No apologies from Cheney over release of shooting story
Cheney: ‘I’m the Guy Who Pulled the Trigger’
Moms, dads, do not let your kids go on hunting trips with the vice president. I don’t care what kind of lucrative contracts they’re trying to land, or energy regulations they’re trying to get lifted - it’s just not worth it.
- Jon Stewart
How nice of Dick Cheney to finally give his side of the story, eh? Of course, that he gave the interview to the Republican Propaganda Network Fox News Channel should expose it for the shameless, naked attempt to spin the thruth that it was. Surely you didn’t expect Cheney to actually agree to an interview on a network that would ask him some honest-to-God tough questions, did you? It should surprise no one that Cheney goes to the one network he can count on to play along and lob him a few softball questions.
If not for the ham-handed way that Cheney and his staff handled the release of information regarding the accidental shooting of Harry Whittington, it’s doubtful that this would be anything but fodder for late-night comedians. Instead, Cheney has succeeded in creating the impression that he has something to hide. It’s silly, and it’s pointless, and it certainly didn’t need to play out this way, but when your arrogance exceeds your common sense, I suppose this nonsense is the sort of thing you can expect.
Personally, I’m not all that concerned about an unfortunate hunting accident that may or may not have been caused by negligence or stupidity. When you hunt, and when you handle loaded weapons, there are certain risks you have to assume. Getting peppered with birdshot is certainly chief among those assumed risks.
“Ultimately I’m the guy who pulled the trigger that fired the round that hit Harry,” Cheney said in his first interview since the incident. “I’m the guy who pulled the trigger and shot my friend, and that’s something I’ll never forget.”
Cheney’s first public response following the shooting comes more than 72 hours after the accident. His silence has been met with bewilderment and anger by some in Washington, D.C. But on Wednesday, the vice president seemed to express deep remorse….
One thing for which Cheney was not apologetic was the way the news of the shooting was delivered to the media. [Katharine] Armstrong, a private citizen, went to a local newspaper about the incident on Sunday. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times published the story near 3 p.m. EST Sunday. The scoop upset many in the White House press corps, who were not with Cheney on the private retreat.
Before Wednesday’s interview, the vice president’s office issued two brief written statements acknowledging the shooting on Monday and Tuesday. Cheney said he and Armstrong agreed to let her take the lead.
“I thought that made good sense because you can get as accurate a story as possible from somebody who knows and understands hunting,” Cheney said. “Then it would immediately go up to the wires and be posted on the Web site, which is the way it went out. I thought that was the right call. I still do.”
Right…and we’re to believe that an Administration that tight controls and spins virtually every piece of information it grudgingly reeases just decided to allow simply decided to allow a private citizen to disclose this incident to her local newspaper? Most Americans probably aren’t going to be overly upset about the Vice President accidentally shooting a hunting companion. When you make it look as if you have something to hide…well, let’s just say you’re not going to win many friends that way.
That Dick Cheney was acting in character is hardly surprising. That he shows so little regard and respect for those who put him in office simply confirms Cheney’s arrogance and presumed unaccountability. Most Americans can understand an unfortunate accident. What we should not have to tolerate is being spun and propagandized.
WE DESERVE BETTER.
I really think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill here. In fact, I have an ice cold 6-pack of Shiner Bock that says you can't justify your allegations of a cover up, or that Cheney's hiding someing with any thing other than a default motivation to slam a person who happens to have different political views.
Seriously, if a family member of yours was injured in an accident, whould you rather hear about it from someone you know that was equipped with the details, or see it scrolling along the bottom of CNN Headline News? (Or perhaps you assume that Whittington's daughters are also Republicans, and are therefore undeserving of decent treatment...)
I suggest you heed your own advice:
You're right Jack, "WE DESERVE BETTER."
I'm not accusing anyone of a cover-up. I AM saying that Cheney's handling of this makes it LOOK as if he has something to cover up. Big difference....
Thanks for the clarification Jack, I can certainly understand how it might "LOOK" that way to you, but also hope that you might understand that heading your post with "LYING LIARS LYINGLY LIE THEIR LIES" might lead readers to conclude that you thought Cheney was lying about this hunting accident.
The side by side images of the Vice President and Satan in previous posts also helped me reach what I now acknowledge to be an erroneous conclusion.
Be that as it may, I am responsible for my conclusions, and in this case I was wrong. In fact, you did not allege a cover-up or wrong doing, and it would seem that I owe you an "ice cold six pack of Shiner Bock." I'll drop one in the mail tomorrow, but I can't guarantee that it will still be cold when it gets to you...
Jack's entitled to his opinion and he may even be right, but for me, I do think there was a cover-up...and I'm not obligated to prove it. Neither can I prove gravity exists, but it does whether I believe it or not, and no matter how often the Repubs claim that gravity and evolution are "only theories."
Anyway, too bad Cheney dodged the draft as often he did--maybe in the military he would have learned to handle a damn gun. Or maybe not. But as it is, he merely had to wait 14 hours for the booze to wear off (or for his girlfriend to be evacuated).
Mountain out of molehill? Quite possibly. But then Cheney's murderous and drunken behaviour long ago cancelled his right to any benefit of doubt about "accidents" around guns and booze--so he shouldn't expect any, especially when he hides out in the boonies after he shoots his buddy.
Gee some guy, I never asked Jack to prove anything, and if you read his clarification, you might understand (as I do now) that he never accused Cheney of anything.
Of course you and Jack are entitled to your opinions. Likewise, I'm entitled to mine, namely that you both base your opinions on politics more so than fact, reason, or logic.