Posted on 02/14/2006 12:31:19 PM PST by frankjr
Those were Field and Stream's words, not mine.
The 'own up' part was taken from Field and Stream? You obviously agree with them. That's apparent from your other comments on this thread. 'Thanks' for the non-answer.
In your previous post, you intimated that I've said this was something other than a 'mistake.' I haven't, and you can't point to anything where I have. But the 'mistake' doesn't mean there isn't fault involved - most traffic accidents are 'mistakes', after all, as few people mean to run into someone else. Nevertheless, it usually happens because someone has violated the rules of the road. The VP fired his weapon in the direction of a fellow hunter. That is always a violation of safe gun handling rules.
So what should he do? He should say so, rather than having surrogates say he didn't do anything wrong.
Oh, and Peach - I know you want to keep talking about Matalin not being officially employed by the office of the VP, but interviews with her show that the VP spoke with her on Sunday morning - prior to communicating with most others who would be in the official chain. And on Sunday she was speaking to the press about the incident. If you want to believe that is coincidental, that's fine. I don't.
Where did you see this interview with Matalin and what did she say? Because no one can find a link that she works for the VP in an official or even unofficial capacity.
I've called a former boss of mine when his wife had surgery. What does it mean? Not a heck of a lot except that I care about them as a family.
Sure, we all call friends and family. But, before most folks, even in the WH, knew that the VP had even shot someone, she was on the phone with him at the ranch. Later, she was talking to the press about his utter lack of any culpability.
If you want to believe that this does not serve as any indication that she still advises and works with the VP on PR matters, that's fine. We both know that there are many, many people working in private sector positions that serve such roles, and Matalin continues to be introduced that way. I do not claim she has an 'official' position in his office. But that doesn't mean she doesn't still go out and work the press for him.
Mr. Cheney's host, the WH Press Secretary, and his former communications director have all spoken publicly about Mr. Whittington's role in getting himself shot. Are you aware of any statement from any person affiliated with the VP in any way regarding the VP's role in getting Mr. Whittington shot?
I believe he is probably going to do it himself, at some point. Doing it before he is urged to do so would've been better.
This is from the NYT:
"What he did was not an irrational thing," said Mary Matalin, Mr. Cheney's former communications adviser, who spoke to him Sunday morning. "This was a very close friend this happened to. Everyone was shaken up about it. When I spoke to him, it was all about Harry, worrying about him," not whether he should get a statement out, or let his South Texas host tell a local newspaper.
Nowhere does it say that Matalin talked to the VP before the president knew.
"most folks" is not "anyone".
You seem to want to portray Matalin's comments as being merely the comments of some private citizen speaking merely on her own behalf. I don't see it that way, and I think the fact that he was speaking with someone who has historically represented the VP in the media before the story was even out, followed by her making statements about the incident in the media, is not supportive of your characterization.
But my point is still the same - To characterize the incident as the shoot-ee's fault, or as an 'unavoidable' accident, implicitly lends support to those who want to control guns because they are inherently dangerous. They are not inherently dangerous as long as people follow the rules, and the way to reinforce that point is to step up to the plate and acknowledge that the responsibility for this incident rests on the person whose finger was on the trigger. I hope he does so.
Who are these most folks, even in the WH, who didn't know before Matalin?
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