14 February 2006

Any Questions?


Scotty's Pals:

Q: Scott, just a few 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 speak about it himself,
not through intermediaries?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, look, I mean, you've
talked 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 it
specifically, in your --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he has, through his
office.


Lawrence O'Donnell:

How do we know there was no alcohol? Cheney
refused to talk to local authorities until the next
day. No point in giving him a breathalyzer then.
Every lawyer I've talked to assumes Cheney was
too drunk to talk to the cops after the shooting.
The next question for the White House
should be: Was Cheney drunk?

I have never gone hunting with ultra-rich
Republicans on a Saturday afternoon, but I have
seen them tailgating at Ivy League football
games, so it's hard for me to believe that any of
their Saturday lunches are alcohol free.


James Wolcott:

The question the press should ask itself
when it has time to pause and (ha-ha) reflect is:
Why has Dick Cheney been allowed to be secret
agent vice president since 9/11? Everyone foolishly
accepted that he needed to be in an undisclosed
location in case of terrorist attack, but there hasn't
been a terrorist attack and Cheney has used the
9/11 moment as a permanent opaque bullet-proof
shield between himself and accountability on
everything pertaining to his office. Has there ever
been an administration where the vice president
was more aloof, arrogant, and stealthier than the
president himself? As Dana Bash said the other
night on CNN, the vice president's office routinely
refuses to let anyone know what the veep's schedule
is, what his travel plans are, who he's meeting with,
etc. They didn't know he was spending the weekend
shooting quail and the occasional fellow hunter
until the news broke in Texas. He's an elected
official, which he seems to have forgotten, as has
the press, as has the Republican Party, as have the
American people.


and Jane Hamsher asks:

What happens in Texas hunting accidents if
you're Hispanic?