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.
the veep's office revealed he didn't even have the proper $7 stamp on his hunting license to shoot quail in Texas.
Cheney didn't shoot any quail. He shot a lawyer, and everyone knows you don't need a $7.00 license stamp to shoot them.
Kerry: "Can I git me a huntin' license heaaa?"
In case you're not joking...
Cheney accidentally hit his hunting partner with *part* of the spray of bird shot from a shotgun. In comparison, imagine a handful of sand thrown from 10 feet and getting hit by part of it. He immediately rendered first aid and brought medical personnel to the scene. Mr. Whittington was at the hospital within minutes of the incident. After the story hit the papers, the local Department of Wildlife people double checked everything and find out that he, like aparently about 95% of the other hunters, didn't buy the new stamp for $7 on his $140 license.
From what I've read, the police were informed immediately (they'd have to be for any gunshot wound) and Cheney was interviewed within the hour, with other witnesses interviewed within 24 hours. No blood test was done, because no one even suspected Cheney of drinking or being in any way impaired.
What we have here is, imagine this, an ACCIDENT.
Now, since your post clearly refers back to Teddy Kennedy, let's compare.
Teddy - heavily impaired by alcohol, flees the scene of an "accident" leaving the injured (and still alive) Mary Jo to slowly suffocate and drown in the flooding car. He does not offer first aid. He does not call an ambulance, he does not notify authorities, he does not talk to police. Police call *him* 10 hours later, after the car is discovered by fishermen. He does not report to the police station, he does not visit the victim or offer aid and comfort to the family (although he does have time to place a phone call to his mistress). He does not approach the police until his lawyer basically forces him to. He tries to concoct a story that does not implicate him.
Clearly there's a difference between the two.
"Now, since your post clearly refers back to Teddy Kennedy, let's compare."
Since I haven't posted anything about Fat Teddy with respect to Cheney, I suspect you have mistaken me for someone else.
Not only was he a lawyer, he was a Republican! I'd expect them to celebrate.
Actually, there is. All the quail living on YOUR land happen to be the property of the government. It's been that way since the days of feudalism. But don't blame me. Texas Democrats came up with this law.
If you bought the Supercombo, you got a quail stamp.
The Left constantly refers to Bush as the Chimp. Have they taken a look at David Gregory lately (or ever)?
Same deal with Cheney: His staff asked for all permits and they forgot to give him the quail one.
I didn't buy the supercombo this time because I have yet to fish here in Texas, and it's a waste of money for me.
I told the clerk what I intended to hunt and paid for what he gave me. Dove season is over, but even now I don't know if I had a license that would have covered that. This new stamp requirement for quail was news to me.
I didn't hunt any birds this year, so it's moot, but I'll have to be more careful next year.
Most definitely is required on private land.
What about the law? Why wasn't Cheney issued a ticket? One of my friends forgot to buy his state waterfowl stamp and the game warden wrote him a ticket for $67.00 plus points off his license. I expect Cheney to follow the same laws as the rest of us. No exceptions.
A Bill To Regulate The Hunting And Harvesting Of Attorneys
372.01 - Any person with a valid state rodent or armadillo hunting license may also hunt and harvest attorneys for recreational and sporting (non-commercial) purposes.
372.02 - Taking of attorneys with traps or dead falls is permitted. The use of United States currency as bait is, however, prohibited.
372.03 - The willful killing of attorneys with a motor vehicle is prohibited, unless such vehicle is an ambulance being driven in reverse. If an attorney is accidentally struck by a motor vehicle, the dead attorney should be removed to the roadside, and the vehicle should proceed to the nearest car wash.
372.04 - It is unlawful to chase, herd or harvest attorneys from a power boat, helicopter or aircraft.
372.05 - It is unlawful to shout "WHIPLASH", "AMBULANCE", or "FREE SCOTCH" for the purpose of trapping attorneys.
372.06 - It is unlawful to hunt attorneys within 100 yards of BMW, Mercedes, or Porsche dealerships, except on Wednesday afternoons.
372.07 - It is unlawful to hunt attorneys within 200 yards of courtrooms, law libraries, health clubs, country clubs or hospitals.
372.08 - If an attorney gains elective office, it is not necessary to have a license to hunt, trap or possess the same.
372.09 - It is unlawful for a hunter to wear a disguise as a reporter, accident victim, physician, chiropractor, or tax accountant for the purpose of hunting attorneys.
372.10 - Bag Limits Per Day:
Yellow-bellied Sidewinders: 2
Two-faced Tort-feasors: 1
Back-stabbing Divorce Litigators: 3
Horn-rimmed Cut-throats: 2
Minutiae-advocating Chickens: 4
Honest Attorneys: 0 (Protected, Endangered species.)
He even refuses to admit if he still beats his wife, the BASTARD!!
-PJ
Does this fall under the jurisdiction of Ronnie Earle???
Actually it was candidate Bush who referred to Clymer as a "major league asshole" It was future VP Cheney who said "Big time"
I was refering to Cheney, but using that same ridiculous logic and slander the MSM uses.
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