A Bloody Gaggle and a Question on Cheney's hunt
Scott McClellan just got ripped at the gaggle today over the delays and method of disclosure in the Cheney shooting. WaPo was kind enough to offer an edited four minute video sample, but the whole thing was interesting if you like the McClellan press conference genre.
The main point of contention was the method and delay in informing the press to get the story mainstreamed AFTER the Sunday talk shows. There were a couple of really biting questions, my favorite was the one regarding the Vice President's communication capability with the situation room. The questioner obliquely implied that this communication setup is the same one that would be used in a time of national emergency, disaster, terror or nuclear attack, etc.
It also sounds like McClellan was intentionally kept out of the loop so that he could hold the press conference, not supply any answers, and be truthful, a consistent Bush administration media strategy.
This whole thing is starting to smell funny to me. I don't know exactly what they were covering up, but it's starting to sound like there's something more than we know.
I'd be curious to hear an answer to the question, "had the Vice President consumed any alcohol in the 24 hours prior to the shooting?" That is one possible explanation for the delays in disclosure, and also a fair reason that the press notification was done by someone outside Cheney's party, to a local paper where she has influence. No proof, just a question.
I've only been hunting a few times on business and I took the job of keeping house, but down here in Texas, it is not uncommon for alcohol to find its way out into the hunt. There are variations, not every hunting group drinks by any means, but enough of it goes on for it to be worth a question, eh?
UPDATE: The storyline out of that gaggle seems to be Bush Knew but kept it quiet. (I like this MSNBC version because of the "White House Under Fire" pun headline.)
UPDATE 2: Okay, maybe I'm onto something here. More questions... Why a delay before Cheney was allowed to talk to the local sheriffs?
UPDATE 3: Greyhair points to Digby who theorizes that the delay may have been to pin the accident on somebody else. I consider that a completely viable possibility as well. Just a little South Texas background that might support this story.
As you might guess, South Texas is swimming with illegal Mexican immigrants who take all sorts of crappy "day labor" jobs to make cash. One of the stories I've heard in many different versions from many different sources is that of illegals being used on hunts in all sorts of roles, as "sherpas" or even sometimes in the place of retrieval dogs, not to mention cooks, maids, day labor, and a whole array of ranch jobs.
Yes, I know, but my point is this. I doubt there's a ranch in South Texas that doesn't employ all sorts of people who would be more than willing to spill the beans for relatively little hard cash, so the "pin it on someone else theory" could have been entertained and thrown out on this basis. Those four people in the hunting party, especially in a luxury "ranch" like this one, were certainly not the only people there.
(Also, I got bumped on another blog for being paranoid. (No link if you insult me, by the way) I didn't say all this was true. I just said that the whole way this unfolded smelled funny to me, and if you watched the gaggle with McClellan, it obviously smelled funny to the press room as well. These are just possibilities I'm exploring in the absence of an totally forthcoming story. If somebody would ask and get an answer to the alcohol question, for instance, there would be no speculation.)
The main point of contention was the method and delay in informing the press to get the story mainstreamed AFTER the Sunday talk shows. There were a couple of really biting questions, my favorite was the one regarding the Vice President's communication capability with the situation room. The questioner obliquely implied that this communication setup is the same one that would be used in a time of national emergency, disaster, terror or nuclear attack, etc.
It also sounds like McClellan was intentionally kept out of the loop so that he could hold the press conference, not supply any answers, and be truthful, a consistent Bush administration media strategy.
This whole thing is starting to smell funny to me. I don't know exactly what they were covering up, but it's starting to sound like there's something more than we know.
I'd be curious to hear an answer to the question, "had the Vice President consumed any alcohol in the 24 hours prior to the shooting?" That is one possible explanation for the delays in disclosure, and also a fair reason that the press notification was done by someone outside Cheney's party, to a local paper where she has influence. No proof, just a question.
I've only been hunting a few times on business and I took the job of keeping house, but down here in Texas, it is not uncommon for alcohol to find its way out into the hunt. There are variations, not every hunting group drinks by any means, but enough of it goes on for it to be worth a question, eh?
UPDATE: The storyline out of that gaggle seems to be Bush Knew but kept it quiet. (I like this MSNBC version because of the "White House Under Fire" pun headline.)
UPDATE 2: Okay, maybe I'm onto something here. More questions... Why a delay before Cheney was allowed to talk to the local sheriffs?
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.Any other theories?
UPDATE 3: Greyhair points to Digby who theorizes that the delay may have been to pin the accident on somebody else. I consider that a completely viable possibility as well. Just a little South Texas background that might support this story.
As you might guess, South Texas is swimming with illegal Mexican immigrants who take all sorts of crappy "day labor" jobs to make cash. One of the stories I've heard in many different versions from many different sources is that of illegals being used on hunts in all sorts of roles, as "sherpas" or even sometimes in the place of retrieval dogs, not to mention cooks, maids, day labor, and a whole array of ranch jobs.
Yes, I know, but my point is this. I doubt there's a ranch in South Texas that doesn't employ all sorts of people who would be more than willing to spill the beans for relatively little hard cash, so the "pin it on someone else theory" could have been entertained and thrown out on this basis. Those four people in the hunting party, especially in a luxury "ranch" like this one, were certainly not the only people there.
(Also, I got bumped on another blog for being paranoid. (No link if you insult me, by the way) I didn't say all this was true. I just said that the whole way this unfolded smelled funny to me, and if you watched the gaggle with McClellan, it obviously smelled funny to the press room as well. These are just possibilities I'm exploring in the absence of an totally forthcoming story. If somebody would ask and get an answer to the alcohol question, for instance, there would be no speculation.)
posted by mikevotes at
1:39 PM
8 Comments:
Hey Mike,
Digby is wondering if the time delay was to decide whether to pin the accident on someone else or not.
Like you, my first thought was booze. That's pretty common for hunters, especially those who feel "entitled" in the first place. You know the ones. They don't have to worry about safety cause they're above the law anyway.
By
Greyhair, at 2:02 PM
I have it on reliable information that booze is the purpose of hunting. Isn't that why we refer to them as "beer hunters"?
By
Anonymous, at 2:27 PM
I wanted to be a little careful in saying that all hunting has alcohol, because I know a few serious hunters who do it "the right way."
But the also would never be caught dead in a "canned hunt" like Cheney almost always does, or even hunting on a reserve.
And, I did entertain that idea that this was looking to "pin it on someone else," I'll put the response as a thrid update.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 2:40 PM
Watching the press conference, I was dumbfounded that the MSM found fault with the fact that the VP's office initially deflected all questions to the ranch owner. Clearly, this is an example of the administartion's attempts to reduce the size of government by ceding propaganda to the private sector!
I, for one, salute it!
By
Rex Kramer, Danger Seeker, at 2:42 PM
That's pretty funny, Rex.
I guess that goes as well for the private contract interrogators used in Iraq. They can "beat it out of them" for one third the cost.
And the legal liability is offloaded!
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 2:54 PM
They probably were drinking, that's why Bush didn't tag along. Just imagine if he had, though.....
My question would be who foots the bill for the medical team that follows Cheney whereever he goes. Does it come out of his own pocket, or does the taxpayer foot the bill? Is it our fault he chose to be a walking coronary?
By
Lew Scannon, at 3:46 PM
Someone would label you paranoid?
What a bunch of crap.
These guys haven't told the truth about anything from day one. I would suspect you of being delusional or incompetent to NOT consider that the presented story is wrong.
Whoever said that needs a serious dope slap to get their mind right about this this administration.
By
Greyhair, at 4:01 PM
Greyhair, Thanks for getting my back.
It wasn't that bad, they went after somebody else much worse, I was just one of a short list, a link on the word paranoia.
And, I wouldn't call it hate filled, it was just an everybody calm down before you go too far kinda post. But I was the word paranoia, and I consider that a subtle bump.
But thanks for the cover.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 4:24 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home