Vice President’s Hunting Mishap-a Defining Moment for MSM
Earlier today while watching FoxNews, I heard Eleanor Clift describe the Vice President’s delay in contacting the media after his hunting mishap this weekend as a “defining moment” for him. Ms. Clift did get something right. This story is a defining moment, but not for the Vice President, as she claims. It is instead a defining moment for the mainstream media.
On Hugh Hewitt’s blog, Mary Katharine Ham describes the press reaction as “Making a Bazooka Outta Some Birdshot.” On Valentine’s Day on Fox, National Review’s Kate O’Beirne said this was another example of the conspiracy mind-set of the MSM.
MSM mavens claim this is yet another sign of this secretive Administration, yet have yet to make a serious suggestion of what the Vice President might be covering up. They don’t seem to be satisfied that the local sheriff’s office “closed its investigation” of the matter, issuing a “report that supports Cheney’s account of the weekend accident.” Kenedy County’s sheriff, Ramon Salinas, III, is, by the way, a Democrat.
This hasn’t stopped other Democrats — and their allies in the MSM — from seeing this as a sign of the Administration’s secrecy. Although she withheld documents from investigators and delayed turning over evidence to authorities, Hillary Clinton rants that this is just another disturbing sign of the administration’s refusal “to level with the American people on matters large and small” (via Michelle Malkin).
Despite Mrs. Clinton’s angry accusations, in his interview with Brit Hume on Fox News, the Vice President leveled with the American people, taking responsibility for his errors. After watching excerpts of the interview last night on Fox, I agree with Polipundit’s Lorie Byrd that his “explanation [is] quite understandable” even though I still think he should have gone to media earlier. He was concerned that the Harry Whittington’s family know that their relative had been shot before the accident had been made public and did not wanted to go public until medical personnel had an accurate picture of Whittington’s condition.
Watching the Vice President and listening to his words, I can better understand one of the reasons he offered for his delay in contacting the media. My Dad’s wife wondered about Cheney’s personal trauma, that is, what he went through as he realized that his own error may have cost a friend his life. Naturally, in such a state, he would want to have better knowledge of his friend’s condition before going public. Indeed, the Vice President acknowledged as much in his interview, notably his comment that he will never be able forget the image of Whittington falling. It was, he said, “one of the worst days of my life.”
Like the president, I could tell that the Vice President had been “profoundly affected” by his mishap. Far from being secretive, he was being human. That the MSM has dwelled on this, as if there were a cover-up, is another sign of the MSM’s prejudices towards Republicans in general and this Administration in particular. They see scandal in every mishap or policy difference and cover-up in every failure to treat the Washington press corps precisely as these reporters expect to be treated.
The MSM’s reaction to the Vice President’s hunting mishap — and his delay in contacting the media — is indeed a defining moment for them. In his latest post, Nick noted out of touch the media are with reality. And once again we see how suspect they remain of the Bush Administration and the GOP — no matter how slight the evidence.
-Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest): GayPatriotWest@aol.com
UPDATE: In an excellent post which I ***HIGHLY*** recommend, D.J. Drummond observes, “Simply by being who he is, the Vice-President has once again revealed the dirty laundry which is the MSM’s daily wardrobe.” Exactly.
23 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
While the MSM reaction to the incident is certainly over the top, I think “defining moment” is true, in the sense that in ten years the VP is going to be remembered as the guy that shot his friend on a hunting trip. In the same way as Ted Kennedy is the guy that drives off bridges. Or that former President Ford falls down a lot. Or Bill “I did not have sex…Clinton” etc.
If the guy had died, then would you admit it was a “defining moment”?
However, I don’t see the failure of the VP to notify the press as a “defining moment” as Eleanor Clift says. She is decidedly on media planet on that one.
It will be interesting to see in a few years what President Bush’s “defining moment” will be. The aircraft carrier “Mission Accomplished” speech? The flag and firemen at ground zero? The post-911 State of the Union? As the guy that led us into Iraq to find WMD’s that were not there? What will he be remembered for most? What event or image will appear to sum up his Presidency in the future?
Comment by Patrick (Gryph) — February 16, 2006 @ 7:22 pm - February 16, 2006
The reason the MSM is hyping the Cheney story is obvious: sheer venal hatred of Dick Cheney. But it also goes hand in glove with the reason they are ignoring the fact that Iran is enriching uranium and downplaying the Muslim cartoon riots. Both approaches play into the MSM’s real agenda: Getting their friends the Democrats back into power.
The reasoning I heard goes something like this: People will never elect Democrats to power so long as they believe the US is in danger. Because no matter how many shipping clerks and PR pukes who may have happened to serve in Iraq the Democrats recruit as “Iraq veteran” candidates in a desperate attempt to slather lipstick on the Pig That Is their national security record, they can’t convince enough voters that they are serious about protecting America.
Therefore, the media has to lull the public into believing that there is no threat to the United States. That means no coverage of the Iranian Nuclear program, no explanation of why it’s bad that Hamas is in charge of the Paleostinians, and as little coverage as possible of those riot things. Voters only elect Democrats when they feel it is safe to do so.
Comment by V the K — February 16, 2006 @ 7:23 pm - February 16, 2006
To intelligent, thinking citizens of the Republic; the shrill, whining of the WH Press Corps and their MSM fellow-travelers merely demonstartes the Press’ mistaken world-view that the Universe revolves around the Press…and they, the Press, are the sole arbitors of the Public’s “right to know”.
Fools…..
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — February 16, 2006 @ 7:50 pm - February 16, 2006
All good points. It’s time for the media to quit trying to BE the news, and do their job; report it. If the hunting accident could garner so much print,. then certainly the same standard must apply to what is happening now in Iran, South Korea, and with the muslim cartoons.
Comment by hank — February 16, 2006 @ 8:05 pm - February 16, 2006
Now Chris Matthews final point is” why didnt Cheney call the Prez sat nite himself. The Prez found out from an aide. Not the Veep himself. What kind of relationship is that? yada yada yada”
Now W and Cheney arent close enough??? Hardball…4 consecutive shows/hours on the hunting accident. Anyone wonder why they have a viewership of 52,000 per nite?
Comment by Gene — February 16, 2006 @ 8:12 pm - February 16, 2006
#2 V the K nails it.
reprinted from another post:
BTW I was a thirty something during Ronald Reagan’ s “Morning in America”. Back then the Democrat party was filled with hatred for that man too. The things they said about him, his wife were horrible. The MSM wasnt quite as bad as todays but not far off its anti conservative bias. Now as you look back at the grand legacey of the man, they dont like bringing up his accomplishments. I can see the same coming true for George W 10-20 years from now. The die is cast…and the liberals problem is people will remember, how they lined up against freeing women and children in Afganistan and Iraq. A record number of democracies in the world. It’s not going to be easy to change the record after the fact. Liberals were against most of Reagans innitiatiives at the time but I remember. A free Granada, the support for the contras that led to a free Nicaragua, freeing tens of millions in the cold war. Peace thru strenth. Arming western Europe w tactical Nukes, helped the USSR to collapse.I could go on and on. Reagan was beloved in eastern Europe and the collapsed USSR. Seems republican Presidents of recent memory are capable of doing great and noble things. Even Nixon opened the door to China and look 30 yrs later, almost 6 B Chinese freeer than ever. Dems..Clinton and Carter seem small and petty, no?
Comment by Gene — February 16, 2006 @ 8:15 pm - February 16, 2006
Yes it seems Ms. Clift got her panties in a bunch like the rest of the me…me…media. The real loser in this whole affair will be the media due to their over reaction. Of course they are so enamored with themselves that they will be in denial of the fallout. After all, we poor uneducated masses that they serve are incapable of proper discernment about important issues and have to be “spoon fed” by these Fourth Estate Intellectuals. Pity. They used to have a least some shred of respectability but that has all disolved with the current Administration that they patently HATE!!
Comment by Ron — February 16, 2006 @ 9:54 pm - February 16, 2006
Paul Begala, Democrat Class Act
BEGALA: The vice president’s performance yesterday leaves a whole lot of questions unanswered. First and most importantly, why was he drinking, how much was he drinking and did that affect his ability — his cognitive ability — while he was hunting?
Then Begala goes from dumb to downright creepy, repeatedly calling for Whittington’s blood:
BEGALA: Will the president encourage his friend Harry Whittington and the hospitals in Texas that treated him to release the blood alcohol content of Mr. Whittington? That wouldn’t be dispositive as to whether Cheney was drunk, but it would certainly be suggestive. [...]
Maybe Tommy the Tool can now explain how there is nothing outrageous in Begala’s comment, or how Paul Begala isn’t a prominent Democrat.
Comment by V the K — February 16, 2006 @ 10:04 pm - February 16, 2006
V the K, Chris Matthews’ show was on while I was at the gym and Dana “Elmer Fudd” Milbank and some guy from Congressional Quarterly were sparrng, well, actually, from reading the close-captioning, it seemed they were doing their best to imitate a Saturday Night Live sketch. But, if Begala said those things, it makes him look even more ridiculous than they.
He also dressed up like Elmer Fudd, yet it doesn’t seem he knows a thing about hunting. The Vice President said he had one beer at lunch — and that was that. So, he he answered the question in the interview. Note how Begala calls this a “performance.” Shows his agenda, as if he’s convinced this Republican was lying. To the extent it even matters that the Vice President was drinking. The sheriff closed the case on it, yet Begala is intent in finding some wrongdoing in an accident.
I guess he must think that Republicans are perfect and that they have to be drunk to make such an error — unless Karl Rove was behind it.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — February 17, 2006 @ 1:39 am - February 17, 2006
#1
The way liberals have been re-writing history, textbooks probably wouldn’t even include Bush.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — February 17, 2006 @ 1:53 am - February 17, 2006
WaPo Tries to Turn Kids into Little Begalas.
Comment by V the K — February 17, 2006 @ 5:57 am - February 17, 2006
Daniel Henninger on OpJourn Adds This:
Have you ever noticed how on a scale of one to 10, every untoward event in the life of the Bush presidency goes straight to a 10?
The Abu Ghraib photos? A 10 forever. Dick Cheney catching a hunting buddy with some birdshot? An instant 10. The Bush National Guard story? Total 10. How can it be that each downside event in this presidency greets the public at this one, screeching level of outrage and denunciation by the out-of-power party and a perpetually outraged media?
There was a time when what’s been called news judgment would deem some stories a five or six and run them on page 14, or deeper in the newscast. Back then the Senate minority leader wouldn’t bother to look up from his desk. Not with this presidency. Every downside event–large, small, in between–plays above the fold on the front page now.
Comment by V the K — February 17, 2006 @ 9:06 am - February 17, 2006
#4 – hank, that is the first post I have seen from you in some time where you (1) praise others and (2) call for something positive to happen. I liked it.
Comment by Calarato — February 17, 2006 @ 9:42 am - February 17, 2006
The VP’s delay in notifying the MSM is very suspicious. He acts as if he expects them to speculate, start rumors, or otherwise try to spin it as negatively as possible out of a bias against the administration.
Oh wait…
Comment by Dale in L.A. — February 17, 2006 @ 12:21 pm - February 17, 2006
With all this digging, I have yet to hear a reporter inquire about the status of the bird.
Comment by hank — February 17, 2006 @ 1:43 pm - February 17, 2006
Hank: if memory serves, one DID.
How’s that for scary?
Comment by DaveP. — February 17, 2006 @ 2:22 pm - February 17, 2006
Gee gosh, I hope he’s ok.
Comment by hank — February 17, 2006 @ 3:05 pm - February 17, 2006
“Defining moments” can come at any time.
Despite what GrampaGryph thinks, I don’t think 10 years from now “average” people will even remember or recall W’s Veep was Dick Cheney –and you know what, that’s probably how Cheney would like it… knowing he served the President well, was loyal to the country, and fulfilled his sworn duty to uphold the Constitution and protect the United States.
W made a wise choice in selecting Cheney.
He’s not caught up in proving himself, he’s loyal to the Office of President and its great traditions, and he appreciates his job isn’t to mark his place in history… unlike AlGore and a few others. He seems like a grounded, purposeful leader who doesn’t need the validation of the press, the beltway, the Senate, or some nattering second-guessing political hacks.
He’s pretty content and confortable in his skin and that’s confirmed in his conduct.
Something a lot of gay guys and nearly everyone on the Left could learn from if they’d drop their singular lust for approval from any quarter.
Comment by Michigan-Matt — February 17, 2006 @ 3:28 pm - February 17, 2006
Did y’all catch that caller on Rush who suggested that Cheney was spooked by Jimmy Carter’s “killer rabbit”? Now that was funny.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — February 17, 2006 @ 4:49 pm - February 17, 2006
The talk radio station here does not carry Rush, I’m pained to say.
Comment by rightwingprof — February 17, 2006 @ 5:46 pm - February 17, 2006
Rush 24/7 on the net with Podcast
Comment by ThatGayConservative — February 17, 2006 @ 8:15 pm - February 17, 2006
If you want to see the moonbats going off the deep end about Whittington’s statement, run over to Daily Kos. Amazing.
Comment by rightwingprof — February 18, 2006 @ 12:14 pm - February 18, 2006
Interesting thought on that one. I think I heard something similar the other day on another board. I can’t remember where though.
Comment by drug rehab program — March 6, 2006 @ 4:49 pm - March 6, 2006