Fitzwater, Former WH Press Secretary, Blasts Handling of Cheney Shooting

[sabra]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001996613

Fitzwater, Former WH Press Secretary, Blasts Handling of Cheney Shooting -- As Victim Suffers Heart Attack


NEW YORK Former White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater criticized Vice President Dick Cheney Tuesday for delaying the release of information about his hunting accident on Saturday, saying Cheney "ignored his responsibility to the American people." He told E&P he was "appalled by the whole handling of this."

"The responsibility for handling this, of course, was Cheney's," Fitzwater, who served as presidential press secretary for George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, told E&P in a phone interview from his Maryland home. "What he should have done was call his press secretary and tell her what happened and she then would have gotten a hold of the doctor and asked him what happened. Then interview Katharine Armstrong to get her side of events and then put out a statement to inform the public.

"They could have done all of that in about two hours on Saturday. It is beyond me why it was not done this way."

The shooting victim, Harry Whittington, suffered a heart attack today when birdshot migrated to his heart but is still listed in stable condition.

[medeak]

1. lack of hunter judgment....yahoo news

The wildlife department issued a report Monday that found the main factor contributing to the accident was a "hunter's judgment factor." No other secondary factors were found to have played a role.

Surely they couldn't mean Cheney?!

[opihimoimoi]

2. So much for the PEPPERING phrase the Pub Whores been using...

Peppering don't cause pellets lodging nx to the HEART///shooting does.

[ypsiguy]

3. From a Yahoo! discussion:

Conservatives have chimed on regarding this story, and from their comments I've learned the following:

Every conservative on the internet is an avid hunter and they've all been shot multiple times.

Shooting other members of your hunting party is normal, common, and all just part of the experience.

Shotguns aren't really guns, just toys. You can't really hurt people with them, only animals.

It's standard hunter etiquette to yell and scream at your fellow hunters as they're stalking their prey.

The most dangerous place to be is behind the people with the guns.

[SoCalDem]

4. They should write a book..Hunting, Cheney Style

Welcome to DU :hi:

[meganmonkey]

5. Thanks for the summary

and for taking one for the team (those Yahoo board people scare the crap outta me! :scared: )

:toast:

[sadiesworld]

8. LOL

Welcome to DU!

(Maybe you could check out the frequency of pellet-induced heart attacks?)

[jedicord]

11. This has GOT to be a Rush talking point.

One guy said the exact same things to me today. I knew it sounded fishy. I'm from Texas and know a lot of hunters, have even gone to a weekend deer hunt (didn't hunt, learned that you don't stay up all night drinking, but that's another story).

Safety is paramount, bottom line. If someone had even had a near miss he would have been shunned from hunting with the group ever again.

Welcome to DU!:hi:

[tanyev]

15. It's amazing there's still so many of them alive.

[BR_Parkway]

6. Damn, I quickly read Fitz, and thought someone was getting indicted

THAT would be a great Valentine's present

[SillyGoose]

7. I thought it said Fitzgerald Blasts Handling of Cheney Shooting

when I read it at first and I had to do a double-take.

This incident has been handled very badly by the VP and Administration. In fact, the whole thing smells.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

9. They cover-up instinctively, it's second nature to them

To approach something forthrightly like Fitzwater is suggesting is anathema to them. If they could, they would prohibit anyone and everyone connected with this from saying anything at all. They are at a total loss if they don't have their "National Security: blanket to cover with.

[Uben]

10. I have been hunting for forty years

Neither I, nor anyone I I have ever known, has shot a fellow hunter. I have never been peppered or sprayed with shot, either. This is not a common occurrence. It is the direct result of negligence on the part Of Cheney. The bastard is too damned smug to admit he screwed up. He is not a leader. A leader would have taken responsibility and acted swiftly in getting the news out.

We all screw up now and then. It's human nature. When you do, you face it head on, learn from the experience, and move on. I'm sure Cheney feels bad about what happened, but the irresponsible way it was handled leads me to believe he fell back on his old modus operandi of "never admit a mistake", and made the decision not to waver off of it. The act of a coward.

[ninkasi]

12. A random thought, here...

and this is strictly meant in the same way Ann Coulter made her comment about poison and a Supreme Court Justice...you know, humor in poor taste...but what a shame that when Cheney was hunting with Scalia...well, you can finish the thought. Strictly humor, I assure you, Agent Mike. :evilgrin:

[CottonBear]

13. Bad thought. We'd end up w/ someone to the right of Scalia.

:scared: Please don't let any Supremes go hunting with Cheney. :(

[ninkasi]

14. Someone to the right of Scalia?

Well, neither Hitler or Atilla the Hun are still alive, but I do see your point.

[tanyev]

16. How about Rove?

[ROakes1019]

17. other Repugs

Also, Ari Fleisher and Bob Novak have come out strongly against the handling of the Cheney affair.

[AlCzervik]

18. love the headline---snicker