Does this give you a reason to like Cheney?

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

I guess we now know why it took almost 24 Hours for the White house to release this news. It takes time to come up with a good story and make sure everyone toes the line.

See above posting.

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Interestingly, it looks like this really isn't Cheney's fault. No one, including the victim, is disputing how this happened.

I'm not one to want to see Cheney strung up for this, but it is most definitely his fault.

Originally Posted by scaeagles

The vic left the hunting party. When you return to a hunting party, you are supposed to let everyone know you have returned. He did not.

This is true, but in no way absolves Cheney of responsibility. It is the responsibility of the shooter to identify the target and what is beyond it. Most any hunter education program can clear this up for you if my word does not suffice.

Originally Posted by scaeagles

He was not in line of sight, and in fact was flanking Cheney. When the dogs flushed out the quail and they started flying, Cheney followed them along their flight route, which went directly toward the vic.

... bringing the vic into the line of sight. Cheney shot Whittington from about 30 yards away.

Cheney goes shooting without a clear target and someone gets hurt. Then we have the coverup, and failing that we start blaming the victim.

blah blah blah blah

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

This is true, but in no way absolves Cheney of responsibility. It is the responsibility of the shooter to identify the target and what is beyond it. Most any hunter education program can clear this up for you if my word does not suffice.

Do you know the blast pattern of birdshot? Have you ever hunted birds? When flowing the flight path of birds and aiming through sites, you must know that all members of the hunting party are not in the line of the flight path, predictable because they will fly in the opposite direction of the dogs that scare them out of the brush.

But wait! Cheney did know about all members of the hunting party.....except the one that came back unannounced.

Sigh.

The hunting safety you are referring to is regarding ground based game. You never fire a rifle or arrow at a land based target without knowing what was behind it. This is not possible when following the flight path of birds.

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Do you know the blast pattern of birdshot?

Yes

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Have you ever hunted birds?

I grew up and live now in rural Mississippi. YES, I have hunted birds (quail and dove), deer (gun and bow), rabbit, and squirrel. I am not an avid hunter now, but had some fun with it in scouts (I am an eagle scout with a marksmanship merit badge, if you want ancient history) and in high school.

So that's 2 people who's hunting experience you've questioned so far. What's your experience?

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Sigh.

Tough day?

I don't know why you're so upset with me anyway. My first comment on this was "I'm not one to want to see Cheney strung up for this". And I don't. This was clearly an accident. But I do realize where the responsibility lies, whether you do or not.

[Gemini Cricket]

Guns don't shoot people. People shoot people. Unless you get shot by the vice president, then no one shot you.
Oy.

Cheney can't even apologize for the accident. Wouldn't want the vp on record for apologizing to someone. Cheney should have had an idea of where everyone was before he shot. You don't shoot unless everyone is behind you. He broke that rule.

Blame the victim. What the heck is that all about?

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Cheney should have had an idea of where everyone was before he shot. You don't shoot unless everyone is behind you. He broke that rule.

Well, no. Because the vic did not make it aware that he had returned - something no one disputes - Cheney had everyone accounted for except the person that returned without announcing it.

So....it was an accident, no one disputes it was an accident, no one disputes the circumstances of the accident, no one (in the hunting party) disputes the man returning without announcing it, but because it took 18-24 hours for the story to be released, there must be a cover up?

[scaeagles]

Do you hunt? Do you know about hunting safety? Do you know about bird hunting?

Cheney pulled the trigger, no doubt.

"Nothing is this administration's fault"? How does the administration come into this? This is a hunting accident.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Do you hunt? Do you know about hunting safety? Do you know about bird hunting?

Cheney pulled the trigger, no doubt.

"Nothing is this administration's fault"? How does the administration come into this? This is a hunting accident.

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

This is just another example, like we really need one, of the institutional arrogance typical of the entire Bush Administration.

Cheney did not have a hunting licence, Cheney refused to meet with local police investigating a shooting, Cheney withheld the information on this as long as possible.

This is only a story because of the delay. If Cheney had cooperated with Police and issued a statement right off the bat apologizing and sending the guy his best wishes for a speedy recovery then this would have been the non-story it should have been but Cheney had to play by his rules where truth and information are what HE thinks they should be.

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

If Cheney had cooperated with Police and issued a statement right off the bat apologizing and sending the guy his best wishes for a speedy recovery then this would have been the non-story it should have been but Cheney had to play by his rules where truth and information are what HE thinks they should be.

Now now now, Moonliner.... I read that Cheney was extremely worried about his friend in the hospital as he sat down to dinner.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

Cheney did not have a hunting licence

THAT is inexcusable. You must have all the proper licenses and/or tags to participate in hunting or fishing.

Wait! As a GOP member, was I just critical of a GOP vp? May it never be! Oh, my eyes have been opened and I see the error of my ways in support of any republican!