CNN is reporting that Harry Whittington, the man “peppered” by Dick Cheney in a hunting accident, suffered a “mild” heart attack. Yes, this the same guy who’s been in the hospital since Saturday even though he’s just fine. Somehow, some birdshot that had “peppered” Mr. Whittington’s face migrated to his heart.
Uh-HUH.
This is starting to remind me of the “cat on the roof” joke.
Meanwhile, Dr. Atrios has learned that “Every conservative on the internet is an avid hunter and they’ve all been shot multiple times.” Suggestion: Stay out of the woods in red states.
In other news, Dr. Atrios observes the Stalinist discipline of rightie bloggers and Glenn Greenwood suggests that righties may have some double standards (Really? Wow!).
Update: See Dan Froomkin, “Loose Cannon.“
Gee, the initial reports made it seem like Whittington just dusted himself off after the hit…I guess the phrase,”it knocked him silly” made it seem inconsequential and that he rebounded almost immediately. I doubt that the pellets migrated to his heart from his face, if that was meant to be serious.
I’m a little weak on anatomy, but the migrated thing seems a tad farfetched to me, too.
Did anyone else find it “interesting” that Scott McClellen preceeded this breaking story, just minutes before, with a press conference? He scolded reporters for not focusing on the “nation’s interest” in the new health program he wanted to talk about instead of rehashing the “old news” from yesterday. Was he left out of the loop again, or was this the administration’s way of controlling the news media? Notice how the media all but REFUSED to talk about the health program? They seemed to be on strike or something. At least, that’s how I read it.
The pellet “migrated” to his heart but the doctor also said that because the pellets are round, they don’t move. I’m confused.
Seems the “peppering” was done with a stronger shaker than we were first told. There is still something missing from this picture. When someone acts as though they have something to hide, they do.
My understanding is that the pellet lodged in his chest further than they had realized. It wasn’t until he showed signs of infection that they suspected it might be there.
Will the hunting accident replace the illegal wiretap and the library raid as the anti-terrorist procedure of choice?
http://news.yahoo.com/i/703;_ylt=AoGsNDTAbtFYL99e_aVG36Ss0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-
Hit it fast before someone cues to the tragedy!
Hunter Shot by Cheney Has Heart Attack
followed by
White House Finds Humor in Hunting Mishap
WORST PRESIDENT EVER!
(Sigh) I guess no one else saw the “show” press conference just before the news broke? The timing was astonishing. Do they think we’re idiots?
Eat lead damned quail. Self defense? That work for you?
And now for the bad news. If Whittington passes on Cheney will go into “voluntary” retirement. We may end up with Vice President McCain…a guy who is very committed to the neo-con agenda. Bad news …and another four years of war against the Muslim world.
Do they think we’re idiots?
Do you have to ask?
If Cheney resigns, I believe that the chain of command would make The Speaker, Dennis Hasert, the VP, but perhaps that’s just if the VP gets shot and dies!
No, I was being rhetorical from frustration. Watching all this has been fascinating, though, in a car wreck kind of way. Where and when and how will all this end? And Poor Al. I’m afraid the days of being a “thoughtful statesman” are over. (This is my first post on a blog ever, by the way. Saw you on C-span and was impressed. Hoped that this might be a thoughtful blog environment.)
Samiam — welcome to the Blogosphere. I hope you find The Mahablog to be a congenial place to vent.
maha, docs all over blogtopia have said that pellets (or fragments of such) can and do migrate a lot, and this is the most serious problem associated with shotgun blasts. Or the pellet could have been close and shifted. I guess birdshot is pretty tiny. But who knows?
Britwit, if Cheney resigns, Bush will appoint somebody to take his place, and that person has to be approved by both houses. You’d think McCain, but I’m not sure; the RNC doesn’t like him, and Bush loathes him. I’m thinking Guliani or some “elder statesman.”
Thank you, Maha! I might be more of a worrier than a venter, though. I’ve always had this feeling that if we could just figure things out, maybe we could have a better world. After listening to you speak about the two worlds of right and left, I’ve wondered if it will ever be possible. What ever happened to wanting to buy the world a coke? (Just kidding, but you get my meaning. It was never realistic in the first place and how much we’ve changed!) But if we can’t get along in this country, how can we ever get along with completely different cultures? Sorry. I know I can be a wet blanket.
Samiam re: Comment No. 8
I did indeed see the “Show” Press Conference as you mentioned.. I agree that it was NO coincidence. Scot saying that he wants to move on and talk about the people’s issues. The fact that he said that they are looking forward to when Harry Whittington can go home is a valid statement. He knew what was coming down the pike from Corpus Christi and the doctor and Hospital P.R. Dog shortly after his Press Conference. So much for Mrs. Armstrong stating that Whittington was more “bruised” than bloodied! The Republicans say they are pushing for a more transparent government, but they already have one.
Go to the Austin Statesman’s 2/14 edition and read what Kelsos writes (hope I got that name correct). As he points out, Cheney didn’t just “pepper” the guy, he SHOT him.
Cheney didn’t just “pepper†the guy, he SHOT him.
“Peppering” sounds so much more genteel, though, don’t you think?
Britwit, thanks! I’ll look there. And – “The Republicans say they are pushing for a more transparent government, but they already have one.” Ha! I love it!
I find this whole thing amazing. first of all the secrecy , it was to make sure that the guy was alive and was going to survive, he was actually shot and has a bullet travelling in his heart.
so Our VP might have killed someone.
so they waited to make sure, if the guy had died , we would not have known about the shooting.
It would have been a heart attack.
NM
I agree with comment 20 and also believe that perhaps they rushed Whittingham out of intensive care to show every one the VP didn’t hurt him badly. As a result, he took a turn for the worst. Josh Marshall has asked hunters and doctors to contact him and help explain what may have really happened. Check out his talking points memo tomorrow and see what he has come up with.
Merciless Comment 15 – last paragraph
Thank you!
I was confusing President with Vice President. You are correct, if Dick the Dick “resigns” due to health issues, or “whatever”, it would be up to The Bush to appoint someone and then have the person approved. by both houses (like Sandra resigning and Alito being appointed & approved!).
maha – comment 18 – I think “peppering” sounds more Republican smoke than genteel. .
I am traveling and learning how to use this laptop—glad I figured out this wireless process.
This may have been on the news and….. by traveling for two days….maybe I missed some important things. However, I am wondering if Harry Wittington has close relatives who have been interviewed. Seems to me that it would take someone close to the victim to get outraged at the spin of ‘it really being Wittington’s fault’ and also outraged at the idea of ‘no investigation being done of the shooter’.
Oops II
Filed under: conservatism, Dick Cheney — maha @ 2:12 pm
Cheney’s Coverup
The Vice President shoots a man. Questions must be asked.
Published February 15, 2006 12:01 a.m. EST
“The press corps is outraged that the White House waited 20 hours or so to disclose that Vice President Dick Cheney had shot a hunting companion, and we can see why. Don’t these Bush people understand that the coverup is worse than the crime?
In the name of media solidarity, and in the interest of restraining the Imperial Presidency, we have put together the following coverup timeline with crucial questions that deserve to be answered:
• 5:30 p.m., Saturday (all times Central Standard Time). Mr. Cheney sprays Harry Whittington with birdshot, and the Secret Service immediately informs local police. Who is Harry Whittington and whom does he lobby for? Does he know Scooter Libby?
• 6:30 p.m. White House Chief of Staff Andy Card informs President Bush that there’s been a hunting accident involving the Vice President’s party. Did Mr. Bush ask follow-up questions? Was he intellectually curious?
• 7 p.m. Karl Rove tells Mr. Bush that it is Mr. Cheney who did the shooting. Why was this detail withheld for a full 30 minutes from the President? Who else did Mr. Rove talk to about this in the interim? Was Valerie Plame ever mentioned?
• 5 a.m., Sunday. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan learns that Mr. Cheney is the shooter. He also fails to alert the media. Did he rush to write talking points or fall back to sleep?
• 11 a.m. Katharine Armstrong, owner of the ranch where the shooting took place, blows the story sky-high by giving the news to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. According to Ms. Armstrong, Mr. Cheney told her to do what she thought made sense. Has Ms. Armstrong ever worked for Halliburton?
• 1:30 p.m. The Texas paper posts the story on its Web site, after calling the Veep’s office for confirmation. Everyone involved confirms more or less everything, or so the official line goes. Their agreement is very suspicious.
• 11:27 a.m., Monday. Mr. McClellan finally holds a press conference and gets grilled. One reporter actually asks (and we’re not making this one up), “Would this be much more serious if the man had died?”
For the record, Mr. McClellan replied, “Of course it would.” We hope the 78-year-old Mr. Whittington recovers promptly after his heart attack yesterday. As for the Beltway press corps, it has once again earned the esteem in which it is held by the American public.”