How serious are you taking this Cheney shooting?

[LeftNYC]

Did you think we are getting the whole story?
Are you concerned more about the cover up then the incident?
Do you believe this was just a mistake and the guy is not terribly injured or is something else being hidden?

Just wondering what DU's thoughts are...

[Rick Myers]

1. There are ALWAYS questions with these people!

Why were the local law agencies told to wait until morning to question Dick Vader? They had to sober him up first!

[HeeBGBz]

2. The delay in reporting it is suspect

Otherwise, I would write it off as joke fodder.

edited to write a wrong right.

[Warpy]

5. So is the lack of charges filed against His Eminence

However, we're all having a great deal of fun at that bloated plutocrat's expense.

If there are charges filed, we'll know the system is at least tryig to work. If there are no charges filed, we'll know the system is totally broken, especially in Texas.

[HeeBGBz]

16. At least an investigation

Why were the local police excluded and made to back off by secret service? Is it a chain of command thing or a flexing of the Dick's bodyguards?

[rzemanfl]

3. Serious as a heart attack. (I wish). If you can't use self-defense

there isn't really much you can do to spin a shooting.

[MrBenchley]

4. Let's see, the VP with a history of drinking plugs a guy

while on a hunting trip with a blonde popsy who's not his wife...and it's covered up from the press and local law enforcement....

Seems serious enough to me....

[magellan]

6. I think it deserves its own forum

Just to separate it from discussions of important issues.

[JuniperLea]

23. Hear, hear!

We have so little to go on that any discussion at this point is pure conjecture. It's important to brainstorm, I understand that, but 90% of the threads are on Wild Dick Cheney today... it could hardly be more annoying when there are so many other issues looming.

[ProSense]

25. delete n/t

[pitohui]

7. i think it's hilarious

yes, yes, drunk hunting is i suppose a serious matter but one evil old fool peppering another evil old fool is pretty funny, let's be honest

we are not getting the whole story but anyone w. a brain knows they were drunk and this is why the delay in reporting and speaking to law enforcement

[0007]

8. The delay is suspect! But in reality, I'd say something is wrong

with Cheney's judgment and concern for others while hunting. A person that has hunted and handled guns as much as Cheney, knows better. So it begs the question.

1. Was Cheney drunk
2. Was Cheney pissed at this guy
3. Is there a medical problem that needs to be explored?

[CottonBear]

12. 4. Did Cheney trip or faint & shoot the guy by accident

because he had the safety off on his shotgun?

5. Was he just freaking careless and followed a bird without any thought as to looking at what he was going to shoot?

[0007]

28. 'Tis obvious that Cheney shouldn't be handling a gun with humans

around.

At first I kind of thought it was one of those freaky kind of accidents that could happen to anyone. I've changed my mind after the secrecy and sketchy details.

[jedr]

9. You never know with KKK at the controls;

But it's just too damn funny on too many levels, not to have a go at it!

[KarenS]

10. I've never hunted or been around hunters,,,,

I guess I'm surprised this kind of stuff doesn't happen more often.

sooooo about the incident itself, at first, I kind of just shrugged it off,,,, thinking, that it was really too bad for that guy that got shot,,,,,

BUT, I think it's great how the M$M is all over it, ad nauseum,,,,
I don't care why they are pursuing it, just that they are.

[whateveritis]

11. I'm thinking

that its far more important things like voter fraud, congressional investigations that need and deserve this attention from the news, David Gregory acts like this shit is a world class story. To me its good amunition for Jay Leno.:thumbsdown:

[CottonBear]

20. Gregory acted like a real reporter today. This Cheney story is great!

We'll be onto another favorite topic in a few day. Anyway, we're still on top of the Cheney/Libby Plame leak-Plame investigating Iranian nuclear programs story as well as the Ohio coin gate scandal and the 52 Democratic veterans running for congress story. We multi-task here at DU :)

The big story is the cover up, why a civilian was the first to talk to the press (KKKarl Script I'm sure) and the relationship of the lawyer to the Gov. Bush of Texas funeral gate scandal.

JUICY! ;) Have fun! The B-C Administration is a new scandal every day!

[longship]

13. It's not what's being reported, it's the deliberate delay of the reporting

nt

[sarge43]

14. Personally I think it's business as usual with these creatures

I'm far more concerned that many of the victims of Katrina are about to be made homeless.

Cheney's :wtf: is a sick joke; this is another tragedy.

[eallen]

15. At best, a hunting story. At worst, a distraction from real issues.

It's neither scandalous nor important that Cheney had a hunting accident. It is both, that Cheney would authorize the release of classified information for political purposes. If I didn't know better, I'd think that Whittington took one for the team.

:evilgrin:

[patricia92243]

17. The hunting party consisted of two men and two women. None were married

to each other. THAT was the reason for the delay in telling about it. Probably to let Cheney's wife know before she read it in the papers. I think the press is suspicious of this, but can't prove it AT THIS TIME. Somebody will talk - just give them time.

Don't say they are too old - that old guy that was married to Anna Nicole SMith was in his nineties.

the private lives of politicians is open to scrunity - remember Clinton??? sarcasm

[yellowcanine]

36. Imagine if it were Clinton and a friend with 2 female hunting

companions. The Repuke bastards would have impeached him all over again.

[JuniperLea]

18. Pure conjecture...

We never get the whole story. That's what drives me crazy... not enough info and all the speculation! Jeez, we weave 80 different stories before the real deal comes out.


Concerned? Hell no, I expect them to cover up. If Cheney's dog shit on your lawn, there would be a cover up. It is their knee-jerk reaction to cover everything up. This will be their undoing in the end.


Not enough information to answer your last question. Old men, especially those with health issues, are routinely put in ICU. All that means is they are keeping a closer eye on delicate old flowers. All Trauma ICU mens is that there was some trauma involved, as opposed to a heart attack, stroke or some other ailment. It could be that they are going above and beyond to defray any future claims of liability. It could be that the old guy was seriously injured or dead and it's all a cover up:)

[tom22]

19. The vice president just shot someone

In normal circumstances the first call is to 911 which would go directly to medical response and then to the police. When there is a shooting it is normal police procedure to investigate. I keep being told it was an accident. To steal Cheney's phrase: Well, we really don't know.....

[JuniperLea]

22. Cheney has a full medical team following him 24/7, including an ambulance

Why call 911 when all those people are available? I can see a legitimate reason for not calling 911; however, there should be a police report. A request for a police report should have come from the hospital.

[yellowcanine]

35. Police should have been called immediately by SS. Or by Mrs. Armstrong

Or by the Dickhead himself. Somebody gets shot, the cops get called right away, no exceptions.

[IowaGuy]

21. The story itself isn't so huge, but the metaphor of it, as an....

iconic image of what this admin is all about is just too sweet. The best DEM party spinner\marketer\framer, etc...couldn't make anything up this good...

Shoot first, without knowing what you are doing, acting without thinking of consequences, the incompetence, the absolute silliness of this faux type of hunt, the misguided, clumsy attempt to sweep it under the rug, the nonsense of trying to frame it as the guy got "peppered" instead of shot (like he was a salad or something)....the cowardly hiding from the press, instead of just being a stand up guy and saying, "Man, I really screwed up and I'm sorry for what I did".

In one brief instant, Cheneys actions summed up the entire worthless character of this administration.

[diamondsndust]

24. AMEN! ...................N/T

[ProSense]

26. Depends! If the facts are that Cheney

accidentally shot a man, the details need to be made public. His judgment (as well as his character) has already been called into question by the leak investigation, which might result in him being removed from office.

If the facts are that the VP was drinking and carelessly shot a man, then I think the episode is far more egregious than Clinton's blow job and the appropriate actions need to be taken.


In both scenarios, the facts are key.

[Catchawave]

27. The 24 hour delay concerns me

especially if it was only an accident, could be a coverup for alcohol and hunting?

[bemildred]

29. I think he needs to be in more firefights. Very educational for him. nt

[ragin_acadian]

30. my thoughts:

cheney is a chickenshit, draft dodging, oil executive
he likes to play with guns, and pretend he is a hunter

he is the epitome of the baby boomer wanna-be, with his harley jacket, orange vest, and five deferments: he IS the gated community rebel.

my interpretation of the events: he got into the 'ol scalplifter' kind of early, didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. heard crashing in the brush, swung around, scared shitless imagining a grizzly bearing down on him, and proceeded to go triggerhappy.

that is the whole story.
the cover up is no breathalyzer, and giving chickenshits access to firearms.
nothing hidden. the mistake was being in the same state as a colostomy bag like cheney.

[marions ghost]

49. OK but

Cheney is NOT a baby boomer. (Born in 41) The boomers came after the war.

And being a boomer doesn't have a damn thing to do with this situation anyway. Don't think u can say that all boomers are crazy neocon neanderthal hunters. Please don't dis a whole generation.

[Laelth]

31. It's SERIOUSLY funny.

That's how I'm taking it.

Guns don't kill people; Dick Cheney does!

:rofl:

It's a good day to be a Democrat!

:rofl: :dem: :rofl: :dem: :rofl: :dem: :rofl: :dem:
:rofl: :dem: :rofl: :dem: :rofl: :dem: :rofl: :dem:

-Laelth

[Viking12]

51. Me too! Cheney’s top 10 excuses for shooting fellow hunter

From the home office in blue-state New York, here’s Vice President Dick Cheney’s top 10 excuses for shooting fellow hunter Harry Whittington on Saturday:

10. Sick and tired of Whittington’s “Hey, I’m having a heart attack” jokes

9. Pushed over edge by Dixie Chicks and Streisand blasting on pick-up truck stereo

8. Ongoing dispute over whether it’s acceptable to torture quail before shooting them

7. Thought he saw Michael Moore on other side of tree line

6. Bombed out of his gourd on Wild Turkey and Lone Star Beer

5. Companion’s ill-advised decision to wear Moveon.org sweatshirt

4. Was trying to impress Jodie Foster

3. Whittington’s repeated ribbing that Bush is actually the “real president”

2. Targeting scope on rifle made by Halliburton

And the number one excuse given by Dick Cheney for almost blowing away hunting companion Harry Whittington…

1. Because he’s a wartime vice president, damn it

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2006/02/dick-cheneys-top-10-excuses-for.html

[Laelth]

58. Nice list.

Wonder if Letterman picked up on this? You should send it to him.

:rofl:

-Laelth

[DemBones DemBones]

32. Quail hunting with Wild Turkey,

a dangerous combination.

[Steve A Play]

33. The shooting was an accident, but the cover-up was a gift

Every bubba with a brain stem and a hunting rifle knows they're full of **it with this one. No amount of 'spin' can help them put a happy face this. :)

Trying to tell a real hunter that the victim of a hunting accident is responsible for getting shot is like pissing on his leg and trying to convince him it's raining out. If this opens just a few more eyes to the fact that the Whitehouse is trying to BS them, it's a good thing.

drip, Drip, DRIP!

Steven P. :kick:

[yellowcanine]

34. They had "other priorities" to informing the press. Like sitting down to

dinner! And getting their stories straight.....

[Ino]

37. It's the cover-up

Although I deplore hunting and detest these canned "hunts," the actual incident doesn't bother me as much as the delay in reporting. Either Cheney was drunk, or the victim is a LOT more hurt than we've been told & they were making sure he'd survive before releasing any info -- or both.

McClellan's story about the first priority being to get medical care, and spotty reports coming in is just hogwash. The hunting party, the ranch owner, Cheney's med team, the SS were all huddled over the operating table? It's a pretty simple story and the whole entourage knew what happened... why were the "facts" so slow in getting to Washington?

The conflicting, changing stories just makes it all the more sinister. They're hiding something.

[cyberia]

38. Tempest in a teapot

There's serious stuff going on, like an impending war with Iran. Who cares if Cheney bagged a contributor?

[Jemmons]

39. This is dead serious: Can you trust this guy to be the VP?????

If this is how careless he behaves when he is with freinds, how is he going to act when making decisions putting US soldiers in harms way? We dont even know the full story yet. So far its been spun as an "accident" but even official the accident report says that the game law is violated. We dont have any details of the medical side of it either, Whittington could have been very close to dying for all we know. And then the 22 hour lack of disclosure, because they were all so attentive of Whittingtons medical care??? Regard this as the first lie, and then make your own assumptions.
This can of worms only opens from the inside? Lets just wait and se.

[radfringe]

40. at first I just chuckled

but now there are some serious questions being raised -- not about the "accident" - but rather how the information was released

18-20 hour delay and the info came from private citizen - why?

Local law officials being blocked/delayed from investigating - why?

if it's a "minor accident" - why the lifeflight and ICU?

No statement directly from Cheney's mouth - just through aides - why?

Now they are blaming the victim - why can't Cheney take responsibility?

Seems the "cover-up" is worse than the "minor accident". Why hide? Why the lack of responsibility?

seems indicative of how well the bush-cheney machine can handle things and makes you wonder if they are really competent enough to be leaders...

nothing is their fault - they have consistently hid, twisted, distorted, spun and manipulated facts to absolve themselves of all blame on ALL issues

[marions ghost]

50. yep

good summary of the questions

--the way these narcissistic brutes operate is to just lie and keep moving, and ALWAYS screw everybody else, and NEVER EVER admit any fault or responsibility. They believe they can get out of anything. They believe they are immune to the mistakes and misfortunes of the average human.

[Lexingtonian]

41. Cheney is once again showing himself

to be a callous asshole and a moral coward and a glutton for abuse of what can easily be abused, whatever the remaining details amount to. There's no confusing any of his behavior with that of a wise person or true adult.

And yet millions think he's some kind of desirable leader.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

42. It just reinforces what a vile creature Cheney is...

...and watching Little Scotty McClellan dance and spin and come within inches of having David Gregory kick his fat little ass reminds me of the lies...lie after lie after lie, all delivered with arrogance and a complete lack of shame.

I'm surprised that McClellan made any comments at all as opposed to saying that he "couldn't comment on an ongoing investigation."

Nice "evil" photo of Cheney on Huffington Post, too:



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

[rfkrfk]

43. a very fowl situation

[redwitch]

44. very seriously

Of course we're not getting the whole story.
They think they are above the law.
They are outrageous hypocrites.
Cheney may have been drinking, who will ever know now?
Is he having an affair with the ambassador?
I think this should get the same attention from the media as it would if this was a Bill Clinton hunting accident.

[Eugene]

45. This is a distraction.

Deadeye Dick may be a dangerous man with a gun, but for a bloodthirsty neocon
who has caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people, this is small potatoes.
The shooting just confirms Cheney's contempt for rules. The CIA leak, torture,
and domestic spying show that he is an even more dangerous man when he makes policy.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

46. The most serious aspect of the story is as usual, the cover-up

My questions are:
What procedures by local law enforcement differed and how because this involved the VP? The story is changing, by the way, the NYT story today says thatCheyney WAS interviewed

http://nytimes.com/2006/02/14/politics/14cheney.html?hp&ex=1139979600&en=ec4ccbac7ffcceec&ei=5094&partner=homepage

The local sheriff, Ramon Salinas III of Kenedy County, said the Secret Service called him shortly after the shooting occurred.

Sheriff Salinas said he sent his chief deputy, Gilbert Sanmiguel, to the Armstrong Ranch that night. He said Mr. Sanmiguel interviewed Mr. Cheney and reported that the shooting was an accident.

Isn't that different from what I have been hearing, that deputies were turned away by the Secret Service the night of the shooting? Which is it? It makes a big difference in my opinion.

[belpejic]

47. I could care less

A chemically impaired loser screwed up while trying to operate a weapon, and fortunately no one died. Happens all the time in this country. Thank God he wasn't trying to ride a snowmobile as well...

[mrgorth]

48. He'd been drinking

and they're covering it up but we'll never know any different. Still we should abuse this one like hell.

[MrBenchley]

52. What did the pResident know and when did he know it?

"Presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said Monday that Bush and senior aides were told Saturday night by the staff of the White House Situation Room that somebody in the Cheney's hunting party was shot, but he said he was not told until Sunday morning that Cheney was the shooter."

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/02/13/ap2521888.html

So they tell Chimpy that somebody got shot, and he doesn't ask a single question?

[BlueManDude]

53. Special Counsel is needed!!!!

You know there'd be one if Gore had done this.

[gasperc]

54. serious, he's a shoot first ask questions later fuck

I hope this little story kills him by a thousand knife cuts

Looks like were going to get VP Allen or Pat Roberts

[The Onyx Key]

55. Not. This silly incident is taking time and energy away from

other, more important scandals of this administration.

[bush_is_wacko]

56. Look away from the domestic spying sheeple....Cheney shot someone...

I don't really give a shit about this story. There may be a cover-up. Cheney and his secret service agents may have deliberately forgotten to pay for the hunting stamp. They may have withheld information but why do we care about this more than domestic spying, torture, Iraq, Iran, OBL, the budget, health care, etc. etc.?

DIVERSION! Time to get back on course.

[SteppingRazor]

57. Not at all seriously...

unless my theory turns out to be true:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2458828

[Kablooie]

59. I've cancelled my hunting trip with him.

[Name removed]

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