Posted on 02/14/2006 5:31:24 PM PST by jmc1969
Fleischer, who was Bush's first press secretary - from 2001 to 2003 - told E&P that Cheney's accidental shooting of Texas attorney Harry Whittington on Saturday during a hunting trip should not have taken nearly a day to be reported.
"It would have been better if the vice president and/or his staff had come out last Saturday night or first thing Sunday morning and announced it," he said during a phone interview Tuesday. "It could have and should have been handled differently."
But Fleischer also took a jab at the reporting frenzy surrounding the story, saying most Americans are not as focused on it as the White House press corps. "The press is largely right on the issue--but it can be right and go too far," he added.
He also said that if he were still in the White House, he would urge the vice president's office to take some of the heat off Bush's staff: "I think you go to the vice president and say, 'you need to be handling this.'"
Fleischer's comments came just hours after Marlin Fitzwater, who served as press secretary to Bush's father and Ronald Reagan, also criticized Cheney, telling E&P he was "appalled" at the response to the incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at editorandpublisher.com ...
What?
Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, read CHENEY'S COVERUP
I was just reading that......it's funny!
I guess I should expect another "what?"
Very! : )
The author nails it. But if it hadn't been that it would have been something else.
This makes me sick. I just finished reading his book last week and he has the press's number and should know better than this.
Maybe someone else already mentioned this, but last night on CNN, while cooking dinner, I hear that the woman whose property this happened on used to be a lobbyist.
Anything to make this look worse, you know.
******
Thanks for that.
Do these people have any feelings whatsoever? THE VP is probably feeling horrible about what happened and just wants to be left alone!! This man is a good friend of Cheney's...good grief. Just wish there was an ounce of compassion in one of these media elites.
He damn well DOES know better. That's what irks me.
What did he say that was so bad? He said it would have been better if he came out sooner. You disagree?
It's easy to play Monday morning quarterback in one of these situations especially when it comes to this administration. The press has been brutal to President Bush and his administration. I don't recall the strong critique when Vince Foster was murdered or committed suicide.
But that response would have been unjustified.
The response is now justified by the bad call on not informing the press.
The difference is enough to have even people like Ari Fleischer (let alone me) agreeing that it was a blunder.
Speaking of dressing like idiots
have you seen this one?
Begala Pulls a Milbank, Dresses Up Like Cheney (VIDEO)
http://exposetheleft.com/2006/02/14/begalacheneyhunter/
They were making decisions on real time, and with first-hand information. They are also the people paid to estimate hindsight, to calculate the response of the press, the response of the citizens, and to avoid this. They are either not worth the wages they are receiving, or something even weirder is going on.
I can claim hindsight, they don't have a right to, and if you're arguing hindsight, then you've already conceded that it was a bad move.
You can't be the VP's press secretary and be allowed to survive something like this.
Unless of course, Cheney wanted it done this way.
And that is wrong on new and even more disturbing levels.
"They were waaaaaaaaay out of line and VERY unprofessional."
On this, Cheney's press staff behaved in even less of a professional manner, and I disagree with you, the press is behaving in concert with the issue, the problem is that the Cheney press people created the issue.
You are wrong.
The Vice President of the United States was involved in a shooting incident, and that's news...even when the people involved don't run a country.
There are people in place to handle things like this, they mishandled it by not trying to control the press reaction, and now, you think that the press should control itself.
Throw a blue dress into this discussion, and I am going to pass out from the reverse deja vu.
He has staff that's supposed to handle these things for him, to advise him on the best course of action, and to take action should he be unable to.
It's the office of the man who is second in command in the Executive Branch of the government of the United States of America for God's sake.
Well, it's a real story. I mean it is news when the VP accidently shoots someone. Beyond that it's a feeding frenzy but it is news and probably should have been revealed at the get-go.
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