by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright February 15, 2006
All Rights Reserved.

pening fire on his hunting buddy Austin, Texas attorney and GOP fundraiser Harry Whittington, Vice President Dick Cheney finds himself at the center of another ugly controversy, after watching this Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice in the Valerie Plame mess. Cheney's latest mishap, while hunting quail at the 50,000-acre Armstrong Ranch southwest of Copus Christi, occurred at dusk last Saturday, Feb. 11, was kept from the press for 18-hours, eventually reported by the ranch's owner Katharine Armstrong and posted on the Web site of the local newspaper. Waiting 18-hours irked the press corps, drawing criticism from former White House Press secretaries. Cheney “ignored his responsibility to the American people,” said former Reagan and Bush-41 press secretary Marlin Fitzwater, critical of the delayed response.

      What gives the hunting fiasco legs is the irony of Cheney's ineptitude, a former congressman, defense secretary, CEO of Halliburton and primary architect of the Iraq War, in a totally avoidable hunting accident. According to official reports, Cheney whirled around 180 degrees and unloaded his 28-gauge birdshot-filled shotgun, apparently going after a “covey of quail,” while, simultaneously, Whittington, only 30 yards away but not visible, recovered a downed bird. Initial reports blamed Whittington for not identifying himself, despite wearing a fluorescent orange vest. Whittington “came up from behind the vice president and other hunter and didn't signal them or indicate to them or announce himself,” Armstrong told the Associated Press, leaving the unmistakable impression that the accident wasn't Cheney's fault. In reality, Cheney shouldn't have pulled the trigger before it was safe.

      Cheney, an avid outdoorsman, who operated without a valid Texas hunting license, should have known better, having gone on other outings, including a duck-hunting trip in 2001 with Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Without knowing the whereabouts of all parties, shooting to his rear violates basic rules, where safety compels hunters to shoot from a limited radius in the front. “You would never turn around a fire behind you,” said Terry Erwin, president of the International Hunter Education Assn., explaining, “if a bird comes from behind, you would never take that shot.” “The vice president didn't see him,” explained Armstrong, trying to excuse a rookie mistake, causing Whittington serious injuries. While his injuries appeared superficial, Whittington suffered an arrythmia or mild heart attack when a birdshot pellet migrated to his heart.

      Waiting for 18- hours before informing the press opened furious questions from White House reporters puzzled by the delayed response. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan explained that the vice president was more concerned about the health of his hunting companion than informing the press. Delaying the report raised questions about Cheney's medical state at the time of the incident. While there were immediate denials about whether the vice president was under-the-influence, the incident was not easily explained away as a routine accident. “It would have been better if the vice president or his staff come out last Saturday or first thing Sunday morning and announced it,” said former White House press secretary Ari Fleisher, raising more questions about the 18-hour delay. Since the incident occurred last Saturday, Cheney has ducked the media.

      No one has said Cheney didn't inform the White House, shortly after the incident. There's no question that the White House needed 18-hours to study the damage control associated with the mishap. Confronting two problems, White House spin meisters had to figure out how to (a) explain a most embarrassing incident and (b) account for an 18-hour press blackout. Shooting his good friend raises serious doubt about Cheney's judgment and possible fitness for duty. With all of Cheney's medical problems and his known heart medications, it's questionable whether he should engage in risky activities requiring sound judgment and reaction time. In an exclusive interview with Fox News' Brit Hume, Cheney admits to drinking one beer “at lunch.” Whether it was really one beer, or whether the boys downed more on the hunt, raises the possibility together with prescription meds, of impaired judgment.

      Showing little contrition about the news delay, Cheney expressed deep regrets about shooting his good friend. “The image of him falling is something I will never be able to get out of my mind,” Cheney told Hume, adding, “it was one of the worst days of my life.” Worried about damaging the White House, it took damage control experts four days to figure out that Cheney would have to assume full responsibility. “Ultimately, I'm the guy who pulled the trigger, that fired the round that hit Harry,” said Cheney, accepting blame but offering no apologies about withholding information from the press. While this crisis will no doubt pass, Cheney still faces more serious allegations in his role outing covert CIA operative Valerie Plame. With his former aide Libby singing like a canary, the Plame affair may have Cheney shooting himself in the foot, instructing Libby reveal Plame's identity.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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