Krauthammer: Cheney did "manly thing" in withholding hunting accident info
SUMMARY: On Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, nationally syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer said that Vice President Dick Cheney "did the manly thing" in withholding information from the public concerning his accidental shooting of hunting companion Harry Whittington.
On the February 14 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, nationally syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer said that Vice President Dick Cheney "did the manly thing" in withholding information from the public concerning his accidental shooting of lawyer Harry Whittington during a hunting excursion in Texas on February 11. Krauthammer said that, in withholding the information, Cheney had decided, "I'll take the heat, but I'm going to give my host and my friend, who just got shot, a half a day of reprieve." Krauthammer's characterization of Cheney's handling of the accident as "manly" is interesting, given the fact that, in the four days since it occurred, the vice president has not once appeared in public to address the incident and remained silent as the White House press secretary, the host of the hunting party, and the vice president's own adviser laid blame for the incident on the man Cheney shot.
During a February 13 White House press briefing -- after the "half a day of reprieve" observed by Krauthammer had elapsed -- press secretary Scott McClellan responded to a reporter's question about whether Cheney followed appropriate safety procedures by noting that Katharine Armstrong, whose family owns the ranch where the incident occurred, said publicly that it was Whittington who was not following the safety protocol.
Cheney also disclaimed any responsibility for the shooting through a spokesperson on February 12. The Washington Post quoted Republican political strategist Mary Matalin as saying that Cheney "felt badly, obviously. On the other hand, he was not careless or incautious or violate any of the [rules]. He didn't do anything he wasn't supposed to do." According to the newspaper, Matalin conferred with Cheney the morning after the shooting before speaking to the Post.
From the February 14 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
KRAUTHAMMER: It's not about the shooting. And it's disproportionate, because as Mort [Kondracke, Roll Call executive editor] indicated, this is about other issues. This is about the press thinking that, on weapons of destruction, on the torture and all this other stuff, information is being withheld. So it takes it out on McClellan, the poor guy, on this trivial delay. It is a trivial delay. In fact, I can understand, if you were the vice president and you just shot a friend, you feel awful for him. You want to worry about him. And you know that if you call up NBC, you're going to have the world at the hospital, the world at the farm. You're going to have your host and your victim and all of the others besieged. You might want to give them a 12-hour reprieve to sort of get things straightened out.
MARA LIASSON (National Public Radio national political correspondent): Well, give him a 12-hour reprieve and issue a statement. Don't just call a local newspaper.
KRAUTHAMMER: What I'm saying is it was a decision that I think -- look, he knew -- Cheney knew he would get a lot of heat for withholding this, and I think he did the manly thing. He decided, "I'll take the heat, but I'm going to give my host and my friend, who just got shot, a half a day of reprieve." Anyway, it's a minor issue, and to make it into this -- I mean, it was a zoo at the White House yesterday. I think the public had the right reaction. It was disproportionate and unseemly.
From the February 13 White House press briefing:
QUESTION: I know you had a chance to speak to, I assume, the president and the vice president today. Did the vice president follow all of the appropriate safety procedures that are familiar to hunters in this case?
McCLELLAN: I think if you've got specifics about that, probably direct them to the vice president's office. I don't know all the specifics about it, but I think Mrs. Armstrong spoke publicly about how this incident occurred. And if I recall, she pointed out that the protocol was not followed by Mr. Whittington, when it came to notifying the others that he was there. And so, you know, unfortunately these types of hunting accidents happen from time to time. And all of us were most concerned about Mr. Whittington. And as I said, the vice president was glad to see he was doing fine yesterday and that he's in good spirits. He is someone that many of us here know and have great respect for, and we look forward to him getting out of the hospital soon.
Have to give this right wing pinheads credit for a couple things.
First they can dream up a excuse for anything, I swear Bush could take a crap on the white house lawn and they would say something like It protects us from Terrorists.
Second they can say them without laughing. I can't even read it without busting out laughing. That takes some control.
It made me burst out with laughter!
The Strategic Feces Initiative
Krauthammer has just revealed his ultimate fantasy...to watch Dick Cheney play the role of John Wayne! I guess that pretty much sums up this administration's style of "governance" over the last 5 years...
Sorry Chuck, The manly thing would beto know how to use a shotgun in a safe manner, the manly thing would be sure of your target! And Chucky a real man would admit a mistake asap....the above are not neocon traits are they?
Breaking the law (not reporting a gun wound to the police is a crime) is part of what they call "being manly". Well then, I guess Clinton did the manly thing lying about his BJs.
Trying to keep an eye on all these double standards is not just straining my eyes but my patience.
not reporting a gun wound to the police is a crime
THIS ITEM is as good an example as any of FOX News and it's commentators serving as mouthpieces for the administration (mouthpiece, defender, apologist, p.r. spokesperson, lawyer, paid advocate: take your pick).
Would FOX News and it's commentators serve the same role in the cases of...
A Cruise Line delaying reporting to authorities a passenger having fallen overboard?
A Company delaying reporting an oil or toxic chemical spill?
A Nuclear Plant delaying reporting any mishap of any kind?
A Motorist leaving the scene of an accident, delaying reporting it to authorities?
A University delaying reporting a serious injury to a student on campus?
A Parent or Babysitter delaying reporting an injury to a child?
...the examples are endless, but for this administration, the mouthpieces are few; and they are effective; and FOX News and it's commentators serve the lead role in that regard (mouthpiece, defender, apologist, p.r. spokesperson, lawyer, paid advocate: call it what you like).
Again, from the item's transcribed quotations...
KRAUTHAMMER: It's not about the shooting...This is about the press thinking that, on weapons of destruction...and all this other stuff, information is being withheld. So it takes it out on McClellan, the poor guy, on this trivial delay. It is a trivial delay. ...You might want to give them a 12-hour reprieve to sort of get things straightened out.
...What I'm saying is it was a decision that I think -- look, he knew -- Cheney knew he would get a lot of heat for withholding this... He decided, "I'll take the heat, but I'm going to give my host and my friend, who just got shot, a half a day of reprieve." Anyway, it's a minor issue, and to make it into this... I think the public had the right reaction. It was disproportionate and unseemly.
[mouthpiece, defender, apologist, p.r. spokesperson, lawyer, paid advocate: take your pick]
In the 14 hours it took to report the shooting accident to police (I'm under the impression that Sherriff's Deputies went to the Ranch that night, regarding the helicopter Med-Evacuation, and they were turned away at the gate by Secret Service), in that time a person may sober up, overnight...
...which is of course nothing but wild speculation as to why the police were not informed in a more timely manner that someone had been shot accidentally...
...but it is almost certain that, when the shooter was interviewed the next day, he'd have been asked:
"Were you drinking at the time of the accident? Did you have anything at all to drink that day? And if so, how much, what, and when?"
...all in order to determine whether or not there is any criminal liability in this accidental shooting; whether or not the shooter was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
And so wild speculations aside, I wonder what the 'next day' answers to those questions were; because to lie in such an interview is a crime in itself, of 'filing a false police report'.
Are you sure it was Krauthammer that uttered THIS stupidity and not Fred Barnes? Dumb&dumber.;-)
I swear These TWO have conjured up MORE excuses (no matter how absurd or laughable) in an attempt to absolve this administration of anything, anytime, anywhere.
Our threshhold (as a people) for laughable excuses has sunk so low, politicians and commentators know they can just say, "Boogada, boogada, boogada." and the respective followers will convince themselves how refreshing, thoughtful, articulate and wise such comments are.
Is a very funny guy. I don't think he realizes how funny he really is. What isn't funny is how these guys will twist logic, common sense and many times decency itself in order to protect and promote their beloved president. Twisted people.
You know, I think I've seen Krauthammer somewhere before. Didn't he play Kramer on Seinfeld? Seriously, unslick the hair a bit and voila! But since his days in comedy, he's gone and done the manly thing and gotten a "serious" job in media.
The manly thing would have been to adnit the wrong doing, not delay and cover up.
... includes NOT defying law enforcement authority. The officers with jurisdiction showed up at the ranch to investigate the incident, and Cheney had them sent AWAY. This is not "manly", this is COWARDLY.
Apparently, Cheney NOW is "taking full responsibility". What does this MEAN, to a real MAN? For Cheney, it will mean NO consequences. He made sure of this, by defying law enforcement AT THE TIME.
So now, taking responsibility means only adopting rhetoric, and coordinating the White House and the Media into "putting this behind us". In other words, act like it never happened.
Of course, the big FOX NEWS story will be how the "rest" of the Media made way too much of a big deal about this whole thing. Astonishing and wildly hypocritical, they will ask rhetorically how all this in Cheney's PERSONAL LIFE will be affecting Americans, really? The chutzpah and gall of these people, who made their careers over making an impeachable offense out of a consensual sexual affair!
The hypocricy is so astronomical, it's amazing these people's heads don't explode on screen.
I know that this post might be deleted but:
I swear I saw Legolas take Krauthammer's head at Helms Deep
I think people are just being too tough on a "manly man" who took five deferments during the Vietnam War. Sir Dick is probably hoping he's in the "last throes" of this story.
the "thing" that Cheney did wasn't "Cowardly".... it wasn't "Manly".....
It was nothing more than an:
"ABUSE OF POWER AND POSITION!!"
Try doing this (shoo'ing away the sheriff) the next time you shoot someone and see if you don't end up with a broken rib or two and a long stint in jail for your troubles!!
Darn pesty law enforcement officers, how dare they try and do their job.....