Posted on 02/14/2006 10:24:25 AM PST by iPod Shuffle
Cheney cleared in hunting accident
White House faces questions about disclosing incident
Tuesday, February 14, 2006; Posted: 1:19 p.m. EST (18:19 GMT)
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (CNN) -- Authorities have cleared Vice President Dick Cheney of wrongdoing in the Texas shooting of a hunting companion, while reporters aimed tough questions at White House officials about their delay in disclosing the accident.
During Tuesday's White House news conference, spokesman Scott McClellan was asked if waiting 14 hours after the shooting before Cheney spoke with police was appropriate, and whether an average citizen would have been afforded the same amount of time.
"That was what was arranged with the local law enforcement authorities," McClellan said. "You ought to ask them that question."
McClellan referred other questions about Cheney's shooting of campaign contributor Harry Whittington to the vice president's office and local police.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Right, all drinking buddies or intimate confidants with a bias for protecting their sponsor. Look at the trend & how far we're having to go in defense of his extremely poor judgment. It's no longer a matter of mixing drug-of-choice with shooting firearms toward the tall grass, but a matter of HOW MUCH drug-of-choice did the fast & loose SHOOTER consume and a complete lack of evidence to substantiate his side of the story! He doesn't even remember whether he shot the quail or not! Where is that bird now? Where was CSI??
It just isn't worth it to the Bush Administration's integrity to continue down this trail. His judgment in this fiasco demonstrates his unfitness to continue as VP & he should resign...
You're still a moonbat for not thinking, but being absolutely convinced that "Cheney must have been drunk". With his heart condition, even the beer at lunch is a serious no-no. If you were correct, either Cheney would have had to have 5+ beers at lunch or the party would have brought alcohol with them. In that case, others in the party, including Whittington, would likely have been in the same condition. According to a timeline I'd read online, it's not clear that the sheriff's deputy was turned away.
In any case, the sheriff could have forced the issue -- he didn't. Blood alcohol tests are not mandatory in these cases, from what I have read. This would also be a case where there would very rarely be charges unless the victim chose to press them.
I apologize again for the false accusation and I can request AM to pull the offending posts, if you wish.
So, even you think that he was being irresponsible that day.
Post them.
You really haven't been paying attention. As soon as he pulled the trigger, he saw his friend fall to the ground. He immediately lost interest in the bird and went to see how his friend was. You fault him for that?
From caller.com today
Sheriff Ramon Salinas III said no one in the federal government has told him or his deputies how to do their job. He was the one who decided not to go to the ranch to investigate until Sunday, the day after Cheney shot and wounded Austin lawyer Harry Whittington on a quail hunt. Salinas based the decision on witness accounts and advice from people on the ranch he knows and trusts, including a former sheriff.
"Everybody's been saying there's a cover-up from the time they heard about this," he said. "That is not true."
Salinas said he was barbecuing with his family at 5:30 p.m. Saturday when he received a call from sheriff's Capt. Charles Kirk.
"He told me he heard of a possible hunting accident on Armstrong Ranch," Salinas said.
Minutes later, Salinas got a call from a U.S. Secret Service agent.
"He said the reason he was calling was to officially notify the sheriff's department that the vice president was involved in that shooting accident."
Soon after, Salinas said, Kirk called him from the Armstrong Ranch gate. He told him he was there with a U.S. Border Patrol agent who didn't know what was going on.
"I told him don't worry about it. I'll make a call," Salinas said.
Salinas called Precinct 3 Constable Ramiro Medellin Jr., a former sheriff who lives on Armstrong Ranch and works as a ranch hand. Medellin called Salinas back and confirmed the incident was an accident.
It was at this point that Salinas decided to wait until the next morning to send Chief Deputy Gilberto San Miguel Jr. to investigate.
"We've known these people (witnesses) for years. They are honest and wouldn't call us, telling us a lie," Salinas said. "I talked to an eyewitness who said it was a definite accident. We knew Mr. Whittington was being cared for."
He told a Secret Service agent who called him that he would send San Miguel to the ranch at 8 a.m. Sunday.
What he likely realized instantaneously was the disastrous consequence of his poor judgment & Mr. Ricardo's memorable refrain...
"Lucy, you got a lot a 'splainin' to do!"
CSI would have been interested in the whereabouts of that alleged bird...as well as a breathalizer test result...
Sheriff: "You heard three shots, I tell you! Three shots!! The rest were echoes..."
Eyewitness: No, I heard at least FOUR shots, one from over there by that fence...on the grassy knoll!!
Sheriff: You heard THREE shots, lady! That's all we're willing to confirm. Now, go home & don't talk to anybody about this...
Looks like this shoots the cover up theory all to hell
I'd rather not hijack the thread if you don't mind.
Thanks for your honesty.
Having hunted in the past, I also know that one beer is seldom the total consumption.
Fine...then FReemail them to me.
I want to see those posts of mine that are inconsistent with Bush's policies.
Another successful "rope a dope" for Rove.
It's unfortunate that you think there are no honest and honorable people left. I know enough of them to know that's not true. I know many people who would not react as you describe. You obviously don't, and it's warping your perspective.
1. I didn't say "policies", you did, which suggests that you know to which I refer.
2. No thanks, I don't want you going all psycho again.
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