What the Texas Good Ole Boys are Saying about Cheney

[CatWoman]

At what range was Harry Whittington hit? The official story is that the blast from the vice president's shotgun hit Whittington at a distance of 30 yards. Hunters at the Vaughn Building are skeptical. The hunt took place on a cold, windy afternoon. Whittington and his fellow hunters were probably wearing warm clothing—say, a jacket and a flannel shirt. Cheney was using a 28-gauge shotgun, a smaller-diameter firearm with pellets smaller than BBs. Whittington's friends question whether the pellets could have penetrated his layers of clothing and skin at that range. Yet two pellets lodged against his larynx, another was in his liver, and another migrated into the heart muscle, causing the heart attack. The pattern of wounds was between the lower chest and the forehead, a pretty tight zone for shot of 30 yards. If the range was considerably less than 30 yards, then it is likely that Whittington's injuries were worse than the initial statement by Katharine Armstrong indicated. (The blast "knocked him silly," but "he was fine.")

Whose fault was it? If there is anything that Harry's friends at the Vaughn Building are angry about, it is not the shooting itself but the attempt by White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan to place the blame on the victim. It's the shooter's duty to know what he is shooting at and where his companions are. A shooting accident is always the fault of the shooter. Always.

http://www.slate.com/id/2136206/nav/tap1/

[Stephanie]

1. Also, Ms. Armstrong says she thought the medical team was running to Dick

She thought Dick was having an episode when she saw the medical move in. If they were 30 yards apart, how could she make that mistake?

[goclark]

2. Good question nt

[CatWoman]

3. excellent question

good catch, Steph :thumbsup:

[converted_democrat]

6. That's a very good question...n/t

[SeattleGirl]

4. Finally, some questions from the good ol' boys

The story doesn't make sense to me, hasn't from the start. I the two were much closer than is being claimed. I know what birdshot looks like, and while is was being shot out of a gun, for it to go through layers of clothing and skin to lodge in this man's body -- 90 feet apart seems too far apart for that.

[TomInTib]

5. From the police report the shot string appeared to be no more than..

15-18 inches.

A 28 gauge with open choke will have about a 34 inch string at 30 yards.

I'm saying 15 yards, max.

1295 fps.

That dude is pretty well ventilated.