Cheney Accidentally Shoots Fellow Hunter

[fourfourto]

WASHINGTON (Feb. 12) - Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and injured a man during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, his spokeswoman said Sunday.

Harry Whittington, 78, was "alert and doing fine" after Cheney sprayed him with shotgun pellets on Saturday while the two were hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, said property owner Katharine Armstrong.

Armstrong said Whittington was mostly injured on his right side, with the pellets hitting his cheek, neck and chest, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Whittington was in stable condition Sunday, said Yvonne Wheeler, spokeswoman for the Christus Spohn Health System.

Cheney's spokeswoman, Lea Anne McBride, said the vice president was with Whittington, a lawyer from Austin, Texas, and his wife at the hospital on Sunday afternoon.

Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Cheney, Whittington and another hunter got out of the vehicle to shot at a covey of quail late afternoon on Saturday.

Whittington shot a bird and went to look for it in the tall grass, while Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and found a second covey.

Whittington "came up from behind the vice president and the other hunter and didn't signal them or indicate to them or announce himself," Armstrong told the Associated Press in an interview.

"The vice president didn't see him," she continued. "The covey flushed and the vice president picked out a bird and was following it and shot. And by god, Harry was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty good."

The shooting was first reported by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

She said Whittington was bleeding but not very seriously injured, and Cheney was very apologetic.

"It broke the skin," she said. "It knocked him silly. But he was fine. He was talking. His eyes were open. It didn't get in his eyes or anything like that."

She said emergency personnel traveling with Cheney tended to Whittington, holding his face and cleaning up the blood.

"Fortunately, the vice president has got a lot of medical people around him and so they were right there and probably more cautious than we would have been," she said. "The vice president has got an ambulance on call, so the ambulance came."

Armstrong said Cheney is a longtime friend who comes to the ranch to hunt about once a year. She said Whittington is a regular, too, but she thought it was the first time the two men hunted together.

"This is something that happens from time to time. You now, I've been peppered pretty well myself," said Armstrong.

Associated Press writer Paul Weber in Dallas contributed to this report.



Link (http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060212154709990003&ncid=NWS00010000000001)

[fourfourto]

WASHINGTON (Feb. 12) - Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and injured a man during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, his spokeswoman said Sunday.

Harry Whittington, 78, was "alert and doing fine" after Cheney sprayed him with shotgun pellets on Saturday while the two were hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, said property owner Katharine Armstrong.

Armstrong said Whittington was mostly injured on his right side, with the pellets hitting his cheek, neck and chest, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Whittington was in stable condition Sunday, said Yvonne Wheeler, spokeswoman for the Christus Spohn Health System.

Cheney's spokeswoman, Lea Anne McBride, said the vice president was with Whittington, a lawyer from Austin, Texas, and his wife at the hospital on Sunday afternoon.

Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Cheney, Whittington and another hunter got out of the vehicle to shot at a covey of quail late afternoon on Saturday.

Whittington shot a bird and went to look for it in the tall grass, while Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and found a second covey.

Whittington "came up from behind the vice president and the other hunter and didn't signal them or indicate to them or announce himself," Armstrong told the Associated Press in an interview.

"The vice president didn't see him," she continued. "The covey flushed and the vice president picked out a bird and was following it and shot. And by god, Harry was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty good."

The shooting was first reported by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

She said Whittington was bleeding but not very seriously injured, and Cheney was very apologetic.

"It broke the skin," she said. "It knocked him silly. But he was fine. He was talking. His eyes were open. It didn't get in his eyes or anything like that."

She said emergency personnel traveling with Cheney tended to Whittington, holding his face and cleaning up the blood.

"Fortunately, the vice president has got a lot of medical people around him and so they were right there and probably more cautious than we would have been," she said. "The vice president has got an ambulance on call, so the ambulance came."

Armstrong said Cheney is a longtime friend who comes to the ranch to hunt about once a year. She said Whittington is a regular, too, but she thought it was the first time the two men hunted together.

"This is something that happens from time to time. You now, I've been peppered pretty well myself," said Armstrong.

Associated Press writer Paul Weber in Dallas contributed to this report.



Link (http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060212154709990003&ncid=NWS00010000000001)

[DRTYFN]

Too bad it wasn't Hillary or John Kerry.

[DDWH]

He should have taken Boxer and Pelosi hunting with him! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[bparker]

DRTYFN, I agree! Why cant these guys start inviting some of the Democrats to go on thier hunting trips..

[KenP]

Damn, I can't help but laugh a little since the man is ok.

"VPOTUS Shoots Man in Face!" the headlines will read.

[GeorgeSSSS]

FWIW, more blame lies with the "shootee" than the shooter. He came out from behind cover without calling out, "I'm behind you." Simple, open country bird hunting safety procedure. Thank goodness he'll be OK.

Best regards,

George

[DRTYFN]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GeorgeSSSS:
FWIW, more blame lies with the "shootee" than the shooter. He came out from behind cover without calling out, "I'm behind you." Simple, open country bird hunting safety procedure. Thank goodness he'll be OK. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No kidding, but the media is dumping on the VP like the true shi<span class="ev_code_BLACK">t</span> peddlers that they are.http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Klaus]

Hey, at least the target was a lawyer! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

One of the news reports said it was a 28 gauge shotgun. Good thing it wasn't a 12 gauge!

[HummerNewbie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DRTYFN:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GeorgeSSSS:
FWIW, more blame lies with the "shootee" than the shooter. He came out from behind cover without calling out, "I'm behind you." Simple, open country bird hunting safety procedure. Thank goodness he'll be OK. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No kidding, but the media is dumping on the VP like the true shi<span class="ev_code_BLACK">t</span> peddlers that they are.http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

They would be blaming the "shootee" if it were Gore or Clinton or even Kerry http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Fubar]

I was just watching CNN and they showed some White-house press conference and the press is all upset that they had to find-out from some other source other than Scott what's his name the press sec.

My question is, what's the big deal?

Actually it's of no concern to any one except the parties involved.

I mean did the tax payers pay for this hunting trip? NO!

So who the **** cares who shot who? And if somehow it is of concern to some then why not report every hunting accident?

Ok I'm done.

[GeorgeSSSS]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Fubar:
I was just watching CNN and they showed some White-house press conference and the press is all upset that they had to find-out from some other source other than Scott what's his name the press sec.

My question is, what's the big deal?

Actually it's of no concern to any one except the parties involved.

I mean did the tax payers pay for this hunting trip? NO!

So who the **** cares who shot who? And if somehow it is of concern to some then why not report every hunting accident?

Ok I'm done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fubar: IMHO, you identified the real problem: THE PRESS. Their job is simple: Write down things people didn't see so they can read about it. However, instead, THE PRESS thinks it has a mission: Slanting things to persuade people to the media's point of view. What we have here is more of that. They want to make Bush look bad every time they can distort things to that end. This time they created a story about how soon they heard about a hunting accident. BFD.

I've dealt with the press, including being interviewed myself, and it's an endless "cat and mouse game" of them trying to get you to say something that they can twist to their point of view. If you are ever present at a news event, be sure to read every account of it you can. You'll be amazed that what you read bears only token resemblence to what you saw.

The members of the PRESS are not the "sharpest pencils in the box," but it is their written words that get read, and it's a power they exploit to their own ends.

They know they are fast becoming, "the old media," and they are racheting up their ire in an effort to retain power. But it won't work. Talk radio and the internet are brokering a freedom of ideas that never before existed. Remember when Dan Rather got caught on election eve with bogus documents about Bush's military career? His pals on NBC (Brokaw) and ABC (Jennings) refused to report about it. It was the internet that brought him down. In the past he would have gotten away with it -- -- but no more. He is now a laughing stock and there is talk of making KATIE COURIC the CBS National News Anchor. Desperation.

The red states get more red each day while the blue states are just depressed and blue.

Ok. Now I'm done too.
But I do feel a great deal better.

George SSSS

[KenP]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Fubar: IMHO, you identified the real problem: THE PRESS. Their job is simple: Write down things people didn't see so they can read about it. However, instead, THE PRESS thinks it has a mission: Slanting things to persuade people to the media's point of view. What we have here is more of that. They want to make Bush look bad every time they can distort things to that end. This time they created a story about how soon they heard about a hunting accident. BFD </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Ask a journalism student why they are pursuing their degree and they'll tell you it's "because they want to make a difference" or "they want to change the world". That's BS and it's not their job. Their job is to REPORT the news, not offer an opinion. Too bad it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference.

The sad thing is the schools are teaching these youngsters that journalism is just that; changing the world and making a difference.

When Clinton was re-elected the media came to the realization of their power. They believed THEY beat the Republicans. The media felt invinsible. Be thankful for George W. Bush for setting the media straight. It wrangled against him for months, yet he won.

With the proliferation of information today, I can only hope citizens take the time to look past the big media to other sources.

[Klaus]

Hunter Shot by Cheney Has Heart Attack

By LYNN BREZOSKY and NEDRA PICKLER, Associated

The 78-year-old lawyer who was shot by Vice President Dick Cheney in a hunting accident has some birdshot lodged in his heart and he had "a minor heart attack" Tuesday morning, hospital officials said.

The victim, Harry Whittington, was immediately moved back to the intensive care unit for further treatment, said Peter Banko, the administrator at Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-Memorial in Texas.

Banko said there was an irregularity in the heartbeat caused by a pellet, and doctors performed a cardiac catheterization. Whittington expressed a desire to leave the hospital, but Banko said he would probably stay for another week to make sure more shot doesn't move to other organs or to other part of his body.

"Some of the birdshot appears to have moved and lodged into part of his heart in what we would say is a minor heart attack," Banko said in a news conference outside the hospital.

David Blanchard, chief of emergency care, called it "a silent heart attack, an asymptomatic heart attack. He's not had a heart attack in the traditional sense."

The doctors said Whittington did not experience symptoms of a heart attack or any other problems. They left the birdshot in place and said he could live a healthy life with it there.

White House physicians who attended to Whittington at the scene after Cheney accidentally shot him were involved in the treatment, the officials said.

Whittington had initially been placed in intensive care after the accident Saturday evening. He had been moved to a "step-down unit" Monday after doctors decided to leave several birdshot pellets lodged in his skin rather than try to remove them.

A Texas Parks and Wildlife Department report issued Monday said Whittington was retrieving a downed bird and stepped out of the hunting line he was sharing with Cheney. "Another covey was flushed and Cheney swung on a bird and fired, striking Whittington in the face, neck and chest at approximately 30 yards," the report said.

The department 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.

The department gave Cheney and Whittington warning citations for breaking Texas hunting law by failing to buy a $7 stamp allowing them to shoot upland game birds. A department spokesman said warnings are being issued in most cases because the stamp requirement only went into effect five months ago and many hunters weren't aware of it.

Cheney's office said Monday night in a statement that Cheney had a $125 nonresident hunting license and has sent a $7 check to cover the cost of the stamp. "The staff asked for all permits needed, but was not informed of the $7 upland game bird stamp requirement," the statement said.

Cheney, an experienced hunter, has not said anything publicly about the accident. It was fodder for jokes on late night TV and early Tuesday at the White House, before news surfaced about problems with Whittington's heart.

Hospital officials said they notified the White House of the change in Whittington's condition late in the morning. The mood of press secretary Scott McClellan was much more serious in an afternoon press briefing shortly before the hospital publicly updated Whittington's condition.

Katharine Armstrong, owner of the ranch where the shooting occurred, said Whittington made a mistake by not announcing that he had walked up to rejoin the hunting line after going to retrieve his bird, and Cheney didn't see him as he tried to down a bird.

The accident raised questions about Cheney's adherence to hunting safety practices and the White House's failure to disclose the accident in a timely way.

Several hunting safety experts agreed in interviews that it would have been a good idea for Whittington to announce himself. But every expert stressed that the shooter is responsible for avoiding other people.

Bush was told about Cheney's involvement in the accident shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday — about an hour after it occurred — but the White House did not disclose the accident until Sunday afternoon, and then only in response to press questions.

[KenP]

Hope he'll be ok.

[PARAGON]

Damn, it would appear that Cheney might have saved his life.

If it wasn't for the guy walking up into the line of fire and Cheney pelting him, he could have had the heart attack somewhere way away from a hospital.

[DRTYFN]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Klaus:
Hey, at least the target was a lawyer! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

One of the news reports said it was a 28 gauge shotgun. Good thing it wasn't a 12 gauge! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Can you imagine if it'd been a 35 gauge BMG EFI shotgun. The carnage.http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[KenP]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PARAGON:
Damn, it would appear that Cheney might have saved his life.

If it wasn't for the guy walking up into the line of fire and Cheney pelting him, he could have had the heart attack somewhere way away from a hospital. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Run laugh-track now! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Klaus]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DRTYFN:
Can you imagine if it'd been a 35 gauge BMG EFI shotgun. The carnage.http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Say what? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

[RIC-H0]

The department gave Cheney and Whittington warning citations for breaking Texas hunting law by failing to buy a $7 stamp allowing them to shoot upland game birds. A department spokesman said warnings are being issued in most cases because the stamp requirement only went into effect five months ago and many hunters weren't aware of it.

I call B.S. on this one!
I know if it were a couple of Yahoo country boys on their Daddys property, and the Game warden was in a bad mood, they would've confiscated the shotguns, the vehicle, and placed the two under arrest!
I've seen too many judgment calls go the wrong direction, and not in favor of the hunter.

I have the upmost respect for Game Wardens, but if there is a lisence that is needed to hunt, dammitt, you better have it, or get a fine or worse!

I've gotten a ticket for not having my fishing license on my persons. (It was in my tackle box!)
A buddy of mine has been fined for not having his deer tags "properly" filled out and displayed"!
I would love to be given a warning, but I don't expect it to happen!
If I break the law(Especially while hunting or fishing in Texas), I expect the worse, but hope for the best!

Ignorance is not excuse for the breaking the law!

IMO!

Ric-H0

[ratesguy]

George, hate to disagree but I think Cheney is primarily at fault. Basic upland hunting rule---always know where your partners are. Basic upland hunting rule--never swing your gun on a bird without knowing your sight line is clear. Cheney knew his partner was retrieving a bird and he knew the direction where he was looking for the downed bird(or should have). He was only 20 or so yards away when Cheney shot. Being that close Cheney should have known. And finally, never lose track of where someone is that you are hunting with, especially upland bird hunting. When that covey takes off you have to know which shot is safe and which is not. Dont swing if you have not thought out very carefully all the safe directions to shoot. Just my opinion, but based on 50 years of very safe bird hunting.

[NEOCON1]

freakin left wing media isnt lettin up , must be a slow news cycle

[DDWH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NEOCON1:
freakin left wing media isnt lettin up , must be a slow news cycle </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

X2

This SH!T got real old, real fast! Just another angle to use, to try to dismantle the administration.

[HummerNewbie]

http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[2-H2's]

Cheney has been cleared by the TPWD... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued a statement today saying Vice
President Cheney broke no law by shooting a lawyer instead of a quail over
the weekend.

A TPWD spokesman noted that, in Texas, lawyers are not considered game
creatures, and are thus not subject to seasonal limitations or bag limits. It was
further noted that lawyer hunting was encouraged as the state is overrun with
the pesky creatures.

A local food critic said that, contrary to rumor, lawyers do not taste like
chicken, but rather like bovine dung which is a major component of their
composition.

I wonder what MD law states... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

[walc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 2-H2's:
Cheney has been cleared by the TPWD... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued a statement today saying Vice
President Cheney broke no law by shooting a lawyer instead of a quail over
the weekend.

A TPWD spokesman noted that, in Texas, lawyers are not considered game
creatures, and are thus not subject to seasonal limitations or bag limits. It was
further noted that lawyer hunting was encouraged as the state is overrun with
the pesky creatures.

A local food critic said that, contrary to rumor, lawyers do not taste like
chicken, but rather like bovine dung which is a major component of their
composition.

I wonder what MD law states... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
Not only no problem in MD; there's a bounty.

[JamesT]

walc,

you gotta be pushin 80. shouldnt you be takin a dirt nap soon? please!!!!