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.
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