The only odd thing about this story, when I tried to pull it up on Yahoo News or Reuters, the system crashed. Had to go out of this country to get to the story.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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The only odd thing about this story, when I tried to pull it up on Yahoo News or Reuters, the system crashed. Had to go out of this country to get to the story.
It was on the NBC evening news too.
Maybe there were SO many people trying to view it, the system was overwhelmed - or maybe - naw, we couldn't be seeing censorship in the U.S.
The dark Prince doesn't have that much power, does he...?
Posts: 337 | Registered: Nov 2005
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"Cheney shoots lawyer"... if that's how the White House is saying it, that's some of the most brilliant spin I've ever heard Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Was it wrong to burst out laughing when I read this story?
The joke this brought up in our family was that next thing ya know, Cheney will be asking the Prez to go hunting.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Anyone who is suggesting that their inability to view the article due to censorship is... well, wrong. It's been available on loads of US-based news sites ever since the news broke. The most popular of which are having traffic issues, naturally.
Posts: 433 | Registered: Feb 2005
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I feel sorry for the VP's Secret Service detail. I mean, imagine answering questions about how an accidental discharge of a weapon was allowed to happen so close to the VP? I mean, did any of them rush to step between the VP and his gun? Was the VP's gun hand wrestled to the ground and the gun covered with the bodies of his protective forces? What if he'd managed to shoot himself in the foot or something!
I'm also kind of wondering how something like this plays in the international press? They already love to portray Americans as a bunch of trigger-happy gun-toten' cowboys.
Oh well. It really was an accident. I hope the VP takes this opportunity to get a message out about gun safety. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it. Will they ignore it? Laugh it off? Or will he admit that he did something stupid (assuming that the gun didn't just shoot itself, it seems that a stupid mistake was made).
I'm just glad the man wasn't killed.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: I feel sorry for the VP's Secret Service detail. I mean, imagine answering questions about how an accidental discharge of a weapon was allowed to happen so close to the VP? I mean, did any of them rush to step between the VP and his gun? Was the VP's gun hand wrestled to the ground and the gun covered with the bodies of his protective forces? What if he'd managed to shoot himself in the foot or something!
I'm also kind of wondering how something like this plays in the international press? They already love to portray Americans as a bunch of trigger-happy gun-toten' cowboys.
Oh well. It really was an accident. I hope the VP takes this opportunity to get a message out about gun safety. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it. Will they ignore it? Laugh it off? Or will he admit that he did something stupid (assuming that the gun didn't just shoot itself, it seems that a stupid mistake was made).
I'm just glad the man wasn't killed.
LOL - Shades of Gerald Ford's lethal golf swing!
Posts: 337 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Silkie, no offense, but there would have to be some good quality humor first. Your joke was old 4 and half years ago. ---
As for Cheney, one part of me wonders if he'll go to court. I assume not, since his unfortunate target will likely not press charges, but I wonder if the state is "forced" to file charges anyway? Anyway I think Cheney should face legal consequences (if there are any for this situation in Texas). I think probation or community service would be enough. I presume in the end, this will just be a weird trivia question.
posted
This isn't the first time someone was injured in a hunting accident. Why do you feel there should be legal consequences? Maybe one of the lawyers can jump in, but other than things like "reckless discharge", what charges could be filed?
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Well, the lawyer survived. Isn't that enough of a crime to demand crimminal charges?
Hmmm. Iran building nuclear weapons, but Cheney pushes for Iraq invasion for fear of WMD. Yeah, I think our VP has a history of firing his weapon too soon and hitting the wrong target (medical term--Itchitus Fingeritus)
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I can tell what part of the country, and political stripe, most of you belong. In the West this kind of thing happens all the time. Yes, it might give a particular group a "that is why hunting shouldn't be allowed" point. For hunters its more of an accident equal to any sporting event where a particular amount of danger is involved. The only thing weird is that the vice-pres was responsible.
Posts: 2207 | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:In the West this kind of thing happens all the time.
When people get shot out west, they refer to it as "culling the herd." It's not uncommon for four, maybe five guys out of a six-man hunting party to get shot in the face. The one who makes it back alive gets to carve their names in his belt buckle, which is why people with big belt buckles are so revered in their culture.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I'm not saying guns should be restricted, but if there are laws along these lines (involuntary assault? That sounds to serious for the actual event), I was just bringing up that Cheney shouldn't get them brushed under the rug. Which is what I expect will happen.
I'm not going to organize a march or anything, just mentioning that this should apply. If these things are generally swept under the rug, then so be it.
posted
Actually there ar eno laws for such an incident, if the lawyer wishes to press charges for assault, or some such thing he can, but there is no law requiring someone to be prosecuted for an accidental, non fatal, non maiming shooting.
Posts: 242 | Registered: Feb 2005
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I admit it - I have a sense of humor with a twist of lime! So shoot me - Oooops, wrong thread!
Charged with a crime? That's silly - first it was an accident, and second, if the lawyer was there that means he is Cheney's friend (or would like to be one of his friends).
It IS funny though, and will give all the late night comedians fodder for a few days...
Posts: 337 | Registered: Nov 2005
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well, it's not so funny for the guy who was shot... and I kind of got the impression his daughter was ticked.
I also heard Cheney was using a "hunting rifle". While you can get shell shot for rifles, I'd guess he was using a shotgun.
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I'm pretty sure you don't hunt quail with a rifle unless you're really good, and Cheney -- who usually hunts at places which release quail from cages upon demand -- is probably not that good.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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The news reports I heard/read/saw mentioned that the lawyer got hit with "sprayshot" from Cheney's firearm. Sprayshot, to me, who knows next to nothing about guns, seems to imply shotgun. But then, I know nothing about hunting. /shrug
Posts: 1099 | Registered: Apr 2005
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It was a 28 gauge shotgun and he was using buckshot.
I shake my head at the thought, but apparently, Cheney walks around with Doctors and has an ambulance on call, so at least this guy got good, rapid attention.
I find it strange that we didn't hear about for 24 hours.
Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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ummm, buckshot? you generally don't hunt birds with buckshot. Buckshot is kinda big, and this guy wouldn't be in as good condition as he is. He was probably using one of the many sizes of bird shot.
I'm not a hunter myself, although I enjoy shooting and such. I think I'd rather skeet shoot than shoot birds on demand, but hey, that's just me.
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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They had to run an exhaustive background check on the victim. If he'd had any plausible connections to Al Qaeda, they would have let him die and spun it as a positive. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Kayla: It was a 28 gauge shotgun and he was using buckshot.
I shake my head at the thought, but apparently, Cheney walks around with Doctors and has an ambulance on call, so at least this guy got good, rapid attention.
I find it strange that we didn't hear about for 24 hours.
It was birdshot - a spray of little beebees. That is the standard thing that you shoot quail/pheasant/birds with. My Dad was an avid hunter and I am a pretty good shot myself.
Now why would you think it is strange that we didn't hear about it for 24 hrs.? It IS the Dark Prince, after all, and he shot a longtime Republican in a private place.
quote:Shooting victim in Cheney hunting accident is patriarch of Texas Republicans
Monday, February 13, 2006 AUSTIN, Texas - The man accidentally shot by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is an avid hunter and a longtime Republican activist who owns the building where the Republican Party's rise to power in Texas was engineered.
Harry Whittington, 78, was in stable condition at a Corpus Christi,Texas, hospital Monday, recovering from birdshot wounds after he was shot on Saturday in a South Texas ranch.
Whittington, a lawyer, owns the Vaughn building in Austin, which has hosted Republican campaign headquarters for decades. President George W. Bush used the building for his gubernatorial campaigns, current Texas Gov. Rick Perry is there now, and Karl Rove, the architect of Bush's rise to the presidency, used to have an office there as well.
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smitty, they (newspapers) call it both buckshot and shot gun pellets. I assume they are the same thing.
Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: They had to run an exhaustive background check on the victim. If he'd had any plausible connections to Al Qaeda, they would have let him die and spun it as a positive.
posted
no, buckshot is something completely different. Buckshot and slugs are used for hunting deer. Birdshot is used for shooting birds. Rock salt is used for shooting girl scouts and other tresspassers
I though all the higher up Republicans were vampires - can you hunt quail at night?
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I heard a lot of the shot was in the face as well. Depending on the pattern, though, it could possibly hit both.
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I don't know what he was shot with. Would have been nice if Cheney's press office had better informed the press. It must be classified. I wonder if there will be a congressional hearing on who the leak was.
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HollowEarth - lighten up - a sense of humor is a good quality to have.
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