February 17, 2006
YOU MEAN HE DIDN'T CALL FOR HIS RESIGNATION?:
Shooting victim supports Cheney: Whittington, 78, says 'accidents do and will happen' (Associated Press, 2/17/06)
The lawyer shot by Vice President Dick Cheney during a hunting trip was discharged from a hospital Friday and told reporters he was deeply sorry for all the trouble Cheney had faced over the past week. [...]In Texas, Whittington wore a suit and tie as he gave his brief statement outside the hospital. His voice was a bit raspy, but strong, and he had what appeared to be a line of cuts on his upper right eyelid and scrapes on his neck.
"We all assume certain risks in what we do, in what activities we pursue," the 78-year-old Austin attorney said. "Accidents do and will happen." [...]
During his statement, Whittington said the past weekend involved "a cloud of misfortune and sadness that is not easy to explain, especially with those who are not familiar with the great sport of quail hunting."
He said he sent his love and respect to Cheney and his family.
"My family and I are deeply sorry for everything Vice President Cheney and his family have had to deal with," he said. "We hope that he will continue to come to Texas and seek the relaxation that he deserves."
MORE:
White House Slow to Reveal Burr-Hamilton Duel (Joel Achenbach, 2/13/06, Washington Post)
A Washington Post researcher dug up this notice that ran on page 3 of the July 18, 1804 edition of the Gettysburg Centinel:Posted by Orrin Judd at February 17, 2006 6:05 PM"By a gentleman from Philadelphia we learn, that last week a duel took place at New York, between Colonel Aaron Burr, Vice President of the U. States, and General Alexander Hamilton, in which the latter was mortally wounded, and expired in a short time after he was taken from the field. The cause of the duel, or who was the challenger, we did not learn."
Mr. Whittington is setting a very dangerous precedent for the "not my fault" crowd. The least he could do is sue! Doesn't he realize he's the victim here?
Posted by: John Resnick at February 17, 2006 6:18 PMBut in a greater sense, John, are we all not the victim? Don't we deserve to live in a nation in which the Vice President doesn't have to go all the way to Texas and accidently shoot his friends for relaxation? If we can put a man on the moon, can't we bring Dick Cheney's friends to Washington so he can accidentally shoot them from the comfort of his own living room? And, just maybe, we can heal the rift that threatens to rend our great nation by having David Gregory host the shooting on pay-per-view.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 17, 2006 6:31 PMDavid: That was deep, man. I guess I never really looked at it that way. (sigh) Thank you.
Posted by: John Resnick at February 17, 2006 6:38 PMWell I guess the story of the Shotgun Massacre of the Century is over.
Posted by: AllenS at February 17, 2006 7:32 PMAllen, Maybe it should be the "Texas Birdshot Massacre".
Posted by: jdkelly at February 17, 2006 8:09 PMcheney should hold a press conference and bring a really mean looking big bore shotgun to the podium.
Posted by: toe at February 17, 2006 8:23 PMtoe: maybe he should carry the shotgun when he next visits the senate. Would love to see the look on Pat Leahy's face.
Posted by: sam at February 17, 2006 8:52 PM. . . especially the right side of his face.
Posted by: obc at February 17, 2006 9:59 PMGiven all the fervor on the left this has whipped up over the previous five days, it was funny to watch Keith Olbermann tonight snidely berate the game warden of Kenedy County for incorrectly outlining the pellet wound locations correctly, since the differences in stories berween his report, Armstrong, Cheney and the sheriff's office was the basis for the deliberate cover-up story that the left side of the blog world was assuming must have happened ("Countdown" being the most up-to-the-minute place to get all your moonbat conspiracy theories Monday through Friday).
Posted by: John at February 17, 2006 10:02 PMDavid Cohen:
I'd be worried David Gregory might shoot Cheney.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at February 17, 2006 11:52 PMMatt:
Gregory would more than likely shoot himself in the foot. Or miss Cheney, and hit Helen Thomas in the hind-quarters. Hmmm....
Posted by: jim hamlen at February 18, 2006 12:56 AMI kept seeing all these headlines that Whittington apologized to the Cheneys. If I tell someone I'm sorry to hear about some unfortunate thing that happened to them, like their cat dying, I'm not apologizing. I'm just sorry. What can't people understand about that?
Posted by: RC at February 18, 2006 1:42 AMActually from what I've read Whittington really should apologize for being where he was without warning the line. I'm sure he honestly feels bad about it. Cheney should have given him one in the buttocks for being there.
Posted by: Genecis at February 18, 2006 1:03 PMMore like saying you're sorry they were offended rather than you're sorry for the incident.
Posted by: erp at February 18, 2006 1:24 PM