Sunday, February 12, 2006

Cheney Hunting Accident - Near Death by #8 Shot?

Some of the news organizations who are acting like the news of the hunting accident where VP Cheney peppered a fellow hunter is some big story, have obviously never went quail hunting and know very little about quail hunting. No it's never good to be shot by a gun, but based on my 30 years hunting, if I had to pick a gun and ammo to be accidentally shot by it would be a shot gun with bird shot #8 shot, just as happened in this matter.

Yep tinny shot pellets that are big enough to barely kill a two pound bird but not seriously damage the body is the way I'd go. The shot of a #8 is about the size of a pin head and there are 410 pellets in a #8 shell. It would sting bad and pierce the skin but the chances of being critically hurt are much less than being hit by lightening or winning the Powerball lottery.......................

Although the hunting accident was unfortunately, Whittingham was in no serious danger. The anti-Cheney press and political cartoonist will try and have a grand time with this and use it in their attacks on Cheney on all fronts where they disagree with him and the Bush administration. No doubt that "Cheney shot gun based humor" will flood the editorials and cartoons over the coming days. Here is an early offering from the AP and CNN:

CNN:

Harry Whittington, a millionaire attorney from Austin, was "alert and doing fine" in a Corpus Christi hospital Sunday after he was shot by Cheney on a ranch in south Texas, said Katharine Armstrong, the property's owner. He was described as in stable condition by Yvonne Wheeler, spokeswoman for the Christus Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi.....................


"Stable condition" after being peppered by #8 bird shot? Of course he is in stable condition, good grief............................................

The shooting was first reported by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. The vice president's office did not disclose the accident until nearly 24 hours after it happened.


So what if the accident was not reported until the next day. What in the world does that have to do with anything? Unless of course your a news organization who thinks Cheney is not trustworthy and this is another example of attempts to hold critical info back from the American people............Sad agenda indeed.........

Early hit by the AP: Cheney almost killed his hunting companion with #8 bird shot and tried to hide it........................

(to help those who have no clue how damaging a #8 shot is, here is a visual: a #8 shot is the size of a pin head, and it would take about 15 #8 shot pellets to make a BB. Cheney was reported to be using a 28 gauge shot gun which is one above the least powerful shot gun that can be used. The #8 shot has 410 pellets which would produce 27 high powered BB's at one time. The pattern at the distance that his hunting companion was shot would probably produce 1/3 of all pellets hitting the man, 2/3 at most. So between 9 and 18 high powered BB's pierced his hunting companions skin. Painful? Yes. Remotely fatal, not a chance..........)



----------------Update---------------------------

Taking a glance at the Kos Kids discussion on an open thread about the Cheney hunting accident, I think this will be a "Big" positive for Cheney and the administration when all is said and done. Why, well these folks are going over the deep end hard and fast on this simple "hunting accident" and although it might play well for the hard left, it's certainly not going to play well with non-moonbats. The majority of Americans don't respond well to the Kos-Dean-DNC hysteria, and its already reaching warp speed. Here are some Kos conspiracies uncovered this evening:

how much of the quail is left when you shoot it with a shotgun? Picking buckshot out of deer is bad enough, but is there any good meat left on the quail? Seems more like .22 riflesport to me..............Skid

Like most subjects these folks have zero understanding of the matter they are currently attempting to discuss..................Buck-shot for quail hunting, hysterical................

Which is why Cheney confused his friend with his target, right? But how do those quail fly if they have those big orange vests on? And who gave the quail the vests in the first place? The medical personnel maybe?? Smells fowl to me.....................MrSandman

This clown thinks that the birds have orange vests and sees a conspiracy brewing.......................orange vested quail indeed............

I would imagine that getting shot in the face, chest, and neck with shot as big as green peas would be quite painful. I note the person shot by the Vice President yesterday is reported to be in the intensive care unit of the hospital. So that teeny shot must have done quite a number on him...............Patricia Tyler

The shot was #8 bird shot the size of a pin head not a pea. Again a very informed group to discuss this matter.....................

And now the really logical analysis:

If he had been drinking, then yes but we'll never know about it, so no. If it was just negligence, then no but he can be sued. We'll never know the truth about it, though. The repubs will circle the wagons and no info will ever come out. When Reagan got shot, he joked about Democratic doctors. These guys will INSURE that there aren't any Democratic doctors or nurses or ambulance drivers or anybody associated with this situation. There won't be leak one if Darth was negligent or drunk. Count on it!...................dougymi

the fact that it was an accident is not a mitigating factor in the case of negligence, and the victim does not need to press charges in order for charges to be brought........Trix

Will ANYBODY in the f**king MSM question why there was a 24 hour delay in learning about this story??? It wouldn't be out now if it wasn't for the local media. Are we (blogs)the only ones that have a problem with this???........Phil S

The Vice President shoots someone and not a word reported for 22 hours! And then what we get is a self-serving AP story based on spin provided by the owner of the ranch (who happens to be a lobbyist). No police report. No breathalizer test. Were they afraind the old guy would die and they would be dealing with a homicide charge? There is something really fishy about this whole story..........eddeevy

And then from the blog thread comes two observations of logical thought and I think spot on politically:

Living here in "the heartland", I can assure you that guns are a very emotional topic for the locals. opening day of hunting season is virtually a holiday, and nearly a majority of my co-workers wear camoflauge to work. Like abortion voters, many of these people are "one issue" people. these are working class, blue collar, union workers who are very passionate about guns. Something to think about when Democrats wonder how to pick up more voters.........polymath22

Here in the deep south.............the same.......BenGoshi

Two Kos Kids out of 184 (1%) who understand and are getting it somewhat correct (the one issue statement by polymath22 is wrong)................................

Hunters and people who own guns understand that this was an accident (the experts on this matter) that could happen to anyone. If they attack Cheney on this and link it to political matters, it will make all who hunt and own guns turned-off to that particular political platform.....................Those who attack will be attacking not only Cheney for something that was a simple accident, but all who hunt and all who own guns...................

Go after it MSM, Kos Kids, Dean - DNC, political cartoonists, go after it........................................You know you can't help yourself from doing so................