Hunting With Dick Cheney
Wednesday, 15. February 2006, 02:08:18
The vice president goes hunting in Texas with a group of buddies last Saturday, and during the hunt, accidentally shoots one if them, Harry Whittington, a prominent Republican Texas lawyer, pelting the poor guy with birdshot over his face and left chest. Of course, the VP covers up the story and the White House doesn't mention it until the press secretary is asked about it during a briefing.
Serious stuff, right? Nope. The press secretary jokes about it. After all, the guy isn't seriously hurt, right? Letterman, Leno and company pick up the ball and joke about it on late night TV.
Today, a piece of the birdshot got stuck in Mr. Whittington's heart and he had, according to medical staff, a mild heart attack, requiring them to move him back into intensive care and to perform a medical procedure on him. The joking stopped.
All states have criminal laws on the books and most of those laws are pretty similar. Here in California, we have Penal Code section 192. It defines "voluntary manslaughter" as: the commission of a lawful act which might produce death, in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and circumspection. Voluntary manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eleven years.
So what if Cheney's hunting buddy dies? Assuming Texas has a similar manslaughter statute on the books, should he (would he) be charged? What would it mean to the vice presedency, to the country?
I'm certain Dick didn't mean to shoot the guy, and we're all hopeful that he's okay. But it's clear the matter has been handled extremely badly. Cover it up, joke about it, then hope the guy doesn't die. And still no comment, no apology by the VP or his staff. Ironically, if the guy does die, any apology or statement made by the VP could be used against him in the event he was charged criminally in Mr. Whittington's death.
If I may be entirely inappropriate for a moment . . . There is a potential upside should Mr. Whittington pass away as the result of his injuries (My apologies to all):
1. He's a Republican
2. He's a Lawyer
3. Cheney could be forced to resign from office if charged, thereby clearing the way for his boss' impeachment without having to worry about what Dick Cheney would do to us if he were president.
Serious stuff, right? Nope. The press secretary jokes about it. After all, the guy isn't seriously hurt, right? Letterman, Leno and company pick up the ball and joke about it on late night TV.
Today, a piece of the birdshot got stuck in Mr. Whittington's heart and he had, according to medical staff, a mild heart attack, requiring them to move him back into intensive care and to perform a medical procedure on him. The joking stopped.
All states have criminal laws on the books and most of those laws are pretty similar. Here in California, we have Penal Code section 192. It defines "voluntary manslaughter" as: the commission of a lawful act which might produce death, in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and circumspection. Voluntary manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eleven years.
So what if Cheney's hunting buddy dies? Assuming Texas has a similar manslaughter statute on the books, should he (would he) be charged? What would it mean to the vice presedency, to the country?
I'm certain Dick didn't mean to shoot the guy, and we're all hopeful that he's okay. But it's clear the matter has been handled extremely badly. Cover it up, joke about it, then hope the guy doesn't die. And still no comment, no apology by the VP or his staff. Ironically, if the guy does die, any apology or statement made by the VP could be used against him in the event he was charged criminally in Mr. Whittington's death.
If I may be entirely inappropriate for a moment . . . There is a potential upside should Mr. Whittington pass away as the result of his injuries (My apologies to all):
1. He's a Republican
2. He's a Lawyer
3. Cheney could be forced to resign from office if charged, thereby clearing the way for his boss' impeachment without having to worry about what Dick Cheney would do to us if he were president.
WIDGETIZE
hungryghost # 18. February 2006, 19:09