Cheney Incident

[nickqlc]

Is Cheney Going To Jail?

[yankeeyosh]

No. Definitely not.

[nickqlc]

Yahoo news says Cheney will face charges :neutral:

[meatwad]

Jesus, it was a friggin accident.

[Bruiser]

Its Texas. People have guns in Texas. People accidentally get shot in Texas. They get on with their lives.

[HereComes30]

This is a nonstory and yet the media shows their true colors again and jumps all over it...analyzes every detail to death...and makes it appear that there is some heinous plot here....surprised someone didn't say "the guy must have disagreed with Cheney on Iraq so he shot him." This is an accident...pure and simple. And the guy that got shot was probably as much to blame as Cheney in the incident. But what about him not coming to the press for 14 hours... so what? Sure it was not his top priority.

Unfortunate...yes. A bit bizarre? Sure. News worthy for a week now? NO!

[Morgan81]

I doubt he'll face anything other than late-night shows making fun of him.
Anyone see the Daily Show's "Reenactment"?

[wordsmith]

Its Texas. People have guns in Texas. People accidentally get shot in Texas. They get on with their lives.

Uhhh, people have guns and get shot EVERYwhere.

[MollyMe]

What would they charge him for, other than not having the proper license if that did happened.
I haven't followed the story at all, but if you go hunting like they did they should always, always be in a straight line...

[Benwa]

One thing I've noticed people haven't touched on. If he was close enough to shoot that man, then the man was close enough to shoot him. Yeah Secret Service!! Not like Cheney would have died if he got shot. He can't die, he's a cyborg. Not many people know this but his body is made of titanium and petroleum. All those times he goes to the hospital is just a cover story. He's actually going in for routine maintenance. He's a quart low, time to go into the shop. Last time he went in so they could install some retractable claws, wolverine style.

[and1grad]

I doubt he'll face anything other than late-night shows making fun of him.
Anyone see the Daily Show's "Reenactment"?
I did. Absolutely hysterical! :lol:

[HereComes30]

One thing I've noticed people haven't touched on. If he was close enough to shoot that man, then the man was close enough to shoot him. Yeah Secret Service!!

He was close enough because he was a close friend who was hunting with him and because he was already cleared by Secret Service.

[Bruiser]

Uhhh, people have guns and get shot EVERYwhere.

Shoot someone in New York City or DC and see what happens. Even if it was your friend, on your private property, by accident, you are getting arrested and probably sued out the yingyang. That is where these idiots are coming from.

If you get shot while hunting in Texas, its a little different.

[paiger81]

Yahoo news says Cheney will face charges :neutral:

He's only facing charges for not having the proper permit. If he just would have paid the $7 for the quail hunting stamp, then he would not be charged with anything.

Like Bruiser said, this is just one of the possible accidents that happens when people go hunting. All hunters know the risk.

[HereComes30]

He's only facing charges for not having the proper permit. If he just would have paid the $7 for the quail hunting stamp, then he would not be charged with anything.

And even the $7 was merely a miscommunication where they had licenses and thought they had all of them they needed. So again...not a big deal.

I think the media was really biting to their teeth into the idea that there was an attempted cover up because he didn't immediately hold a press conference and tell the press what happened. Forget about getting his friend medical attention, talking to the game commission and police, etc etc...no...step one should always be alert the press first.

[paiger81]

Forget about getting his friend medical attention, talking to the game commission and police, etc etc...no...step one should always be alert the press first.

Completely agree.

Seeing as how I live where it happened, I must say I feel the larger scale news media are quite the assholes. When they interviewed the CallerTimes reporter who got the original call from Ms. Armstrong, they kept saying "Well, weren't you alerted that the VP was in your area?" and when the reporter stated "no" the Cnn reporter seemed to basically infer that our reporters were not doing a good job.

[Benwa]

Where's all this ravenous reporting on something important? If your gonna hammer on Buch Co. at least do it for the right reasons. Because this is a "safe" story. Its a jokey joke kind of thing. But don't report on serious stories. The steady erosion of our freedom under the disguise of security. The illusion of security. Blatant lies which effect millions of others around the world. Spying on the citizens. The war on terror making terrorism flourish. Torturing people. It's gotten so weird in this country we are actually arguing if its OK to torture people. That makes me sad and want to bash my head against the wall. Of course it isn't OK to torture someone! How the hell are we even debating this?

All this important shit that needs discussed and they settle on Cheney doing an Elmer Fudd on some old fart. Our media is all about spectacle with no substance. They are a waste and are poisoning the information stream.

[and1grad]

Our media is all about spectacle with no substance. They are a waste and are poisoning the information stream.
1000% agree. Ben, we cant debate any of the other stuff b/c the President, and his administration, sit above the law. YOU should know that.

[wordsmith]

Where's all this ravenous reporting on something important? If your gonna hammer on Buch Co. at least do it for the right reasons. Because this is a "safe" story. Its a jokey joke kind of thing. But don't report on serious stories. The steady erosion of our freedom under the disguise of security. The illusion of security. Blatant lies which effect millions of others around the world. Spying on the citizens. The war on terror making terrorism flourish. Torturing people. It's gotten so weird in this country we are actually arguing if its OK to torture people. That makes me sad and want to bash my head against the wall. Of course it isn't OK to torture someone! How the hell are we even debating this?

All this important shit that needs discussed and they settle on Cheney doing an Elmer Fudd on some old fart. Our media is all about spectacle with no substance. They are a waste and are poisoning the information stream.

The mainstream press won't report on real, important stories because of their corporate sponsorship ties. The alternative press, publications that are less under the thumb of the big guys, do a better job. Let's quit painting everything with the broad old brush.

[SunDevil]

http://www.flurl.com/uploaded/Dick_Cheneys_got_a_gun_69112.html
(Ads on that page might not be safe for work.)


Someone remixed a song about the incident. He should be made to take a hunter safety course. In the end, I bet this shooting saves lives by reminding hunters to be safe.

On the other hand, I bet the people at PETA are loving the fact that the animal got away while the hunter was shot.

[paiger81]

[url]On the other hand, I bet the people at PETA are loving the fact that the animal got away while the hunter was shot.

There are exactly 3 PETA members protesting outside the hospital :razz:

[heatherf]

K, I've only been hunting once....but I thought a big rule was to never shoot behind yourself (in back of yourself)? :neutral:

[paiger81]

K, I've only been hunting once....but I thought a big rule was to never shoot behind yourself (in back of yourself)? :neutral:

With quail hunting you sort of shoot to the side of yourself because the birds are flying away.

Harry W. had shot & killed some & was gathering them up, the remaining hunting party continued forward to another spot that they had spotted birds at.The armstrong lady told Harry W. where the rest of the hunters were & 'somehow' he ended up straying just a little bit west of where the hunters were, so instead of being directly behind the other hunters, he was off to the side.

[NCFotoman]

If it were not the vice president involved it would not have made the papers at all. Hunting accidents happen sometimes. The media jumped right on it and tried to make it a ploitical issue. The late night comics had some fun with it.

[RudeGirl]

Whenever something like this happens, the media's bleeding-heart colors run.

I think my favorite commentary has to be the Village Voice's. It borders on maniacal. Y'know, I'm anti-Iraq war, too, in the interest of fiscal conservatism and prudent global political strategy, but I don't think, even if you're the VP of the "Worst Administration in History, Barring Perhaps that Of Lyndon Johnson or James Buchanan," you deserve to be depicted as a demon-killer who shouldn't own a gun because you "started up stuff in Iraq."

...I have a very liberal interpretation of the Second Amendment, however. I'm aware that the media's interpretation is the exact opposite of mine.

[SpaceMonkey]

I think my favorite commentary has to be the Village Voice's. It borders on maniacal. Y'know, I'm anti-Iraq war, too, in the interest of fiscal conservatism and prudent global political strategy, but I don't think, even if you're the VP of the "Worst Administration in History, Barring Perhaps that Of Lyndon Johnson or James Buchanan," you deserve to be depicted as a demon-killer who shouldn't own a gun because you "started up stuff in Iraq." (emphasis added)

Daaayum, them's fightin' words in Texas. :) And completely clueless on the part of the Village Voice. James Polk led the worst Administration in U.S. history by being the first President to lie to Congress to get us into war. :razz:

[RudeGirl]

(emphasis added)

Daaayum, them's fightin' words in Texas. :) And completely clueless on the part of the Village Voice. James Polk led the worst Administration in U.S. history by being the first President to lie to Congress to get us into war. :razz:

That was my opinion, about el-BJ. I think, see, that the War On Poverty was a huge, huge mistake. But I'm a supply-side asshole like that.

Zachary Taylor had syphillis, so I don't hold him in such high esteem, either. :razz:

[Bruiser]

And completely clueless on the part of the Village Voice.

The Village Voice is essentially a college newspaper for the New York City fringe.

[MetFanL]

I read an article yesterday that said that Cheney and friends were drunk. The Sheriff's Dept. wasn't allowed on the property right away and trusted the owners when they said it was an accident. Without holding the Sheriff's Dept. back, Cheney would have been subject to a blood alcohol test, which he most likely would have failed -- not only if he drank a lot, but definitely b/c of the fact that he's on blood thinners for his heart condition and you can get drunk on one beer when you're on those. I'll see if I can find the article again...

On edit: Here it is. Granted, this guy is totally Blue, but still an interesting theory.

Secret Service agents say Cheney was drunk when he shot lawyer
Posted at February 22, 2006 07:31 AM in The Rant .
By DOUG THOMPSON

Secret Service agents guarding Vice President Dick Cheney when he shot Texas lawyer Harry Whittington on a hunting outing two weeks ago say Cheney was "clearly inebriated" at the time of the shooting and a written report outlining details of the incident has been destroyed, sources tell Capitol Hill Blue.
Agents observed several members of the hunting party, including the Vice President, consuming alcohol before and during the hunting expedition and Cheney exhibited "visible signs" of impairment, including slurred speech and erratic actions.

According to those who have talked with agents and others present at the outing, Cheney appeared drunk when he gunned down his friend and the day-and-a-half delay in allowing Texas law enforcement officials on the ranch where the shooting occurred gave all members of the hunting party time to sober up.

We talked with a number of administration officials who are privy to inside information on the Vice President's shooting "accident" and all admit Secret Service agents and others saw Cheney consume far more than the "one beer' he claimed he drank at lunch earlier that day.

"This was a South Texas hunt," says one White House aide. "Of course there was drinking. There's always drinking. Lots of it."

One agent at the scene has been placed on administrative leave and another requested reassignment this week. A memo reportedly written by one agent, which contained details of the drinking, has been destroyed under orders from the White House, sources said Wednesday afternoon.

Cheney has a long history of alcohol abuse, including two convictions of driving under the influence when he was younger. Doctors tell me that someone like Cheney, who is taking blood thinners because of his history of heart attacks, could get legally drunk now after consuming just one drink.

If Cheney was legally drunk at the time of the shooting, he could be guilty of a felony under Texas law and the shooting, ruled an accident by a compliant Kenedy County Sheriff, would be a prosecutable offense.

But we will never know for sure because the owners of the Armstrong Ranch, where the shooting occurred, barred the sheriff's department from the property on the day of the shooting and Kenedy County Sheriff Ramon Salinas III agreed to wait until the next day to send deputies in to talk to those involved.

Sheriff's Captain Charles Kirk says he went to the Armstrong Ranch immediately after the shooting was reported on Saturday, February 11 but both he and a game warden were not allowed on the 50,000-acre property. He called Salinas who told him to forget about it and return to the station.

"I told him don't worry about it. I'll make a call," Salinas said. The sheriff claims he called another deputy who moonlights at the Armstrong ranch, said he was told it was "just an accident" and made the decision to wait until Sunday to investigate.

"We've known these people for years. They are honest and wouldn't call us, telling us a lie," Salinas said.

Like all elected officials in Kenedy County, Salinas owes his job to the backing and financial support of Katherine Armstrong, owner of the ranch and the county's largest employer.

"The Armstrongs rule Kenedy County like a fiefdom," says a former employee.

Secret Service officials also took possession of all tests on Whittington's blood at the hospitals where he was treated for his wounds. When asked if a blood alcohol test had been performed on Whittington, doctors who treated him at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial in Corpus Christi or the hospital in Kingsville refused to answer. One admits privately he was ordered by the Secret Service to "never discuss the case with the press."

It's a sure bet that is a private doctor who treated the victim of Cheney's reckless and drunken actions can't talk to the public then any evidence that proves the Vice President drunk as a skunk will never see the light of day.

[meatwad]

I'd rather hunt with Dick Cheney then go for a drive with Ted Kennedy. :D