The media's Cheney hunt

Town Hall | Feb 15, 2006 | Brent Bozell

[ER Doc]

What I'm referring to is the whole tone of the discussion of the injuries, from Armstrong's talk about being "peppered" and how Whittington was sitting up, laughing and talking, through all the media talk and the statements by the hospital administrator. The general tone in the media has been to spin this as a minor injury, and it's obvious that it wasn't. I don't know if I'm taking a "shot" at anyone specific (is that really how you meant to say that??) but the public relations around the whole accident has been handled terribly.

[F.J. Mitchell]

I believe Cheney and Whitington (as soon as Whitington is up to it)should hold a joint press conference and open by telling the reporters " Hey! Sh*t happens. We are both alive, still friends and booked for next years quail hunt"..next question?"

[ohioWfan]

What makes you think that he wasn't 'peppered' or that he wasn't sitting up and laughing and talking?

You need to come up with some facts to back up your assertions here that we were being deceived about his condition.

The matter was dealt with as it should have been. Whittington was given proper medical attention from the beginning, and the problem with his heart was a result of movement of the birdshot within his chest cavity (the Dr. yesterday verified that the penetration into the chest cavity was not unusual because Whittington is lean).

The original report was that he had been hit in the face, neck and CHEST. There was no mishandling of the "PR" here. The only error here was that the WH Presscorps revealed their infantile behavior in throwing a tantrum that they weren't told soon enough.........and that they haven't shut up since.

(And actually I used the word 'shot' quite deliberately. You're obviously accusing someone of something. Who?)

[F.J. Mitchell]

That's a fact. The press is going to do anything except truly report and dwell upon the important issues. The press sucks, and the longer and worse and more openly it sucks, the more it will become apparent-even to the delusional dumba$$es who still trust it.

[shhrubbery!]

Not too long ago, I watched the press club give Ted Kennedy a wild standing ovation as a hero. A drunk who covered up his killing of a young girl.

Ted Kennedy reputedly has been stopped several times for drunken driving --in the years since Chappaquiddick-- but these incidents have been covered up.

And Chappaquiddick was not the first time a Kennedy caused grievous damage to a young woman in a car accident.

IIRC, Teddy's nephew Joseph Kennedy caused a young girl to become paralyzed for life, after doing "wheelies" in a Jeep in which he was the driver and she was a passenger.

- Did young Joe get a breathalyzer test after this incident?
- Was the accident immediately reported to the national media?
- Did the media bring up young Joe's...er...driving history during his campaigns for his U.S. House seat?

Somehow I believe the answer is 'no' to all of the above questions.

[proud2beconservativeinNJ]

What about the patient and his family and their right to privacy, ER DOC. Why does everything have to out there for all the experts to comment on?

You should be at least a little respectful that his hospital record and times and lab results and all the details should not be the general publics fodder.

This is sickening. It continues with all the supposition if his heart can't handle the stress and there are further complications and he dies and on and on. The medical and surgical experts appearing on MSM and cable shows ..... this frenzy for all his private medical information is completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

[JFC]

Much to do about nothing. Typical press nuts trying to make NEWS instead of reporting facts.

[ohioWfan]

btw, just announced that he is being kept in ICU for PRIVACY...........i.e. to keep the media out.......not because of medical necessity. He's recovering extremely well.

Nothing's been hidden from us, ER. Nothing has been mishandled.

[ER Doc]

I don't doubt that he was sitting up, laughing, and talking, and "peppered" is one way to describe being hit in the face, neck, and chest by 20-25% of the full pattern of the load. The facts were apparent from the start, but the emphasis has been to minimize the injury. From a medical standpoint, the care has been first-rate, but almost everyone commenting on the injury has been downplaying the risks.

I suppose it's possible to describe the press frenzy as being the inevitable result of the MSM's incompetence and their hatred of Cheney, but I maintain that this could have been handled better. Who's fault is that? The White House has said they're deferring to Mr Cheney in deciding haw to manage this. I'd say he's been getting bad advice.

[ohioWfan]

Cheney is giving a full interview with Fox News and it will be on Special Report at 6:00 ET.

Watch it.

[shhrubbery!]

btw, just announced that he is being kept in ICU for PRIVACY...........i.e. to keep the media out.......not because of medical necessity. He's recovering extremely well.

Not doubting you, but do you have a source for that?

On Sunday, when we first heard Whittington was in the ICU, I suspected he was there mainly for privacy reasons.

But when the so-called "heart attack" happened (actually, it wasn't what we usually think of as a "heart attack," but a irregular heart rhythm caused by irritation from the birdshot), I changed my mind.

[altura]

Sandy Berger

[ohioWfan]

It was on a press update from the Doctor's on Fox. Let me look up a link....

[ER Doc]

As I said before, that is obviously untrue. There is no privacy in the ICU, except from the public. A private room and a couple of security guards would take care of that equally well. The ICU is a place for sick people. To state the obvious is not to invade his privacy. I never advocated that his medical record should be open to public scrutiny. What I've been saying is that when his condition is minimized publicly, and then he takes a negative turn, it feeds into the media frenzy. Had they clearly said that they were dealing with a 78-year-old man with a potentially serious injury, and that he'll likely do well but complications are possible, and left it at that, the media wouldn't have room to be so "shocked" when things don't all work out perfectly.

[ohioWfan]

So call up the Doctors and accuse them of lying.

You obviously have some 'issues' here. Go for it. E-mail the White House. Call the hospital. Make the accusations directly to the people who are sure have lied to you. Or better yet, call David Gregory.

Enough of this now. You've made your point here.

[ohioWfan]

I haven't been able to find a link on Fox News. They're just talking about the interview tonight.

All I have is info that the Doc said it in his medical update.

If I find out more, I'll let you know.

[dynachrome]

press conference of course. I doan need no steeeenkin' spell check!

[jellybean]

The outrage was palpable. How dare the Corpus Christi Caller-Times get the scoop before we did! We are the national news media, and we must not be overlooked on a major breaking story on quail hunting. The divas were denied, and they were cranky.

My hope is the Administration will poke a stick in the White House Press reporters' eye by only issuing press releases to the smallest media outlets in the country.

[Howlin]

That would be so damn great, wouldn't it?

[ohioWfan]

Just heard it again (the Dr's voice) on a news update from Fox on the radio (while listening to Rush).

He's sitting up, eating a regular diet, ready to get back to work as a lawyer, in ICU for privacy only.

Still no link for you, but audio verification.