Guest BlingBling Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Will someone tell me why the Vice-President had to consult the President and Karl Rove before his staff publically acknowledged that he shot a person 24 hours later? Why can't our leader tell the American People himself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Wilbur Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 (edited) I am sure the Vice President was worried about the condition of his friend. ****************************************************************** The Vice President was told when he arrived at the White House this morning that doctors had decided, based on overnight monitoring, to perform a cardiac catheterization on Mr. Whittington. The Vice President's chief of staff passed him a note at about 12:30pm ET to inform him that Mr. Whittington's doctors would brief in Texas about 1:00pm ET on complications in Mr. Whittington's condition. The Vice President was on Capitol Hill when he received this information. When the Vice President returned to the White House, he was able to watch part of the press conference. At about 1:30pm ET, the Vice President called Mr. Whittington and spoke to him. The Vice President wished Mr. Whittington well and asked if there was anything he needed. The Vice President said that he stood ready to assist. Mr. Whittington's spirits were good, but obviously his situation deserves the careful monitoring that his doctors are providing. The Vice President said that his thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Whittington and his family. Edited February 15, 2006 by Luke_Wilbur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Legal Beagle Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Luke, I am sure he feels bad. But, how he has dealt with it is completely wrong. If you and I shot someone by accident the legal procedures would be quite different. Especially if you and I did not have a hunting permit. ***************************************************** Q Scott, I just have two questions to follow up on the accidental shooting by the Vice President. Does the President think that the Vice President should address this publicly, personally, speak to the American people in any fashion to explain what happened and why it took so long to disclose it publicly? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think what happened has been explained. The Vice President's Office has talked about it; I've talked about it. And I represent the President and speak for him. The Vice President's spokeswoman speaks for him, as well. So that information has been provided. We went through this pretty thoroughly yesterday. Q So the President doesn't think that the Vice President should actually think about it himself, not through intermediaries? MR. McCLELLAN: You talk to the Vice President on a fairly frequent basis in the past, and I'm sure you will in the future, as well. Q But he shouldn't really have to address specifically, in your view -- MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he has, through his office. Q Okay, let me ask you this -- is the President concerned that the Vice President made decisions about the public disclosure of this incident that are clearly at odds with how you and others advising the President disclose personal information about the President's activities? MR. McCLELLAN: Let me just say this, since there's some follow-up questions that you all have. First of all, I think we went through this pretty thoroughly yesterday and I worked to answer the questions to the best of my ability and in a forthright manner, based on the facts that I knew. There were some very legitimate questions that were asked. As I indicated, I always believe that you can look back and work to do better. I indicated that yesterday. I think today what we're focusing our efforts is on what are the most pressing priorities before the American people. And that's where we're focusing. I understand you still have some -- Q That's fine, and that's appropriate. MR. McCLELLAN: If you want to continue to spend time on that, that's fine. We're moving on to the priorities of the American people. That's where our focus is. Q That's fair, and that's your prerogative, and I've got my job to do, which is, try to get you to answer that question. Does the President think it's appropriate for the Vice President to essentially make decisions at odds with the public disclosure process of this White House? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think that I've expressed my views, and we went through this yesterday. Q But that's a non-answer. MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's what I was trying to indicate to you -- Q Does the President have a view about how the Vice President has conducted himself? MR. McCLELLAN: Again, that's what I -- I indicated to you yesterday what our views were. Q No, I don't recall you sharing the President's view. MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, but can I finish responding? I'm glad to answer your questions. Q You didn't answer that question. It was very respectful -- MR. McCLELLAN: I was very respectful and responsive to you all -- Q The Vice President basically decided on his own to not disclose this, which is at odds with how you do business and how the President does business, right? MR. McCLELLAN: I don't want to make this about anything other than what it is. It is what it is, David. I was very respectful and responsive to your questions yesterday. I provided you the information I knew based on the facts that were available, and we've been through this pretty thoroughly. Q You don't have an answer to this question. All right, one final question. MR. McCLELLAN: Wait, wait, I'm just not going to go back through it again. I'd appreciate it if you'd let me respond fully before you jump in. Q All right, but -- well, hold on one second. I've got one final question. MR. McCLELLAN: Other people in this room have questions, and we've got an event coming up. Q I understand that, but I'm not getting answers here, Scott, and I'm trying to be forthright with you, but don't tell me that you're giving us complete answers when you're not actually answering the question, because everybody knows what is an answer and what is not an answer. MR. McCLELLAN: David, now you want to make this about you, and it's not about you, it's about what happened. And that's what I'm trying to -- Q I'm sorry that you feel that way, but that's not what I'm trying to do. MR. McCLELLAN: And I'm trying to provide answers to the questions. Q I have one final question, since that one wasn't answered. Is it appropriate for the Vice President to have waited 14 hours after the incident before he spoke with local law enforcement officials? And do you think that an average citizen would have been accorded that same amount of time before having to answer questions about a shooting incident? MR. McCLELLAN: That was what was arranged with the local law enforcement authorities. You ought to ask them that question. Suzanne, go ahead. Q Is the President satisfied that he learned of the details about the shooting through Karl Rove and Andy Card, and not directly from the Vice President? MR. McCLELLAN: He was informed about it, and there are lots of different ways to keep the President informed about events, and that was the way it happened in this instance. Q Is he satisfied that he didn't hear directly from Cheney regarding -- MR. McCLELLAN: Again, Suzanne, if you all want to continue to focus on this, you all can spend your time on it. We're going to keep focusing on the pressing priorities of the American people, like talking about how to make health care more affordable and accessible. We've got important work to do for the American people, and that's where we're going to keep our focus. You're welcome to continue to focus on these issues. I'm moving on. Q Two time line questions on this that I don't think was fully addressed yesterday. Could you tell us who it was in the Vice President's party who first informed the Situation Room? And could you tell us how it was that Mr. Rove learned of this and got involved enough, then, to call -- MR. McCLELLAN: I did answer that question yesterday. Karl spoke with Mrs. Armstrong. Q But who informed -- I'm trying to understand the chain of custody of the information prior to that. In other words, who from the Vice President's party first informed the Situation Room? You told us the Situation Room -- MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he has an entourage that travels with him. I'm not going to get into -- he has an entourage that travels with him, from a military aide to Secret Service personnel. I'm not going to get into discussing specific people. I don't think that's -- I don't think it's necessary. Q Can you tell us if it was a military aide or if it was a Secret Service person -- MR. McCLELLAN: David, I think I just answered your question. I'm just not going to get into naming specific people. Q You're not going to tell us who informed the Situation Room? MR. McCLELLAN: It was from the Vice President's traveling team. Q We're asking, will you tell us who informed the Situation Room? MR. McCLELLAN: I just told you. Q Okay. And now, the second question, can you tell us who, then, informed Mr. Card? Was it Andy Card -- sorry, who informed Mr. Rove? Was it Andy Card, was it somebody else? MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know where he first heard it. He may have heard it from the Situation Room. I know Andy spoke to him pretty quick after he heard about it. Q Okay. And then the third issue related to this is, we know and established yesterday through you that the President heard about it on Saturday evening. Could you explain to us why it is this piece of information was important enough for the President to hear about relatively quickly, within three hours of the event -- MR. McCLELLAN: David, as I -- Q -- but in your view, it was not important enough -- MR. McCLELLAN: -- as I indicated, there are some pressing priorities before the American people and they want us to spend our time on that, and that's where we're going to keep our focus today. Q It's our briefing, we get to ask the questions. MR. McCLELLAN: You do, but I've indicated to you where I am today, and that's where I'm going to continue to focus. Q Can you talk about, when the Vice President travels, does he bring with him any special medical group, given his heart condition, anything above and beyond what Vice Presidents typically bring? MR. McCLELLAN: You can check with his office for specifics, because I don't travel with him, but he does have a medical team that travels with him, similar to what the President does. Q And could you provide cost estimates when the President [sic] takes these hunting trips -- like what it costs the taxpayers -- MR. McCLELLAN: Check with his office, Jim. Q -- to bring both his staff and medical staff? MR. McCLELLAN: Check with his office. I travel with the President. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest R Schlosberg Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 This is the stuff that Jon Stewart, Conan, Letterman et al will have great fun with. My conservative friends and colleagues will (like many other things over the past five years) brush this off as a non-event, but when the most powerful VP in US history does stuff like this and noone knows about for a full day, it scares the stuffing out of me. This White House seems to selectively forget that it serves ALL the people of the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlingBling Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 In Texas any person who is hunting, fishing, or trapping must carry on their person and have available for inspection a valid license and any applicable stamp endorsements or permits unless the person is exempt from license, stamp, or permit requirements. For additional information phone the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) toll free at (800) 792-1112. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Wilbur Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 (edited) BlingBling, That is incorrect. The Vice President did have a hunting permit. What he did not have is a game bird permit. This is the first year that it was introduced publically. The Vice-President may or may not have been aware of it. Since the game bird stamp is a new requirement this year people are just getting first time warnings and are encouraged to get one immediately. Edited February 15, 2006 by Luke_Wilbur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlingBling Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 You may or may not be right. I will have to check out the facts. Did you see that CBS News reported that local law enforcement officials were prevented from interviewing Vice President Cheney after he accidentally shot a 78-year-old man during a hunting trip: CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports Texas authorities are complaining that the Secret Service barred them from speaking to Cheney after the incident. Kenedy County Texas Sheriffs Lt. Juan Guzman said deputies first learned of the shooting when an ambulance was called. Cmon. Admit it.. The Vice-President thinks he is above the law. Why don't we just put a crown on his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lydia Saldana Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 Attached is the hunting accident report involving Vice President Dick Cheney. TPWD collects information on hunting accidents for statistical purposes. There is no legal requirement to report hunting accidents to TPWD. The information in the attached report was provided to the local game warden by the Kenedy County Sheriff's office. The attached hunting accident report was received in Austin on Monday, Feb. 13. A check of TPWD license records indicated that while the Vice President had purchased a valid non-resident hunting license, he had not purchased the required upland game bird stamp. This stamp is a new requirement which took effect this hunting season. Since Sept. 1, it has not been uncommon for Texas Game Wardens to encounter hunters in the field who do not have the required stamp. In these cases, hunters have been given verbal warnings in lieu of fines or other penalties. This is a common practice with Texas wardens when a new game law goes into effect. TPWD generally allows a one-year grace period and issues verbal warnings to help educate people about new laws. A warning citation will be issued to Mr. Cheney, as is routine in such cases. The warning is similar to a warning citation that might be issued by any law enforcement agency. There is no fine or other penalty associated with warning citations. Texas law requires all hunters born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 to take a hunter education course. Since Mr. Cheney was born before that date, he is not required to take hunter education to hunt legally in Texas. A news release on 2005 Texas hunting accidents headlined 2005 Hunting Fatalities Match Historic Lows is on the TPWD Web site at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/rele.../?req=20060213c Also, the 2005 Texas hunting accident report containing multi-year trend data is at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/l...nter_education/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Was Mr. cheney drinking alcohol? Attached is the hunting accident report involving Vice President Dick Cheney. TPWD collects information on hunting accidents for statistical purposes. There is no legal requirement to report hunting accidents to TPWD. The information in the attached report was provided to the local game warden by the Kenedy County Sheriff's office. The attached hunting accident report was received in Austin on Monday, Feb. 13. A check of TPWD license records indicated that while the Vice President had purchased a valid non-resident hunting license, he had not purchased the required upland game bird stamp. This stamp is a new requirement which took effect this hunting season. Since Sept. 1, it has not been uncommon for Texas Game Wardens to encounter hunters in the field who do not have the required stamp. In these cases, hunters have been given verbal warnings in lieu of fines or other penalties. This is a common practice with Texas wardens when a new game law goes into effect. TPWD generally allows a one-year grace period and issues verbal warnings to help educate people about new laws. A warning citation will be issued to Mr. Cheney, as is routine in such cases. The warning is similar to a warning citation that might be issued by any law enforcement agency. There is no fine or other penalty associated with warning citations. Texas law requires all hunters born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 to take a hunter education course. Since Mr. Cheney was born before that date, he is not required to take hunter education to hunt legally in Texas. A news release on 2005 Texas hunting accidents headlined 2005 Hunting Fatalities Match Historic Lows is on the TPWD Web site at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/rele.../?req=20060213c Also, the 2005 Texas hunting accident report containing multi-year trend data is at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/l...nter_education/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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