A bigger bang
All apologies to the Stones for the title, but this incident of Cheney’s “hunting accident” has grown beyond a simple “oops, my bad” into a metaphor for the entire Bush administration- The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. And while it’s entirely possible that the reality of the situation is as described- wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time- the handling of it by Cheney and the White House bears all the hallmarks of being a Chimp Co. production.
Incident occurs on Saturday, but the media don’t find it out till Sunday– and then only because the landowner spoke to the local media. I dunno, the first VP to shoot someone since Aaron Burr most likely qualifies as a national news story.
Cheney refuses to speak to local law enforcement (who are turned away by the Secret Service) until the next morning. Was it so he could sober up?
Victim suffers a “minor heart attack”, news of which is relayed to the White House by 9:30 to 10 Tuesday morning- but isn’t reported by press stooge McCellan when asked if there are any new developments in case at a press conference later that day.
Hunters on the internet chime in that the accounts of the shooting don’t add up, casting the VP’s story into doubt.
Cheney, in his best “F you” manner, refuses to speak to the press about incident, even when his own parties members call on him to.
My take? Cheney had been drinking, stumbled, and the gun went off- much closer than reported (hunters are quoted as saying that the pattern of dispersal of pellets indicate that the victim was within 5-10 yards, not 30, of Cheney when shot.) I think the guy is dead, or nearly so, and the WH is simply attempting to put a postive spin on this. But as anyone who has tried knows, no matter how hard ya rub, you can’t put a shine on shit.
Bottom line, our Vice President shot someone, and has attempted to cover it up, blame the victim, and lie about it ever since. Like Iraq. Or Katrina. Or Abu Grabib.
