Cheney is not so bad afterall

[Crazed Rabbit]

It's odd that a man who was Secretary of Defence for the world's most powerful army can shoot another man in the face with a shotgun and not kill him.

Well, they were using a light variety of birdshot, I'd guess. Still, I am surprised. And besides, it's not Cheney's fault for 'poor' aim, he got him in the face, after all.

You arn't suggesting shortening the barrel are you , thats illegal .

It's only illegal in the US if you shorten it past a minimum standard. And you don't have to change barrel length to change spread pattern.

Crazed Rabbit

[Samurai Waki]

Thats one of the inheirant dangers of Hunting...the possibility of getting shot (mind you accidentally). However, you try to take away the hunting in the U.S. and you're gonna get a lot more than few grains of buckshot to the face.

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

I used to work summer jobs on hunting estates in the U.K.

People would get shot while beating (occasionally), I was.

There was a bad combination of people with more money than sense + drinks at lunchtime + no hunting experience = danger estate workers.

I think I only ever knew one person to get into any trouble and he was just kicked off the estate (after he'd become drunk and shot people TWICE, the second time he made the mistake of shooting a paying customer at pretty close range).

This was in the U.K. after Dunblane so yay for the obvious effectiveness of gun control in preventing these sorts of accidents (as somebody suggested earlier).

Edit: so you don't have to be hunting large mammals to accidentally shoot someone, following a bird's movements can bring this about too, especially if you are firing at a low trajectory and have lost track of other people's positions. Edit: or are too drunk to notice other people.

Edit: I just read about the incident in more detail. The shooting was precisely the sort of accident that I'm talking about.

[Adrian II]

The same sort of accidents happen as a result of drunk driving, yet we hear nobody call for 'car control'. And I guess nobody minds as long as the victim is a lawyer (or a journalist, I will grudgingly admit).

Pity Cheney doesn't go out hunting* with George Bush more often.

EDIT
* And I mean elephant hunting...

[Watchman]

Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm all for reducing the number of private commuter cars besides firearms... They're just so much more a stark necessity that the topic isn't nearly as pressing.

That and certain modifications to the basic traffic planning paradigm. The parallel-lane system dates back to when people were driving creaky carriages pulled by horses and oxen.

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

The same sort of accidents happen as a result of drunk driving, yet we hear nobody call for 'car control'. And I guess nobody minds as long as the victim is a lawyer (or a journalist, I will grudgingly admit).

Pity Cheney doesn't go out hunting* with George Bush more often.

EDIT
* And I mean elephant hunting...

I guess you're a big fan of Dick then (seeing as a hunting accident involving W and an elephant gun would result in President Cheney).

[Adrian II]

I guess you're a big fan of Dick then (seeing as a hunting accident involving W and an elephant gun would result in President Cheney).

Have you ever fired an elephant gun? My uncle had one when he was a prospector in Africa. Let me tell you, Dick's quadruple by-pass wouldn't survive the repercussion. I know, the U.S. would still have a Republican President if that happened. But we can still dream, can't we?..

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

nope, never fired an elephant gun, sounds like fun.

Big guns are F U N

[Adrian II]

nope, never fired an elephant gun, sounds like fun.

Man, you don't know what hits you when that quarter-pound golfball goes out the other end. Ka-BOOM! Today I think they use nitro-cartridges. Party-poopers.

[drone]

To all those people trying to take away our guns: Sure we have murders and kids shooting each other, but it's a small price to pay for comedic gems like this.

Maybe the guy should have donated more money to the campaign...

[solypsist]

come on guys, leave Cheney alone. Didn't you know that:

a) Washington, Lincoln, and Roosevelt all shot guys in the face, too
b) The Patriot Act gives Cheney the legal authority to shoot guys in the face
c) The victim’s face was harboring Al-Qaeda’s #3 man, or
d) If you’re innocent, you shouldn’t mind a shotgun blast to the face

[Xiahou]

Anyone catch the White House press corps reacting to this? They were just mind blowing- never have I seen a more ridiculous, overstuffed, self-important group of people.

"Is it now appropriate for the Vice President to offer his resignation?"
I pity Scott McClellan....

You can watch it here if you have RealPlayer:
rtsp://video.c-span.org/60days/whpb021306.rm

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I'm just sad that all the media hoopla about not having served has pushed Cheney to seek combat after all these years....

[Bartix]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...itics-national

Although he was not cited with breaking any laws, Vice President Dick Cheney did not have proper hunting credentials when he accidentally shot a fellow hunter at a private ranch over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

Karma?

Now people will be having cheap shots at the VP:

while the quail turned out to be a 78-year-old man, even knowing that today, Mr. Cheney insists he would still have shot Mr. Whittington in the face.

Do you know that Dick Cheney tortured the guy for a half-hour before he shot him?

Maybe silly he getting more grief from this than Plame outing?

[Adrian II]

Between Seamus Fermanagh and Bartix I am laughing my butt off. Good old-fashioned Backroom thread.

[Adrian II]

This is getting curiouser and curiouser. The local sheriff has declared the case closed ('just an accident') without having interviewed the victim of the shooting. The whole thing happened at the home of a lobbyist. For the White House, the incident apparently hadn't happened at all until Karl Rove decided that it had.

[Lemur]

This year-old montage is more timely than ever:

[makkyo]

This is getting curiouser and curiouser. The local sheriff has declared the case closed ('just an accident') without having interviewed the victim of the shooting. The whole thing happened at the home of a lobbyist. For the White House, the incident apparently hadn't happened at all until Karl Rove decided that it had.

The guy is in the hospital and just suffered a heart attack. I don't think he's up to interviews.

Perhaps none of you have been hunting and understand the very real possibilty that everybody has of getting in an accident. These kind of things happen a lot. Big supprise: guns can shoot and hurt.

[Xiahou]

The guy is in the hospital and just suffered a heart attack. I don't think he's up to interviews.

Perhaps none of you have been hunting and understand the very real possibilty that everybody has of getting in an accident. These kind of things happen a lot. Big supprise: guns can shoot and hurt.

Indeed, accidents have been ruled when the victim is dead- obviously his input isnt necessary if the evidence and eyewitness testimony shows it to be an accident.

On a related note, the WH press corps was at it again today- unbelievable.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Scott Mc. in the press room at the White House has been making a big mistake.

If he'd only provide the Press with an actual demonstration......

[Goofball]

It's odd that a man who was Secretary of Defence for the world's most powerful army can shoot another man in the face with a shotgun and not kill him.

Siggied!

Excellent! I have been bored with my old one for quite some time, but hadn't found anything sig-worthy until now!

[Strike For The South]

and now a play

Seceratary: Mr. Bush God on line 1

GW: Really!

GW: Hello God

God: Hello George

GW: Whyaddya want?

God: Um could um yea... um downplay our relatioship a bit more.

GW: Well yea

God: Great Great

GW: bu

God: Wait Cheneys on the other line.

God: Yes Sir



SOLY IN TEH SIG

[KafirChobee]

When I was a kid, 7-10, my Dad let me tag along with him hunting the fields around the family farm. At 11 I received my first shotgun (Mom's old 4-10, which to me should be the manditory weapon for fowl and rabbits - using a 12 gauge is not hunting - it's just killing .... and really f's up the meat.). My brothers and I were taught safety, safety, safety - and the first rule is to know where your fellow hunters are at all times. The second rule is to never hunt with a idiot.
Cheney broke the first rule, and the fella he shot broke the second one.

Listening to the lady that ran the "hunting ranch" on how the incident occurred made me realise it wasn't really hunting - they were just out to kill something (pet quail). When she said, "We got out of the car .... walked to where the covey were .... and Chenry shot the man in the face ... etc." I realized what a farce the entire thing was. It's not like they were out walking the fields with dogs (never cared for dogs my self - unfair advantage, but that's just me).

Shooting someone in the manner that Cheney did? It is laughable, except the man he shot is 78 and is now in serious condition. Will Cheney be charged with reckless endangerment? Or, hunting without a proper license? Or, god forbid, Manslaughter? Probably no to all accounts.

What bothers the press corp (Whitehouse or other wise) about this entire affair is that Cheney tried to cover it up, and that McClellan won't even be honest about something as non-political as this event. That is what bothers them, nothing more.

BTW? Are you talking about Geo. Washington and Lincoln shooting men - as in the wars they participated in? We all know Cheney's 7 derferments for hemroids kept him out of my war. But, boy does he like killing things raised as chickens and in a cage - or old men he's hunting with.

[Major Robert Dump]

Anyone catch the White House press corps reacting to this? They were just mind blowing- never have I seen a more ridiculous, overstuffed, self-important group of people.

"Is it now appropriate for the Vice President to offer his resignation?"
I pity Scott McClellan....

You can watch it here if you have RealPlayer:
rtsp://video.c-span.org/60days/whpb021306.rm

that was a funny conference, but man you gotta admit, Scott sucks. He really sucks, he is getting better though, but he just sucks. Bring back Arty, please, i loved that guy

[Major Robert Dump]

BTW, in case it hasn't been mentioned before, does anyone think maybe there was alcohol involved and certain parties wanted to sober up before alerting local authorities? Just curious....

[Adrian II]

Indeed, accidents have been ruled when the victim is dead- obviously his input isnt necessary if the evidence and eyewitness testimony shows it to be an accident.

The shooting victim's input is 'obviously' unnecessary?

[Xiahou]

The shooting victim's input is 'obviously' unnecessary?

To rule it an accident? When there's a crowd of eyewitnesses all saying it was?

No, you're probably right- it's a conspiracy.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Well the Comedians sure had a ball with this

"The Late Show With David Letterman" (CBS)
"Good news ladies and gentleman, we have finally located weapons of mass destruction … It's Dick Cheney."

* * *
"We can't get Bin Laden, but we nailed a 78-year-old attorney."

* * *
"Honestly, I don't know what all of the fuss is about. What's more American than shooting your hunting buddy in the ass?"

* * *
"The guy who got gunned down is a Republican lawyer and a big Republican donor and fortunately the buck shot was deflected by wads of laundered cash. So he's fine. He took a little in the wallet."

* * *
From "Cheney's Excuses," Monday night's Top 10 list: "I thought the guy was trying to go gay cowboy on me."

"The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" (Comedy Central)
A partial transcript:

Jon Stewart: "Yes, as you've just heard, a near-tragedy over the weekend in south Texas. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a man during a quail hunt at a political supporter's ranch. Making 78-year-old Harry Whittington the first person shot by a sitting VP since Alexander Hamilton.

"Hamilton, of course, shot in a duel with Aaron Burr over issues of honor, integrity and political maneuvering. Whittington? Mistaken for a bird.

* * *
The other player in the drama? Ranch owner and eyewitness Katharine Armstrong.

Katharine Armstrong: "We were shooting a covey of quail. The vice president and two others got out of the car to walk up the covey."

Jon Stewart: "What kind of hunting story begins with getting out of your car? As I sighted the great beast before us, my shaking hands could barely engage the parking brake. Slowly, I turned off the A/C and silenced my sub-woofers…"

* * *
Katharine Armstrong: "A bird flushed. The vice president took aim at the bird and shot and unfortunately, Mr. Whittington was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty well."

Jon Stewart: "Peppered. There you have it. Harry Whittington, seasoned to within an inch of his life.

* * *
Jon Stewart: "I'm joined now by our own vice-presidential firearms mishap analyst, Rob Corddry. Rob, obviously a very unfortunate situation. How is the vice president handling it?

Rob Corddry: "Jon, tonight the vice president is standing by his decision to shoot Harry Wittington. According to the best intelligence available, there were quail hidden in the brush. Everyone believed at the time there were quail in the brush.

"And while the quail turned out to be a 78-year-old man, even knowing that today, Mr. Cheney insists he still would have shot Mr. Whittington in the face. He believes the world is a better place for his spreading buckshot throughout the entire region of Mr. Whittington's face."

Jon Stewart: "But why, Rob? If he had known Mr. Whittington was not a bird, why would he still have shot him?"

Rob Corddry: "Jon, in a post-9-11 world, the American people expect their leaders to be decisive. To not have shot his friend in the face would have sent a message to the quail that America is weak."

Jon Stewart: "That's horrible."

Rob Corddry: "Look, the mere fact that we're even talking about how the vice president drives up with his rich friends in cars to shoot farm-raised wingless quail-tards is letting the quail know 'how' we're hunting them. I'm sure right now those birds are laughing at us in that little 'covey' of theirs.

Jon Stewart: "I'm not sure birds can laugh, Rob."

Rob Corddry: "Well, whatever it is they do … coo .. they're cooing at us right now, Jon, because here we are talking openly about our plans to hunt them. Jig is up. Quails one, America zero.

Jon Stewart: "Okay, well, on a purely human level, is the vice president at least sorry?"

Rob Corddry: "Jon, what difference does it make? The bullets are already in this man's face. Let's move forward across party lines as a people … to get him some sort of mask."

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC)
Among the jokes in consideration for Monday's telecast:

"It's part of the president's new Social Security plan. Once you hit 78, kablamo."

* * *
"Luckily, the guy he shot was wearing the body armor that never got shipped to the troops."

* * *
"You know what they say, if Dick Cheney comes out of his hole and shoots an old man in the face, 6 more weeks of winter."

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (NBC)
"Although it is beautiful here in California, the weather back East has been atrocious. There was so much snow in Washington, D.C. Dick Cheney accidentally shot a fat guy thinking it was a polar bear."

* * *
"When people found out he shot a lawyer his popularity is now at 92%"

* * *
"After he shot the guy, he screamed, 'Anyone else want to call domestic wire tapping illegal?' "

* * *
"Something I just found out today about the incident. Do you know that Dick Cheney tortured the guy for a half hour before he shot him?"

* * *
"Cheney's defense is that he was aiming at a quail when he shot the guy. Which means that Cheney now has the worst aim of anyone in the White House since Bill Clinton."

I was looking for the top ten excuses but I couldnt find them.

LINK

[KafirChobee]

And, as Bushy would says, "Dees coupes days grassys.":

http://www.dickcheneygunclub.com/

More to come.

[Ronin]

the daily show jokes are up to their usual top level