibly think I was being sarcastic about?
As I predicted yesterday, the LA Times had this BS "story" on the front page, above the fold. Long one, too.
Rat ba$tards.
"I agree to an extent, but think the two scenarios should be viewed in context. "
After 50 year hunting experience Cheney should know better. I know that it is easy to become complacent around firearms, but Cheney's bonehead gun handling resulted in a serious injury. It is inexcusable to downplay this or whitewash it.
Actually I would put some of the blame on the Armstrong's for not reminding their guests about the new requirement for a quail stamp. The land owner ought to know about the game laws. Some ranches require hunters to show their licenses or even photocopy them before they are allowed hunt. \
- Senator Kennedy's driver's license had expired on February 22, 1969 (nearly 5 months before the accident at Chappaquiddick) and had not been renewed.
- Although driving with an expired license was only a misdemeanor, it did provide the evidence of negligence needed to prove a manslaughter charge in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne.
- The license problem was "fixed" by officials at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, under the direction of Registrar Richard McLaughlin, before the legal proceedings began.
That's what I wondered. Is the media creating an issue (again) where there isn't one? 'Course in Michigan Mr. Cheney would be in jail by now.
"To even insinuate that VP Cheney had been anywhere near alcohol is asinine. With his medical problem and all the medication he has to take would be asking for a death sentence if he went near a drink."
I don't know if he had a few drinks or not. I seriously doubt that having a drink or two would be a death sentence for him. It may not be smart for him to drink but alot of people do drink when they are not supposed to. My point was that if they had followed normal procedures after such an incident then there would be a defintive answer. Instead we are subjected to speculation by liberal idiots.
At this point, I'm inclined to think the members of the press corps have been drinking a lot more than Cheney ever has.
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