Our Mentor prepares to Dispatch the Vile Hamilton
Posted on 02/17/2006 5:51:20 AM PST by blitzgig
There are few less edifying sights than Terry McAuliffe in full battle cry. But alas there was no avoiding him after the Cheney hunting accident. There he was demanding to know why the vice president waited 22 hours before informing the press and shouting that if Al Gore had done something like this he'd be in Leavenworth by nightfall (a dubious if pleasing supposition). The White House press corps was even more insufferable. One reporter asked, "Is it proper for the vice president to offer his resignation or has he offered his resignation?" Another demanded, "Scott (McClellan), would this be much more serious if the man had died?" Our pressies asked dozens of questions about the timing of the disclosure -- some wondering aloud whether the White House purposely delayed the announcement to avoid its becoming Topic A on the Sunday morning chat shows. One particularly eager journalist asked, "Under Texas law, is this kind of accidental shooting a possible criminal offense?" The transcript does not indicate whether he was rubbing his hands together at the time.
Is there something missing in the mental architecture of reporters? When they get credentialed, do they lose ordinary human reactions?
An ordinary person, hearing about such an accident, would respond as follows: How horrible! Cheney must be in agony. What's the prognosis on Whittington?
I honestly don't see why it was so essential that the press be informed about the accident immediately. Admittedly, if the vice president had shot someone in the Oval Office, or better yet, in the pressroom, that would be a story. But these kinds of things happen all too often when people hunt. It is terrible for the two men involved and for their families, but it has zero public relevance.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
A journalist with common sense! How Rare. For a couple of days this week, the journalistic community was on death watch. They wanted something to happen to Cheney so badly they could taste it. If we have a few more minor incidents like this, I predict the press is going to help accelerate the Democratic party's road to self-destruction.
"A journalist with common sense!"
Exactly. Mona Charen is a HUNDRED times better journalist than any of those babbling morons in the DC press corps.
January 20, 2009, is less than three years away. I can picture Hillary wondering if there's some way she can use this to send Cheney to Leavenworth.
" We are seeing in this episode another of our periodic culture clashes between those who came of age before the '60s and those who came after. Cheney was born in 1941 and reached mature adulthood before it became the fashion for men to bare their souls, emote and talk talk talk.
We're also seeing a clash of cultures between those who hunt or have hunted and a bunch of effete, metrosexual, bi-coastal snots who running screaming from the room at the sight of a (gasp) GUN.
The perfect example is the WaPost story that had Cheney hunting quail with a 28 gauge loaded with "buckshot". Too funny.
Why weren't we informed? A four letter "word" called HIPA.
MSM would have crucified the VP just as toughly over violating the law of health information privacy.
JMO.
"Under Texas law," the reporter needs a fat lip.
My understanding is that on transcripts of White House press conferences and briefings, by tradition, the reporters aren't identified by name. I think that's unfortunate. I think they might upgrade their game significantly if they knew that any stupid questions they asked were going to go down on their permanent record.
not really. happen all the time? "The number of people injured in hunting accidents in Texas decreased from 44 in 2003 to 29 in 2004". out of the whole state. sounds quite rare to me.
"I feel your pain" ** biting lip **
if Al Gore had done something like this he'd be in Leavenworth by nightfall <<< Like what?....Giving a treasonous speech while on foreign soil during a time of war?...Oh wait a minute...He was doing that!..and not a peep from the MSM...
Hillary will never run, Vince Foster lurks in Fort Marcy Park.
Anyone who says "there are no stupid questions" has obviously never faced the White House Press Corps.
The DNC talking points are out in force.
The are STILL trying to relate the story to IRAQ!
The DNC is trying to scream pattern.
Democrats: stuck on stupid.
If Socrates had heard the WH press corps (a/k/a the baby playpen) he would have offered then a drink...
She makes one glaring mistake at the end of the article.
She ASSUMES the wh playpen (aka press corps) have shame and can be embarrased. The WH playpen has no shame and has no way to be embarrassed. If they had to appear naked in the snow to attack GWBush, they would.
It won't matter if Whittington dies at 110 years old, the MSM (if they're still around then)will say that VP Cheney's accidental shooting "contributed" to his demise.
Personally I think her explanation is wrong. It seems more likely that he didn't notify the press immediately because; the press hates him and he hates them; few people rush to notify their enemies immediately upon doing something stupid, especially when you know they will try to use it to destroy you; and finally, what difference does it make if it is reported in the evening or the next morning?
Accidents relating to gunfire are exceedingly rare.
Accidentally and unfortunately, I happened to hear Imus ('be a moron') talking with Mary Matelin (sp?) about this. After going over everything patiently with "Cowboy Thought Process," he restarted his "everyone knows it was insane for Cheney to wait...." routine. I guess she'd had enough and began to fire back, at which point "Thymus" blows up and yells "don't you insult me!!," acting like a total baby wuss who can always dish it out but can never take it.
Because it seems like a coverup, that why. Ask yourself if you have a right to know the information. If not, fine, you don't want to know the VP shot someone. If you think you do have a right to know, when? I'd say as soon as possible.
I guess she has some hunting experience we don't know about. But these people that are saying it happens often aren't doing careful gun owners or hunters any favors.
Our Mentor prepares to Dispatch the Vile Hamilton
actually, it's HIPAA.
Our good friend Terry has NEVER let the truth get in the way of any of his talking points. Why so long before the press release? I am still waiting on Terry to explain how successful he was with Global Crossing investment, hhmmm.
If you it walks like a duck ...well you know how it goes.
Think so? Have a drink, shoot someone, and see how many hours can pass by before you have to talk to the cops.
Mona has put into words the best description of how I have felt about Cheney. Cheney's very measured demeanor and self confidence led him to do exactly what a person of his moral character should have done. I find no fault whatsoever with his action following the accident. S... happens. Perhaps his old style manliness and what the press calls 'secretive' like behaviour, but what I call being first responsible to the people most concerned, is something of the past, but I certainly hope not. This story should be over.
Ah, but there are no stupid questions -- only stupid people asking questions.
bttt
"Ah, but there are no stupid questions -- only stupid people asking questions."
You nailed it. Good one!
"Because it seems like a coverup, that why. Ask yourself if you have a right to know the information. If not, fine, you don't want to know the VP shot someone. If you think you do have a right to know, when? I'd say as soon as possible."
The incident WAS reported right away, to the local authorities as is required. Despite what the press may believe, they are under NO obligation to immediately report such an incident to them. Should this be reported in the media? Absolutely, but it makes no real difference to the audience whether it is reported that evening or the next morning.
Cheney's natural self-composure is what makes him a good leader. He doesn't let his emotions cloud his thinking. He keeps his eye on his objectives, thinking logically about how to achieve them.
It also would make no difference if it was reported six months later, would it?
Terry McCauliffe, is that you??
Do you not KNOW the facts or do you not CARE about the facts?
Its Terri.
What fact do I have wrong?
It is however, a DNC talking point to claim there was.
(This man's been listening to James Carville).
You said it exactly correct. I am in total agreement.
Not at all. First, the whole state does not go hunting. Second, there are 12 months in a year, so even without doing any arithmatic, 29 injured in hunting accidents per year means it's more than one a month. Third, hunting happens in seasons, not all 12 months of a calendar year, so the rate of injuries is actually higher per the number of months in which hunting is permitted.
I heard of a interesting statistic. More people die in swimming pool accidents than shooting accidents. Don't see the press sitting around all of the swimming pools waiting for an accident. There are more guns than swimming pools also.
What facts do you have wrong??.......All of these, by implication and innuendo.
The last part, "see how many hours can pass" is an outright lie.
btw, you DO know that the Secret Service is law enforcement, don't you? They were there on scene.
But nice try at passing off leftist talking points as facts, Terri.
Exactly. My point is, if there was we would not even know about it. We not only know about it, we know EVERYTHING about it.
Clumsy attempt to say...look what they could have done.
(I'm not running on all cylinders this morning!)
That applies to medical providers who transfer information electronically...what does that have to do with Cheney? That would have something to do with the victim's medical condition and information. Let's not get off topic here.
The public may or may not have a right to know...that is irrelevant because we all know now.
The issue can therefore only be how quickly they have a right toknow on something that is arguably uninvolved in the governance of the nation.
It is a stretch to say that Cheney's hunting accident had anything to do with governance...it has less to do with governance than Clinton shooting at Monica in the Oval oriface...
You are funny, but I don't think intentionally so.
Why even last summer it took 3 days to find out Harry Reid had a stroke. And think about Ted Kennedy's murder. He didn't even report it, and left Mary Jo to die in an attempt to cover up his evil and keep his political career going.
The left wouldn't know honest disclosure if it hit them in face.
Anyone who even implies that there was a cover-up here is disingenous at least, or a lying leftist at worst.
I heard a woman on MSNBC complain that Cheney showed emotion in his interview with Hume but "we've never seen him cry" about the troops killed in Iraq. I was so offended that I changed channels. Is there anyone who heard this and can tell me who she was and what response she got?
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