The Cheney shooting story is full of holes - look at this:

[FormerRepublican]

On Yahoo today it quotes Ms. Armstrong as saying:

"Katharine Armstrong, owner of the ranch where the shooting occurred, said it happened toward the end of the hunt, when it was still sunny but as darkness was encroaching and they were preparing to go inside. She said Whittington made a mistake by not announcing that he had walked up to rejoin the hunting line, and Cheney didn't see him as he tried to down a bird.

Armstrong said she saw Cheney's security detail running toward the scene. "The first thing that crossed my mind was he had a heart problem," she told The Associated Press."

Yahoo Link

If the first thing she saw was Cheney's security detail running toward the scene, and she thought Cheney'd had a heart attack, then she WASN'T an eyewitness and shouldn't be talking in the press about what happened when she has no freaking idea. If she didn't see or hear anything, which she indicates by saying she thought Cheney'd had heart problems, then how the freak does SHE know if Whittington announced himself or not, or even if Cheney had seen him and shot anyway? She DOESN'T KNOW what happened, but Cheney has her out there spinning the press to cover his mess.

In addition:

"She said Cheney stayed "close but cool" while the agents and medical personnel treated Whittington, then took him by ambulance to the hospital. Later, the hunting group sat down for dinner while Whittington was being treated, receiving updates from a family member at the hospital. Armstrong described Cheney's demeanor during dinner as "very worried" about Whittington."

So if they all sat down to dinner together while Whittington was being treated, then their excuse that the delay in reporting the shooting was due to seeing that Whittington was getting proper treatment is pure bunk. They weren't even WITH Whittington! If Cheney could sit down to dinner with his pals, he could let the press know what had happened. IMO, this illustrates how easily the White House lies to cover up whatever disgusting thing they get up to.

[ComerPerro]

1. I have to say it, I'm sorry

the story is more full of holes than his victim!

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Let's just hope that the truth will surface, unlike those pellets

permanently embedded in the lawyer's face.

[ComerPerro]

4. LOL

I hope the coverage is as peppered with truth as the victim is with pelets.

[MADem]

6. Are we sure they are in just his face, or perhaps his chest as well?

Maybe close up against a vital artery or vessel??? Or were they keeping him in ICU to shut his ass up and get him on the same page as the rest of the tale-tellers?

One thing that is clear from all this--we know who is in charge. When a Special Assistant to the PRESIDENT (Scotty The Tub McClellan) "wants" to get the word out, but is constrained by lackeys in the VEE PEE's office, well, that tells us VOLUMES about the real chain of command.

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Amen.

This may be one of those odd instances in history, where you politically take out the VP and the President's adviser and it's all over for the president.

[havocmom]

3. Cheney sat down to dinner while his victim was being treated?

Yeah, that blows a lotta holes in the story about why it took so long to fess up.

It's always ALL CHENEY ALL THE TIME with Dick.

[In Truth We Trust]

5. Kick for truth people! Great observations op

[stop the bleeding]

7. good post n/t

[pushycat]

8. How could Cheney eat anything after what he just did? WTF

[stickdog]

26. He was pissed that he couldn't eat his buddy's heart.

Having bagged him fair & square and all.

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. Obviously they talked about the matter over dinner

and apparently before making statements to either law enforcement or the press. Sounds to me like everyone had a chance to preplan their comments.

[Missy M]

10. Cheney was enjoying dinner that night and lunch the next day...

while the victim was laying in the hospital. I guess to Cheney life must go on as usual. The spin on the story gets deeper and deeper and nothing adds up.

[RufusEarl]

11. Republican fundraiser

This attorney was a big time supporter, why in heavens name would Cheney shoot the guy on purpose?
I'm not here to defend Cheney, but really is this a story of intrigue? I think we're loosing sight of the real stories, NSA, Lobbing, Katrina, and so on.

This Cheney shooting story is helping this admin, it getting the focus off the real stories. I mean what could be Cheneys reason to off this guy? And if it was intentional, seems to me it would have been fatal.

I agree they miss handled the story, but I can't get behind a conspiracy here. My advice is to keep the important stories on the front burner.

[Coyote_Bandit]

12. If misleading statements were made

to law enforcement then it constitutes obstruction of justice. Remember Watergate was a simple burglary gone bad. It was the obstruction charges that ultimately caused all the fracas.

That said, I haven't heard anybody suggest that Dead Eye Dick intensionally shot the victim. And I agree that we would be remiss in allowing larger issues to go by the wayside.

[mom cat]

28. Its the cover up. That is the big story, that and the fact that the bird

shot ih his chest caused a heart attack.

[electropop]

13. "losing sight of the real stories..."

Hmmm, maybe Whittington "took one for the team." The distraction factor is very valuable to this crowd. We need to see if right now they are slipping some corrupt bill through Congress, or killing babies in some (new) foreign country, or something...

[FormerRepublican]

15. I don't like getting lied to by the White House. THAT is a concern. EOM.

[druidity33]

22. aaahhh...

like so many other things though, it's not the event but the coverup that will get him in trouble. I too do not believe Whit was shot on purpose. But does it matter? Even if it was an accident, it was still reckless and under Texas law that's a FELONY... min 2 years, max 20. Do you think a black man in the same situation would still be walking around free? What about a democratic senator? As for intrigue, yes there is some, if you consider two married men without their wives enjoying a "hunting party" with two other women intriguing. Why is this man of "family values" not being questioned about that? Yes there are other things going on that are worthy of attention. But this shooting ain't no comedy routine. If Cheney can get removed because of this scandal then that's one less rat bastard we have to deal with as a nation. Why not poke at him from many angles?

[redqueen]

14. Lying by force of habit. is a common trait of career criminals, ins't it?

I think so...

[BrightKnight]

16. Secret Service Covers for Cheney

"At least one deputy showed up at the ranch’s front gate Saturday evening and asked to speak to Cheney but was turned away by the Secret Service, Zahren said. "

“...They (local Secret Service head) made arrangements at the sheriff’s request to have deputies come out and interview the vice president the following morning at 8 a.m."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11340558/

I guess that he needed time to sober up and get his story straight.

[danalytical]

19. That's what I think

It's the most plausible explanation. There is no reason not to talk with police right away. Or before dinner, maybe after dinner, how abaout before bed. It reminds me of Ted Kennedy walking away from the scene of his accident and not notifying police until the next day after he sobered up. I love Ted, but that was dispicable.

[underpants]

17. What's the deal with that footage of Dick getting out of limo?

It is the only "sighting" of him that they have and I see it over and over. I have even seen it slowed down, it looks really creepy....very Darth Vader-ish. Maybe that sells to some element to me it just looks weird.

[npincus]

18. ...and so is Mr. Whittington! (full of holes)

[smartvoter]

21. Bad, bad pun. But still funny. nt

[enigami]

23. Ha Ha , full of holes, HA HA

[leftofthedial]

24. EVERY FUCKING THING any one of the repuke bastards says is a LIE

EVERY FUCKING THING

why would this be any different?

[stickdog]

25. Well at least we finally know where the buckshot stops with this

administration -- in all of our faces.

[pat_k]

27. Cheney didn't view himself as being involved

Cheney didn't think he had to report anything because he actually didn't view himself as being involved. Wasn't his action -- it was Whittington's. For Cheney, Whittington stepped in front of flying bird shot. That was the problem. Why should he report Whittington's accident?

Sure, he may have been concerned about Whittington (or, at least, recognized that he would be expected to show concern). People are supposed to be concerned when someone hurts themselves in their presence.

You need to understand that these people Don't Make Mistakes -- or commit crimes.

A crime is LITERALLY NOT a crime to them -- UNLESS they get caught. A crime is only a crime when you are nailed for it.

STOP. Read this again. They literally believe this is true. The same way the believe not getting caught in a lie is literally the same thing as telling the truth.

When your actions are not wrong prior to getting caught, what reason would you have for taking responsibility? The "remorse" they show has NOTHING to do with the crimes they have committed. It is ALWAYS about the consequences of getting caught -- they are "remorseful" about the way they are treated -- people rejecting them, being jailed, losing status.

If this sounds crazy, you are right. But this is the reality the fascists live in.

[Wilms]

29. K&R n/t