Cheney shoots hunting buddy (multiple threads merged)

[Rembrandt]

As a Hunter Education Instructor I can tell you this happens more often than people realize. Number one reason....the victim was not wearing hunter orange and blends into the background of the game. When a shooter swings on the bird the orange is usually enough to get your attention before pulling the trigger. For some states hunter orange is mandatory, for private game ranches in certain states do not require orange. No one has said if the lawyer was wearing orange or not.

Regardless, hunters should always be aware where everyone in their hunting party is. You can bet with all the security people around it was probably not a normal hunting senario.

 

[Mr.V.]

Someone needs to teach the Vice President proper muzzle safety

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060212/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cheney_hunting_accident

 

[PCGS65]

Maybe the lawyer told him the wire taps were illegal?
Or better yet were they hunting by the border to.........

 

[Atticus]

Maybe the lawyer told him the wire taps were illegal?

"VP CHENEY SHOOTS LAWYER!" Is that a bad thing?

 

[Manedwolf]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060212/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cheney_hunting_accident

I see they're already blaming the victim, too.
-----
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 said.

"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."
-----

Yeah, maybe he should have said he was there, but if he was BEHIND him...I sure wouldn't go hunting with someone who swung about far enough to muzzle members of his own party (let alone shoot them!)

 

[kjeff50cal]

VP Cheney was hunting in South Texas and he thought the Mexican Army was on the other side of the bushes .

 

[PlayTheAces]

Hmmmmm.

Not exactly the first time in history a V.P. has taken a shot at a lawyer, is it?

Glad things turned out better this time.

 

[Helmetcase]

The political jokes practically write themselves. Glad to hear the old fart is ok, but it's a good example of why you don't use birdshot as a home defense load. At that range, it's just not going to be lethal.

 

[tellner]

In other words, he screwed the pooch on rules 2,3 and 4. Proof that expertise in one area, in this case politics, doesn't translate into competence in another such as basic firearms safety. I wonder what they would have said if the victim had been crippled or killed.

 

[MountainPeak]

Shooting a lawyer, that is also old enough to deplete our social security/medicare funds, might not be a bad thing. Shoot lower Dick. You damn near got a "hat trick"!

 

[MillCreek]

If the situation was reversed, and Mr. Whittington had accidentally shot VP Cheney, would the Secret Service have shot Mr. Whittington multiple times? One wonders how the Secret Service could distinguish an accidental shooting from an assassination attempt.

 

[_N4Z_]

???

Wonder if this will earn the VP a new nickname.... Buckshot Cheney?

 

[calzoom]

Seems to me the VP is going to go through enough hell with the anti's, With out all the pro thread burners jumping in the fray on how they would have handled it. And every detail of what who did what wrong. Pile on!!!

I would think we would take this opportunity to clean up our own back yard and refresh our own safety rules. But I guess that's no longer the American way!

 

[MountainPeak]

I heard Bill Clinton has already weighed in: Clinton stated, "Well, I hate to see anyone get hurt. Especially a 78 year old guy, that may be senile. I've always supported things "for the children", even if a ""second" childhood is happening. I tried, for years, to get Hillary to go hunting with me". She agreed one year, but wanted to carry a firearm." "Damn, can you imagine that"?

 

[MountainPeak]

If the situation was reversed, and Mr. Whittington had accidentally shot VP Cheney, would the Secret Service have shot Mr. Whittington multiple times? One wonders how the Secret Service could distinguish an accidental shooting from an assassination attempt.

Probably, with COMMON SENSE.

 

[tarheelson]

To me this is the scariest quote of the news story

"This is something that happens from time to time. You now, I've been peppered pretty well myself," said Armstrong. (Katharine Armstrong, the property's owner.)

Don't wanna go hunting with her.

 

[DevLcL]

If the situation was reversed, and Mr. Whittington had accidentally shot VP Cheney, would the Secret Service have shot Mr. Whittington multiple times? One wonders how the Secret Service could distinguish an accidental shooting from an assassination attempt.

I imagine the Secret Service might draw on Whittington but quickly realize it was an accident.

-Dev

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi calzoom-

There is a side of me that feels very similar to what you're feeling. It sure doesn't help when a bunch of allegedly pro-RKBA folks start jumping all over the Vice President Cheney and saying how "reckless" he behaved. The simple fact-of-the-matter is that gungrabbers like Sarah Brady and everyone else from HCI (don't let their namechange fool you...) will visit this and similar forums seeking quotes they can use against us.

An unfortunate accident occurred and the VP apologized. Everyone is OK and will return home shortly. Enough said, in my book.

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[GEM]

Don't point your gun at things you are not willing to destroy - not a strong principle of this White House:

Hockley TX--September 2, 1994 Republican George W. Bush in an annual Texas ritual went dove hunting on the first day of the season with the press in tow.

Unfortunately, the GOP hopeful found out that one of the seven shots he fired off had hit and killed a federally protected killdeer. Recognizing he'd bagged the "wrong" bird, Bush admitted his mistake to the game warden and announced his desire to pay the fine.

"I thought it was a dove," Bush said, "I made a mistake and I'm going to pay for it." GW was fined $130 for shooting the bird with a 20-gauge shotgun during an hour long dove hunt in a field northwest of Houston.

--------

 

[Waitone]

Tort Reform

 

[jdseven1]

Ok he hit a lawyer but did he get the bird?

 

[Hawken50]

Honestly guys. The Vice President finally gets some "combat time" and you all are mocking him for it. you should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

[Waitone]

So was Cheney flushing a covey or flock or herd or gaggle of lawyers?

So what is the proper collective noun for an assembly of lawyers?

 

[Ares45]

Anybody in here an avid Quail hunter??? Guessing some have never hunted wild birds before. This is what happens when you leave the hunting party and go out on your own. Mr. Bob White isn't stupid, he'll fly right twards you, your buddy, your dogs, and any vehicle close by. That's why you hunt with everyone formed in a line perpendicular to the covey rise. That way when the bird doubles back you can bring the muzzle into your chest, turn a 180 and let em' have it. Also, you don't pick up birds until the rise is over and you don't pursue the next point until all the birds are in the bag. While I agree that the VP should have seen a man in the line of fire and pulled off, the Lawyer is definitely to blame for coming up from behind with birds still on the ground. Stop, drop and roll buddy!

Too bad Gore couldn't have pulled off the same manuver on one of is "goose hunting" trips.

 

[Ares45]

So what is the proper collective noun for an assembly of lawyers?

Congress???