Posted on 02/21/2006 4:07:48 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
"I thought the vice president handled the issue just fine." — George W. Bush, Feb. 16, 2006
"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." — George W. Bush, Sept. 2, 2005
Some of us have always thought of Dick Cheney, vice president of the United States, former secretary of defense, industrial magnate and general mover-and-shaker, as The Brains of the Outfit.
We still do, but intelligence isn't everything in a leader. Or even the most important thing — like judgment or honesty or prudence or modesty or, well, name your own favorite character trait. Lest we forget, the smartest people can do the stupidest things. (Cf. The Hon. William Jefferson Clinton.)
It's become almost a Washington mantra since Watergate: What really gets a politician into trouble isn't the mistake, even a serious mistake, but how it's addressed afterward — promptly or tardily, candidly or evasively, well or badly enough to amount to a far more serious mistake, as in cover-up.
Dick Cheney now has stepped forward (finally) and taken responsibility, full responsibility, for firing first and looking afterward on that quail hunt, or maybe looking simultaneously, which can be just as dangerous. That's good.
But he's still sticking with his story about its being perfectly proper to wait till the next morning to let the country know that a vice president of the United States has shot a friend in a hunting accident. Even though presidential counselor Dan Bartlett and the president's press secretary, Scott McClellan, both advised him to get the story out — widely — as soon as he could. But the best advice is of no use if one doesn't take it, and the vice president didn't. .
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
If the repubs run the first black females candidate the dems will be paralyzed. And she's got cred.
I never suggested anything of the kind. I said quite clearly that he shot Whittington by accident. I have no doubt this is true.
But after the accident, the rest of the story is management. These are seasoned political pros we're talking about here. They don't make many mistakes over this kind of thing.
It would have never happened the same way if it had been Al Gore. Al would have called the NYT before making the 911 call.
If Cheney is involved in the Dubai business deal, then he is current events, otherwise he is yesterday.
My God, you mean Gregory looks like that with make-up on? What does he look like without make-up????
Manangement?
You have got to be friggin' stoned!
Management is exactly what this whole thing lacked!
You don't think that he is?
And by the way, it is absurd to believe that the VP handles his own crisis media management.
So, dinner with friends is different than a dinner party?
Somebody in the WH has a business interest in the deal according to fresh news. There may have been a thread not long ago, but if there was it died. I am not worried about the security question, that is not a problem, but if this has a whiff of Teapot Dome it won't go away, Cheney or not.
Bush chokes on a pretzel, it's news.
Cheney accidentally shoots someone, it's not news.
What sheer hypocrisy.
He was at a ranch; did you expect them not to eat? You make it sound like it was black tie or something.
I don't know.
Too upset to notify the media, not sufficiently upset to go to the hospital, not sufficiently upset to lose his appetite.
This was absolutely mishandled, and the worst part is that there was no reason for doing so.
Let me ask you, are Fitzwater, Fleischer, and McClellan wrong on this too?
Al Gore having a hunting accident would be no big deal. Having a hunting accident while trying to criminal all gun owners for the slightest infraction would be a bigger deal.
WJC getting a blow job would be no big deal. Perjury and witness intimidation and bombing aspirin factories as a distraction during a sexual harassment proceeding is a bigger deal.
Got it, friend?
It's alive all on its own, and no thanks to Cheney and his staff.
By the way, crowding an emergency room waiting area with a Secret Service contingent and mobile command post may not be conducive to the efficient operation of the rest of the hospital. He did fine staying at the ranch.
Are you still going on about this? For goodness sake, give it a rest, Luis!
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