CBS' Plante: "Dick Cheney Wouldn't Tell Us if Our Shirts were on Fire"

The Early Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

by Mark Finkelstein

February 14, 2006 - 07:33

Imagine you're a member of the media, and in your heart you believe that a major official wouldn't mind seeing you burn to death. Think that might affect the way you cover him?

A comment this morning by veteran CBS reporter Bill Plante, while perhaps intended to be light-hearted, pulled back the curtain on just how antagonistic the White House press corps believes VP Cheney to be toward them. But more importantly, it suggests how antagonistic they likely feel in return.

The topic was the Veep's accidental shooting of hunting partner Harry Whittington, and more particularly the very contentious press conference yesterday between the White House press corps and presidential spokesman Scott McClellan.

Plante claimed that:

"It's not about us, it's not about the reporters. It's about the fact that the White House is expected to disclose any information about what happens to the President and the Vice-President as soon as they can. In any other White House that I've covered, and that's several as you know, the Vice-President would never have this kind of power [to control the flow of information."

Plante then added his zinger:

"But if it were up to Dick Cheney, he wouldn't tell us if our shirts were on fire, for heaven's sake."

Back in New York, Harry Smith broke into nervous laughter, perhaps aware that Plante had let the cat out of the bag on just how much the White House press corps disdains the Vice-President of the United States.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks for the clarification.

[syriacus]

My brother-in-law sent my husband an email with this bumper sticker

I'd rather hunt with Dick Cheney than
ride with Ted Kennedy

Cheney may have delayed notifying the press, but I doubt he abandoned victim while he went to speak with his lawyer.

[Boot Hill]

"It's about the fact that the White House is expected to disclose any information about what happens to the President and the Vice-President as soon as they can."

The shear arrogance of that is simply breathtaking.

[sirchtruth]

What I have total disdain for is the MSM expects that THEY should have been informed about the accident immediately by Cheney.

In the first place it's none of their business...and they're trying to turn this into a scandal.

They are such SCUM, if I was the VP I literally would have told them to KMA!!!!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

it's just more of an accusaction of laissez faire.

Wouldn't that be laissez . . . fire? ;-)

[bert]

It was just on Fox and Friends, a Scottish newspaper headlines were

"Cheney bags a lawyer"

Ha Ha ha ha ha......

[verity]

Plante = vermin

[gridlock]

"It's not about us, it's not about the reporters. It's about the fact that the White House is expected to disclose any information about what happens to the President and the Vice-President as soon as they can.

The weakest argument in the World is "The Other Guy does it too...", but here goes...

How long did it take for the Clinton White House to disclose that President Clinton "fell down the stairs" and injured his knee whist cavorting drunkenly with unidentified females at Greg Norman's house in Florida?

[geezerwheezer]

Memo to Bill Plant from V.P. Cheney:
Dear Bill,
As I told Senator Leahy last year on the Senate floor, ......................., and you are correct as I would never tell you, in particularly, that your shirt was on fire. I'll be happy, by the way, to furnish you with a matching Zippo.
Regards,
The Veep

[RedEyeJack]

Where was all this indignation when Hillery, Nussbaum, and Maggie Williams were keeping the police out of Vince Foster's officer while they "sanitized" it?

[TexasNative2000]

No, Bill, the Vice President probably wouldn't tell you your shirt is on fire.

That's because for the last 5 years he and President Bush have been protecting you from a threat that you say doesn't exist. They've been fighting a war that you say doesn't need to be fought. They've been saving your pompous right to free speech and you don't even recognize it.

[Aloysius88]

Is that the definition of journalist? They need someone to tell them if their shirts are on fire.

[Clemenza]

As the old saying goes, I wouldn't pee on Plante if he was on fire.

[jslade]

The liberal press corps is getting as tedious as the democrats.

What's the difference?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Where was all this indignation when Hillery, Nussbaum, and Maggie Williams were keeping the police out of Vince Foster's officer while they "sanitized" it?

BINGO! Excellent point on a matter of much graver concern.

[sono]

Mark Levin for White House Press Secretary: "Put Down That Microphone, You Big Dope!"

[RedEyeJack]

In the last White Hose Gore was out of the loop... It was Hillery who controlled access with her flying monkeys and people like Plante were too afraid too challenge her.

[Rumplemeyer]

You wouldn't believe him if he did.

[Rebelbase]

I got that!

[beyond the sea]

CBS' Plante: "Dick Cheney Wouldn't Tell Us if Our Shirts were on Fire"

I'd light some of the old media's shirts.

****

By the way, does anyone know the name of the woman reporter at the White House who asked Scott McClellan "Would this be a bigger story if he had been killed?"

Can there ever have been a more ignorant question from a reporter?