Posted on 02/13/2006 5:16:58 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein on
February 13, 2006 - 08:06
Good Morning America took took a double-barrelled blast at the Vice President Cheney this morning over his accidental shooting of a quail-hunting companion, suggesting the White House might have tried to cover up the incident, and also calling into question his version of events.
GMA did at first describe the accident as having occurred because the victim, attorney Harry Whittington, failed to observe the quail-hunting rule by which hunters remain in a single line as they advance, indicating that the accident occurred after Whittington left the line to retrieve a bird from the tall grass.
But GMA host Charlie Gibson later claimed that there was "growing political fallout" from the incident, wondering:
"Why didn't the White House tell everyone when this accident happened? Why did they wait so long and did that make a bad situation even worse?"
Normally, the MSM loves to hate talk radio and the pajamahadeen of the blogosphere, but when it suits their purposes . . . ABC White House reporter Jessica Yellin stated that it took the VP's office nearly 24 hours to go public with the incident, adding:
"That delay has prompted speculation online and on talk radio that perhaps Mr. Cheney was hoping to cover up the incident.
So GMA wouldn't offer up the cover-up conspiracy theory on its own, but used the convenient hook of reporting that others - those disreputable new-media types - had.
Gibson then interviewed Kathryn Garcia, the youthful reporter at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times who broke the story. Garcia, manning the paper's news desk on a sleepy Sunday morning, had this world-class story fall into her lap when ranch-owner Katharine Armstrong called in and couldn't find the reporter she was looking for.
Gibson tried to lure Garcia into second-guessing Armstrong and Cheney's account of the accident:
"I know that she told you that Mr. Whittington did not follow protocol and came up from behind the VP and didn't announce that he was there having gone off to fetch a quail. But we've talked to a bunch of hunters who say they've never heard of that, that there's no protocol like that. That the real problem is that the shooter has to be aware of where everyone in his party may be. Do you know anything about hunting protocol?"
The engaging Ms. Garcia wouldn't buy into Gibson's theory. Disclaiming much knowledge of hunting, she did allow that while "you're supposed to look before shooting, I think it would have been smart for Mr. Whittington to announce his presence."
Sorry, Charlie!
Agreed. However, I doubt the Administration wants the media to carry this any longer than necessary. That's why I doubt we'll see such a campaign.
As for 'buckshot', I sent an email to Friends@foxnews.com letting them know about this gaffe. I read, either on this or some other post, that it was actually a 28 guage with #8 shot.
Fox News doesn't have many camera faces that understand guns. I heard them refer a while back to a shotgun as a 'rifle'. Sheesh! I also cleared them up on that. Most MSM dufus' don't have a clue.
It's a Texas thing. Texans, particularly older Texans don't have a lot to say in an event like this. Having been peppered with bird shot many times in the past, I can assure you that most hunters down here put it behind them not considering it to be a personal affront by the shooter. IT JUST HAPPENDS! You go on with the hunt and dig the shot out with your Buck knife later. Not worth talking about. Us old Texans don't talk to the press unless we have to because we know they won't get the story right any way.
Andrea Mitchell is Barbra Streisand on peyote.
I watched the irresponsbile reporting of MSNBC this morning and they are headling this story and damned near treating it like an attempted murder.
Also, we all had hunting dogs that ran and retrieved the downed birds. Our wonderful springer spaniel, Bill, got his limit far faster than any other hunter because he always found birds downed by other hunters and dutifully brought them to Dad. I would never, but never, run to pick up a bird.
"AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Little Guys who take on the government rarely win, unless the Little Guy is a guy like Harry Whittington.
Whittington, an Austin lawyer, is very rich, very stubborn and very patient qualities that come in handy if, like him, you're waging a long legal battle against the city.
Six years ago, Austin condemned a downtown block Whittington's family owned to build a $10.5 million parking garage. Whittington's been fighting the city ever since. He racked up two legal victories last year, and on Friday racked up a third: The Texas Supreme Court denied the city's request to hear an appeal, which basically re-affirms a prior ruling in Whittington's favor.
The city law department, which has spent $387,000 on the case, doesn't plan to throw in the towel just yet. It can and will choose from two options, Austin's chief of litigation, Anne Morgan, said: Ask the state Supreme Court again to hear the case or argue the case in a county court trial, which Austin never had a chance to do.
Bring it on, says Whittington, who seems unfazed at having spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" on his legal fees. He says his winning streak should give comfort to property owners unnerved by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of city condemnations.
"This," Whittington, 78, said of his lawsuit, "shows how the judicial system should work if you stay with it."
The MSM is reporting that the same greenhouse gases that cause global warming can also distort a person's vision and alter the intended path of a shotgun loads.
If the White House is so good at cover ups then why did the story get out in literally hours? Maybe because there was no cover up???
As far as the junior reporter "breaking" the story, I would call it dumb luck she happened to answer the phone when the ranch owner called in to report the story. It didn't require any investigation or talent to uncover anything since it was all laid out for her.
I used to shoot skeet with my old Rem 1148 in 28, it's difficult! Occasionally I would catch a clay with just one pellet, and it wouldn't even break.
I have noticed that it has a similar effect on Oldsmobiles.
"Having been peppered with bird shot many times in the past, I can assure you that most hunters down here put it behind them not considering it to be a personal affront by the shooter."
The horror!!! We must ban all shotguns NOW!!! /sarcasm
How many times did they reload while they were repeatedly shooting him? And when is the funeral?
LOL
Beautiful state, Montana. My mother moved there with her family in the 30's from North Dakota. She graduated from high school in Somers, not far from Kalispell. We visited there once when I was a kid around 1953 when my grandfather passed away. I'll always remember the beauty of the place.
Yep, like this was an earthshaking event in the scheme of world affairs today. They'll use anything to distractfrom the oncoming reports of Harry Reid's involvement with Abramhoff's lobbying. I suppose that Gore's treasonous words in SA made front page too. NOT
I saw Charlie Gibson this morning, he was pathetic, a real disgrace.
The difference between birdshot and buckshot. The birdshot is in the top row and the buckshot is on the bottom. One report says that the accidental shooting involved size 8 birdshot.
"I don't need to have a reason for wanting to know why it took so long to get the story out."
So YOU are charged with determining right and wrong. I shall check with you when the need arises!
Leni
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.