Ooops!

[Marnie]

[says who? An infraction of what, a rule or a law? Like a speeding "infraction" where you just get a warning? But he COULD have gotten fined or penalized because he was in violation of THE LAW. You'd think that people who do this type of thing all the time would know or make sure that the VP was complying with all laws... just goes to show the disregard this admin has for the LAW. Cheney's not worried about the law because he's above it right?

It was an accident. Have you ever hunted quayle? Sometimes they are on the ground. The older dude was where he shouldn't have been. If it had been you who shot him, we wouldn't be having this tiresome discussion. Accidents happen all the time while hunting. One time, I almost shot my Dad, but that's a 'nuther story for another day.

[Ovedya]

No charges will be filed, it was an accident.

Happens all the time.

Sheesh! It was bird shot. Hardy like a 357 hollow point.

\

He was hunting illegally. He was supposed to have acquired a stamp which he did not until after the incident.

If it had been some no name Joe Blow he probably would have had his stuff confiscated.

Ah...brother Geri. You might want to be carefull with your phraseology there. He was not "hunting illegally." The stamp is an infraction:

"As a result, a warning citation--which carries no fine or penalty--will be issued to Cheney, which state officials described as "routine."

Says who? An infraction of what, a rule or a law? Like a speeding "infraction" where you just get a warning? But he COULD have gotten fined or penalized because he was in violation of THE LAW. You'd think that people who do this type of thing all the time would know or make sure that the VP was complying with all laws... just goes to show the disregard this admin has for the LAW. Cheney's not worried about the law because he's above it right?

Oh give me break. Walking against the light is an infraction. So is driving over the posted speed limit. Sure, technically it's against the law but it doesn't make you a criminal. Have you ever driven over the posted speed limit, Most High? Ever jaywalked? Have you ever parked your car in a metered space and then forgotten to move your car before the time ran out?

Remove the beam, brother.

[apothanein kerdos]

Did you hear that Cheney accidently dropped a gum wrapper on the ground too? He should be hung!

It's amazing Most High, that you decry everything. If Cheney farted in an elevator, you'd probably call for his death. The guy went hunting without a stamp...which guess what...a lot of people do. Those who hunt quite a bit sometimes forget to get it checked in simply because they're in the habit of hunting. I have many friends that hunt and many friends that commit this same mistake (hunting without the stamp).

I'm pretty sure that if Jesus Christ came down and put His arm around Cheney to offer him advice, you'd denounce Jesus for touching Cheney. You can say I'm wrong, but I honestly could see that. YOu should read the Bible sometime mate...it would do you a bit of good.

[Micah68]

I don't think most people are quibbling about the stamp. It's the fact that he hasn't simply come out and owned up to what happened. It would have been a wonderful example of simple humility and responsibility to just tell people what happened. I understand that he likes to work behind the scenes but he is a public person and it would have been genteel of him to do so. In spite of the fact that he really didn't do anything purposefully wrong, he should have stood up like a man and let people know. It could have helped people. Hunting accidents do happen. My uncle shot my dad in much the same circumstances years ago. My dad is fine and the birdshot is still there. Of course, my uncle felt horrible and has never really lived it down. In Cheney's case, an honest, open discussion of what happened could have helped a lot of people. I think perhaps the president would be better off without him.

[apothanein kerdos]

Why does he owe it to us to tell us what happened? The media is hounding that no one alerted them until 24 hours after the event. So what? What obligation is he under to alert us to everything that occurs? Should he do the same if he clogs the toilet?

[Micah68]

Because he's a public figure and I wouldn't compare shooting a man, albeit accidentally, to clogging a toilet.

[GentleGiant]

Regarding the 'stamp' for hunting 'upland birds'... it was in the news last night that the non-aquisition of this stamp ahead of time was neither Cheney's nor his staff fault. Cheney's staff DID ask the state game department what permits he needed. The Texas Game Dept admits that they FORGOT to mention that Cheney needed this fairly new stamp that just came into existance in the past 5 months. It was a local game warden that noticed the missing stamp. Neither Cheney nor his staff were aware of the new permit, because they were not told it existed.

[Marnie]

Did you hear that Cheney accidently dropped a gum wrapper on the ground too? He should be hung!

It's amazing Most High, that you decry everything. If Cheney farted in an elevator, you'd probably call for his death. The guy went hunting without a stamp...which guess what...a lot of people do. Those who hunt quite a bit sometimes forget to get it checked in simply because they're in the habit of hunting. I have many friends that hunt and many friends that commit this same mistake (hunting without the stamp).

I'm pretty sure that if Jesus Christ came down and put His arm around Cheney to offer him advice, you'd denounce Jesus for touching Cheney. You can say I'm wrong, but I honestly could see that. YOu should read the Bible sometime mate...it would do you a bit of good.

You do a sense of humor after all! This whole thread is cracking me up. And...guess what...I agree with you AK.

[Ovedya]

Excuse me but YOU were the one who not only brought it up and then summarily dismissed it as "an infraction".

No, actually Gerioke brought it up. I merely commented on it.

Like it doesn't matter. Well, it really doesn't matter unless you look at it in light of a pattern of "I'm above the law".

No such pattern exists, brother. This minor "bird tag" issue is being blown out of proportion by the WH press....And you're buying into it! If it were Clinton, Kerry, or Ted (Can you say, "Chappaquiddick"?) Kennedy I'm sure old David Gregory would have given it a pass. To blow a minor infraction like this - equal to a parking ticket - up into some kind of conspiracy is completely ridiculous, unwarranted, selfish, petty; and it reveals the virulent hatred of the liberal press toward the Bush administration.

This whole thing wouldn't really even be a news story if it were handled correctly. By not being forthright with the public (via the media) and playing games at the WH press briefings they've MADE it a bigger story and now people are questioning why? If it's no big deal and just a hunting accident then what's all the stalling and game playing all about? It was handled badly and it's their own fault.

No, the WH PRESS made it a bigger story than it was. Especially that crybaby David Gregory when he said, "I HAD to read it in a small town newspaper!" These people actually expected Cheney's personal secretary to drop everything and get on the phone with the AP and tell the whole gruesome story. Try to put yourself in that situation and tell me that you would do the same: You accidently shoot one of your friends, who suffers a minor heart attack, you rush him to the hospital, and then you STOP to tell your secretary to jump on the phone with the press. It makes no sense.

And then the White House press staff has the nerve to make an issue out of this when there are suicide bombers attacking innocent women and children in Iraq on the same day. Did you hear about that on NBC News? Did you hear how a suicide bomber killed 8 civilians who were waiting outside a government office waiting to receive food and clothing - basic necessities for their own survival? I didn't - and I was watching NBC News when the "Cheney Conspiracy" broke out.

It's no wonder that the Fox News Network has far outrun the alphabet news services and CNN in terms of ratings and viewership for the past couple of years. At least they report what is actually NEWS. At least they remain more objective than the other news services. They're not "out to get" Bush and Cheney, and they're not out there foaming at the mouth over a silly little issue like "Why did this take so long to get to the AP news services?" and "What's the deal with the bird tags anyway?"

People need to get their priorities straight about what is really important in this world, and stop acting like a bunch of schoolyard children. There are people suffering, dying, starving; being murdered and raped; children being preyed on by sick people; and all the alphabet news focus on how long it took for Cheney's people to report a hunting accident to them.

[nebula]

Hear! Hear!

I completely agree.