Just Asking
Regarding the Vice President shooting a man, Redd writes:
Something is weird about this. I can't put my finger on what it is, and I'm awaiting a read of whatever police report gets released, but the whole narrative is odd. And reeks of covering for something.
As one who spent much of my youth hunting quail, I agree that the story seems incomplete. Mr. Cheney is an experienced hunter and presumably knows not to fire unless and until the entire field of fire is clear of people. Nonetheless, he did so. There is one piece of information I would like to have to try to understand what happened.
Cheney has a history of engaging in dangerous activities after consuming alcohol.
Among Mr. Cheney's medical problems is gout. Gout is related to alcohol consumption:
Gout is a painful condition that affects the joints of men and women. The incidence of gout has been increasing in the developed world for the past 30 years. It has been thought for a long time that drinking alcohol increases your risk of developing gout, but the theory has never been proven.So, the question must be asked, what was Dick Cheney's blood alcohol level at the time of the shooting?An American study, published in the Lancet, looked at 50,000 men and found that drinking alcohol is linked with an increased risk of developing gout. In addition, it appears that the type of drink also makes a difference: beer appears to be more "risky" than wine.
Update: CBS News is reporting that local law enforcement was prevented from interviewing Cheney after the shooting:
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.
I wonder why. Surely the Vice President could have touched his nose with his index finger and walked a straight line, right?
Update II: Ron Reagan on MSNBC also wonders why Cheney did not talk to the cops. From a Kos diary:
There's another aspect to this too Chris, and that is whether the VP was interviewed by local law enforcement, or whether the Secret Service intervened in that. If you or I shoot somebody, accidentally or not, we're going to talk to the cops about that and they're going to ask us a few questions. Among them, 'have you been drinking'? And apparantly, at least from what we're hearing now, they weren't allowed to do that to the VP.
Comments
As one who spent much of my youth hunting quail ... (and jump hunting waterfowl and other upland game birds, which is pretty much the same flush-to-fire experience), it seems that the shooter drew through a foreground object, and fired while the pellet pattern substantially included the foreground object.
This is imprudent since foreground objects can produce richochets, and may be susceptible to pellet damage.
Friends, even neighbors, are usually poor choices for fire through foreground objects, and it is particularly sinful to wound a bird dog.
Either blood alcohol or hunter safty or too old to handle a small bore skeet class / upland bird gun.
Posted by: Eric | February 13, 2006 01:06 PM
Good question - I have been wondering about the entire incident ever since the news broke. Why wait so damn long to release the information? Also - there is a business and political connection between Bush and the victim - a connection that bears the whiff of scandal. There may be several layers to this story - alcohol consumption being one most seem to have missed. My additional question is: If Cheney's a drunk - why on earth would Bush, a supposed reformed drinker, keep him around?
Posted by: The Fat Lady Sings | February 13, 2006 01:41 PM
I think this news account may answer some questions for you:
Cheney Shoots Terrorist. . .
Posted by: Tom | February 13, 2006 01:48 PM
The question I want the answer to is:
"How much did Mr Whittington have to pay for the privilege of being shot in the face by the Vice President?"
because it is widely known that in this administration that kind of access doesn't come cheap.
Posted by: Mike Meredith | February 14, 2006 12:51 AM
My guess is he was drunk. I don't hunt myself, but I know lots of folks who do, and they all drink. It's part of the ritual. Of COURSE they wouldn't let the cops test him right after the incident. What other reason could they have for not letting them in? That "Oh, we already made an appointment for tomorrow morning!" shit doesn't wash. He was stewed. That gout speculation is new to me. Makes sense.
Posted by: Neil Shakespeare | February 14, 2006 04:45 PM
Agreed! The time necessary for the blood alcohol level to go down is just about the amount of time they waited to let anyone know. How ironic, after all he has done to harm our country, if he is taken down by a drunken-illegal-hunting accident?
Posted by: Michelle Harris | February 15, 2006 11:37 AM