US Vice President shoots man
 

Jesus. Just unbelievable.

If it wasn't so unfunny that some poor sap got hurt by this, I'd laugh, y'know?

Cheney Shoots Donor in Hunting Accident
 

It seems that if Cheney didn't have bad luck, he would have no luck at all.

http://www.cnn.com/

Details are still coming in, so I haven't posted the article at this moment.

From an article I read, it was merely some pellets that sprayed him from some bird shot. He didn't really "shoot" him like most people would imagine when reading the headline.

But I'm sure our media is going to take it and run, run run. :o

This is another sad example of the liberal, communist, anti-gun, left-wing, Castro-loving media trying to make our dear leaders look bad. I'm sure the terrorists are laughing right now because we are even discussing this. Well laugh all you want, because the heroes at FOX are reporting the truth - this guy was an Islamic insurgent.

We need to ask ourselves, why isn't our politicians aiming.

Cheney fires a shotgun, pellets from which hit another man, yet Cheney didn't really shoot him? What an interesting view. What, pray tell, did Cheney really do to him then?

Lock him up! LOL

I shouldn't laugh the poor guy has got to be hurting. Cheney is the joke!

I blame the Secret Service...

It's not the first time - Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel while Vice President under Thomas Jefferson. Burr served the rest of his time and was never tried or convicted for killing Hamilton.

What he did afterwards is almost too bizarre to recount, including trying to lead a secret army to make Texas a nation.

Maybe as Bush jr. finished Bush sr's work, Cheney is hoping to finishe the work of Aaron Burr. He has a few more years in office but that's no reason to start planing for the Texas war of seccession.

Have you ever fired a shotgun with birdshot in it? :confused:


Have you ever hunted?


Often when you hunt for doves or other fowl you spread out over a tract of land. Occasionally there is the possibility of pellets from another hunter hitting the area of your blind when they come back to earth or are deflected. It's akin to getting shot at long range from a BB gun. I'm just saying it's not like many uneducated, uninformed, or ignorant people would assume, that the guy got shot with a "bullet" that could've killed him. Without further detail, and knowing it was bird hunting, I'm just saying not to assume it isn't something very minor getting blown out of proportion.

If it is proven that he was 5' away from the guy and he still hit him then it's far different than if they were in blinds 100 yards apart and he got hit with pellets.

From an eyewitness:

It seems that:
1) the "victim" was the careless one
2) it was very minor.

Clearly you are wrong. Bush arranged this to draw attention away from the war in Iraq.

it's happened to me.

its not really a big deal, its just little lead pullets falling down on you.

about the worse thing that could happen is you getting one stuck in your eye, and I mean stuck in your eye, not shot in your eye, a bottle of saline and your fine.

Please refrain from placing any assumptions upon me. I simply pointed out that your assertion that Cheney didn't really shoot the man is blatantly false. Cheney indeed shot him, as your 3rd post even states. I never said it was intentional or serious - but thanks for the unnecessary hunting lesson. :rolleyes:

I asked two questions, but made no assumptions of you. :thumbsup: You did completely leave out the balance of my sentence about how "most people would imagine when reading the headline" though. ;)

Sorta the same way you never did answer my original question, eh? :crazy:

Sorta how you skirted mine? :lol: Pot, kettle? ;)


If you actually research the actual instance, you'll see that the guy didn't practice proper safety/ettiquette while hunting, and had a few pellets hit him that didn't even make him disoriented or do more than draw a bit of blood. So I'd say it's not what Cheney did, but what the guy did. And since no REAL harm came from it, I don't see why it's an issue. *shrug*

I could be wrong, but I always thought that after killing Hamilton, Burr actually fled the country.

Actually, I'm a registered member of the Anti-Old-Farts-With-Guns lobby. If you can't tell the difference between quail and your hunting mate, time to turn in the keys to your car. Or something like that. :)

Clavus, it took me a moment. :lol:

what you don't believe that accidents can happen?

I understand from previous discussions that you don't like the idea that guns exist. People have accidents with vehicles, tools and sharp objects all the time? Should those be outlawed too?

Actually... this was all staged to show just what the Administration feels about their donors... Beholden to the money? Not on your life!

/threadjack

I'm with Cyn on this one - accidents happen, though this is conspicuously embarrassing if you are the VP of the US.

Hmm, that's different from what I've always believed. Learn something new every day.

To me, the big issue was that the guy who got shot -- who headed off on his own and didn't keep the other posted on where he was headed -- was 78.

I'm not qualified to say whether or not a 78-year-old should be hunting. I can say that most people _I_ know of that age should _not_ be roaming around in the woods where guns are going off. The most I'll say: the veep might have kept in mind that maybe 'Ol Harry couldn't handle himself like he usta. Further than that, I won't play politics in this case.

i'd feel worse if he shot donner or blitzen. Or Santa himself, just went ahead and blew santa away with birdshot. and liked it.

War? I don't think so. Don't let the door hit you in the patootie on the way out more like.

Apparently, wearing bright orange safety vests while hunting just makes it easier for the other hunters to shoot you.

...Besides, Cheney isn't the first member of this administration to have an unfortunate sporting accident. Bush fell off his Segway ;-).

I thought he fell off his bicycle. :)

Cool thing to tell your grandchildren, 50 Cent style. "I got shot in the face.....by the Vice President!"

I see so for those who do not think this is a big deal and harmless..... when you are 78 can I shoot you, like that and see how harmless and funny you think it is?

I feel sorry for Cheney and the man. I'm sure it was an accident but that is a horrendous thing to happen. Thank God, it wasn't more serious, and the man seems to be doing well.

The sad thing is the Right blow it off as nothing and the Left seem to find humor in it..... Rodney was the only one who didn't play partisanship.

As for Burr and Hamilton it was a duel (which was legal at the time). They had been great friends at one time.

Here ya go to put the debate to end: link: http://www.nps.gov/jeff/LewisClark2/...onBurrDuel.htm

Haha. Watch that you don't accidentally poke a hole in your cheek with that sharp tongue of yours.

This was Cheney's way of letting congress know what would happen to them if they got in the administration's way. Dick the Enforcer will show up at your office door, wearing bright orange, toting a shotgun.

Maybe we read two different articles, but I fail to see where your comment can even remotely apply....

It was an accident, shit happens.

I love the pictures of Cheney that have been up on the major news sites for this story.
Can you imagine this man wielding a shotgun?
http://www.calfx.org/cheney.jpg
:lol: :lol:

Cheney is 65 I think. At what point should people's right to hunt or bear arms be revoked, if that's the concern?

Frankly, I wish Cheney was shot.

Gore Vidal wrote a book on Burr that I really enjoyed.
http://www.ereader.com/product/detail/16243

---
A hero of the American Revolution, Aaron Burr (1756-1836) served as vice president under Thomas Jefferson, took the life of Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804, and was later tried for treason when Jefferson accused him of plotting to make an empire of his own in the western territories.

Told partly by Aaron Burr at the end of his long life and partly by a young journalist in whom Burr confides, this brilliantly imagined memoir, based on fact, is an enormously engaging work of fiction that treats the political intrigues of the new United States as if they were today's headlines.
---

I have no idea how accurate it is.

Rather then nail a specific age down why not simply require a vision test? Yes, I'm aware of the additional expense and time this would require. Once you vision is below a certain standard no more hunting for you, similar to the way vision has to be checked when renweing a driver's license.

That being said accidents happen.

He was sending a message to Scooter.

Kinda like Fredo's "fishing trip"? ;)

This to me is as big a deal as if Al Gore or Fritz Mondale had done something like that--which is to say "no big deal beyond the fact that someone is in the hospital with pellet wounds." Accidents are called that for a reason--otherwise, they'd be "purposes."

Cheney shot a Republican donor and a lawyer?

I have a new found respect for him.

I can see the headlines; "Cheney aims for Quayle, hits lawyer".


Sorry for the threadjack, back to the topic.

You try that shit in Canada, you can hang your hunting hat up for a long fucking time...

surely fines, possible criminal charges, and your hunting privledges suspended for a calendar year.

Let's see:
Careless Use of a Firearm
Pointing a Firearm

That is just off the top of the Canada Criminal Code!

Accident or no, he would be in real trouble up here. Real Big Trouble.

Now I'm not real big on canadian law, but what are you supposed to do with a firearm if its illegal to point it?

We really shouldn't be surprised. This is an administration that went after Osama Bin Laden and shot the wrong country.

Comedy gold...

/bows "We are not worthy!"


Edit: Except for this. Turns out shooting is only one of <a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/flummoxicated/pic/0001rrt8/">the Ten Ways Dick Cheney can Kill You</a>.

I heard on the radio this morning that the guy Cheney shot benefitted from the fact that Cheney travels with a medical team that can give him almost instant help if need be (because of his heart problems).
"Sorry I shot you! Here -- you can use my ambulance!"

It is obviously illegal to point it at a person...

You don't have that law in the US?

/ben gets a little bit afraid of visiting the US...

I hear they're claiming executive privelidge.

hope he hunts often hitting that trigger mowing down whatever is in his way, fire at will with a rambo yell and bring it to the white house, bring that war home.

actually would like to see cheney running things rather than bush, hope he mows him down now that he's tasted blood.

I'm pretty sure that 'pointing' has to be purposeful. If I'm holding my weapon in a safe position while checking the chamber, and someone walks in front of me, how is that I committed an offence?

you know, as much as i detest dick cheney, until i find out more about this (which assumes that i care enough about it to look for more) i'm going to pass on rendering judgement.

I doubt there's going to be any consequences about this. It doesn't seem like anything Cheney did was criminal, and I doubt the guy is going to press a civil suit. I'm relatively sure (without any evidence, however) that the US has some law about careless use of a firearm, even if it just fits as a specific type of assault. But I doubt Cheney was careless enough for his culpability to be criminal.

Now that's a guy's guy, right there! All of his future press conferences should go nice and smoothly from now on. What's that? Illegal wiretapping? Back off, or you might get a face full of lead! Have we ever had such a high ranking leader shoot someone in the face? I mean, besides Bill Clinton, of course :)

Ok, from what I've read, this guy is in critical condition.
That's more than some shot hitting you.
This guy was hit in the head and neck.

Seems, from what I've read so far, it was more or less a semi-direct hit when Cheney did a 180 and fired. That, by the way, is a huge no-no when hunting in groups. This accident was completely Cheney's fault. It is ALWAYS your duty to make sure noone else is in your line of fire before you shoot. Noone elses.

If I ever did that with my father-in-law, he would never allow me to hunt with him again, or ever on any of his properties.

That is the height of irresponsibilty.

(And all that without delving into what most likely was a canned shoot).

Big trouble because someone walked in fornt of him, out of sight, without warning, and accidentally got shot? The careless one here was teh guy who got shot, not the one with the gun.

"came up from behind the vice president" He is BEHIND the Veep. Veep turns around and shoots. Doesn't matter that the guy didn't signal. (it is very stupid of him) If you turn from your field, it's your duty to make sure the area is clear.

I agree the victim was careless, but the guy that pulled the trigger is at fault. I can't believe some people think it's the victims fault...you guys would be scary to hunt with:|

*always know your target and what's behind it before you shoot*...and no spinning 180 and then shooting. ;)

I just want to know if we can arrange for Teddy Kennedy to go hunting with Cheney.

Breaking news: Cheney sent a $7 check for a duck stamp.

I guess some members of Congress will have to back off the plans they were making to indict him for that horrendous crime.

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/com...ck_060213a.wmv

The daily show strikes again...

That's too hilarious.

I just love this whole discussion.

If we needed more evidence that our nation's political feelings are blinding common sense, this should do the trick. Even otherwise smart people are just blantently ignoring reality in favor of thier political views. That's just cool! I mean, in a tragic way, but hilarious none-the-less.

Check it out:

Being shot with a shotgun in the face is not "getting shot with a shotgun in the face" if you call it "being sprayed with little bits of led."

That's so kick-ass. I mean, the last time I fired bird shot at a target, I called it "shooting." At the same time, I followed what I'd been taught to avoid "shooting" someone else. If only the PD range instructors had known that since it was "birdshot" not "bullets," and it would "spray" someone, maybe we could have taken off the vests, goggles, and earplugs. Heck, it's not even dangerous! Then again, the target we "sprayed" at close range looked "devestated" but that's becuase no one told it that the "spray" of "little bits of lead" were not such a big deal.

Better yet, we're seeng semantic discussion on what getting shot with a shotgun really means. Apparently, if you're shot with a shotgun in the face, with the right ammo, it's just cool! You go to the ER, you get some band-aids, and you're fine!

Let me repeat that: semantic discussion on what is, or is not, getting shot in the face by a shotgun at close range. Not downrange, not "waaaay over there" but at close range.

Best yet, and I just love this part, it's not the guy who pulled the trigger's fault. That is the icing on the cake. If you're behind a shooter, and they spin 180 and fire, and somehow fail to notice the person standing there, it's your bad for not saying "hey, I"m behind you, don't shoot me." That is...classic.

Let's pretend this was Joe Blowme who shot his pal Elmo on a Kentucky hunting trip and it made the news because "Joe Blowme" was a funny name. I promise you, the LAST thing we'd be doing is stuggling to re-define "shooting in teh face at close range with a shotgun" as somthing that's no big deal.

Bottom line:
It sounds like it was an accident. A stupid one. A damn stupid one. The victim should live.

Because 50% of the population thinks this administration can do no harm, AND 50% of the population thinks this administration can do no right, it's what it is now.

A big joke for anyone that can step back and say "what a fucked up situation."

That was, by far, the funniest thing i've seen so far this year. :thumbsup:

you know

to me, this is honestly up there with a guy getting a bj from someoen other than his wife...

but can you actually impeach cheney..

As long as Cheney drives... :lol: :lol: :lol:

In all seriousness, though, I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney than driving with Ted Kennedy any day of the week.

I think that's the key point, if it's an accurate report, that shows it was not the victims fault (it sounds funny even considering if it was the the victims fault). You never break that line.

Well you know what Cheney always did say, "Guns don't kill people, People kill people"

Oh, um, ya, I guess that's not a good example right now is it....

Unless of course you use a gun to rob a variety store, then you get 30 days and probation and are out on Yonge Street on boxing day and you can go ahead and shoot innocent 15 year old girls.

That my friend is the Canadian Justice system.

Sorry to hijack the thread.....

To quote John Stewart, "Duck, it's Dick"

To steal a line from mrbuck1200.....

"Cheney's got a Gun"
"Cheney's got a Gun"
"His whole world's come undone"
"Better up and run"
"What did the old neocon do"
"What did he put you through"

Everybody sing.......

Can anyone tell me the last time a politician shot someone?

I am just curious.

Rules:

They must have pulled the trigger.

They must have hit the other person with at least one piece of lead.

They must have been an elected official at the time the trigger was pulled.

Do we have to go all the way back to the days of duels to find a comparison? If so, Chaney is One Bad Motherfucker.

The funniest thing about this whole situation is watching the various factions jockey for position on how to defend or defame Cheney...

You Americans (I am being a generalist here so don't get your panties in a bunch) are seriously fucked up.

No kidding.

However, I would like to point out that America is the #1 retirement destination of fomer Canadian PMs.

A little bit of pee came out when I saw the "Duck Hunt" portion of the Daily Show bit. Fuck me, I love to laugh.

Accidents happen; Hopefully people will learn from this very public mistake.

ACTS

A- Assume every firearm is loaded

C- Control the direction of the muzzle

T- Trigger: Keep your finger off the trigger

S- See: Visually inspect the chamber and muzzle. PROVE IT SAFE.


PROVE

P- Point the weapon in a safe direction

R- Remove all ammunition.

O- Observe the chamber, ensuring no ammunition is left

V- Verify that there is nothing in feeding path.

E- Examine the bore for obstructions.


There will be a closed book exam on Friday.

Exacty the point I was trying to make. Thank you for being more succinct.

;) AHEM post #33

It does say something very sad about our country when a 78 yr. old man gets shot in the face and people joke about it (partisanly), then you have those "Oh well it's nothing" and it continues.

There is a point when partisanship has to give way and you have to show some fucking compassion and say, "I truly hope the 78 yr. old man is ok."

I'm sorry when you are 78 there ain't nothing minor. Colds can lead to pneumonia real fast, cuts can get infected real fast, and so on because no matter how "healthy a 78 yr old" you are, you're body's recovery is still very slow.

Right now, I am disgusted for my party, and for my talking heads. I find this humor callous, evil and just irresponsible.

And for the Right who want to act like it was nothing and play psuedo machomen... let me blast you in your face like that see how YOU like it and how harmless it truly is.

Go figure me sticking up for Cheney and ripping my party......

I'm not trying to be Holier than thou, I just don't like the hypocrasy I am seeing. I became a Democrat because the party is supposed to be compassionate and caring FOR ALL EQUALLY and here they are lowering themselves to GOP style humor, tactics and a true lack of compassion.

For the love of God it's a 78 yr old man, I find nothing humorous in any of it. Let the GOP make the jokes, show people the Democratic party doesn't need to belittle oursleves and lower our selves to such high school humor. Fucking stand up for what is right and show compassion and caring about the man.

TV joke writers take shots at Cheney
anyone want to take bets on what a the opening skit on SNL will be this week?

This is toooo easy.

In my day, comedy writers had to work hard to find humerous situations involving politicians.

Ah Mal, Mal, Mal......

How fucking sad. I'm sure if it were any of them at 78 being shot they wouldn't be so glib about it.

This is my party?????? WTF

I want cold and callous I'll join the GOP...... yet I can see what sort of compassion my party has.

Where does a truly compassionate and caring man turn these days to find a political party that truly turns the other cheek, prays for his enemies and hopes a 78 yr. old man has a truly speedy and safe recovery?

I expect the late night people to mock this because as seen on this board, people find this funny, so sad.

ah -- so THAT'S why i'm cold.. I had no idea it was because i was a republican... I really just thought it was because I was a bitch - learn something new every day.. :)

NOw that is harmless humor. :lol:

I think this is harmless humour. Nobody seriously thinks Cheney, orney and cantankerous as he may be, was out to gun somebody down, the guy has some superficial wounds - he'll get better, and Cheney hates the press and wanted to avoid being the target of the Sabbath gasbags, so he sat on the event for 19 hours.

It's reminiscent of Carter's attack rabbit fishing episode.

I think Ferguson's lawyer jokes were a bit tasteless, but that's why he's on a show nobody watches. The other jokes poked fun at Cheney and the administration's foibles.

This should be good instructions for politicians: If you pursue a sporting life, don't hunt - you look stupid in the cammy and you may accidently shoot somebody, don't fish - you may fall in, don't ski - you'll Ford yourself, don't mountain bike or even ride a segue. If you have to do something, jog. And wear decent length shorts.

ok - maybe not so funny...

BREAKING NEWS

Man shot and wounded by Vice President Cheney suffers "minor heart attack" after birdshot becomes lodged in his heart, hospital spokesman says.

(no story yet on CNN or Google News)

Well then, I have to take it all back.

Hunter shot by Cheney has 'minor heart attack'
/me waits for the obligatory jokes about the lawyer having a heart :)

Accidental or not, if that person dies, it's considered manslaughter.

Accidental or not, any other person would be locked up right now.

It doesn't matter if you're Liberal or Conservative, you have to at least acknowledge that he's acting (and being treated) above the law. Anything else would be ... arguing just for the sake of arguing.

No, he didn't do anything criminal, but intent doesn't matter in every single other case. For example, you could be driving and have your tire blow out.. if you plow into someone and kill them, you aren't gonna head on home with an "oh well, it was an accident." You'd still more than likely serve time for it (which I think is utterly stupid.. you shouldn't serve time for an accident).

It's just boils down to the fact if it was anyone else, they wouldn't be walking free right now.

THe secret service said "Mr Vice President! There's quail in the bush!"

Cheney heard, "Mr. Vice President! There's Bush!"

So he fired... :lol:

That highlighted part I agree with 110%, in fact your whole post I agree with.

If it had been anyone on this board we'd be sitting in a jail cell or out on bail, waiting for the DA to determine whether he wanted to pursue a case.

The humor I do not and find it abhorishly juvenile.

What is wrong with making light of a not so good situation... Humor is a coping mechanism for a lot of people.. .heck I know customers and colleagues like having me around because I can find humor in practically any situation... The person who got shot isn't being laughed at -- the situation is absurd... absurd situations bring humor..

But, but, but it was FUCKING harmless!!!!!!!!! And the FUCKING Right who played it off as it was nothing also, just to protect their VP.

What a sense of compassion, I'm sorry but someone is shot and it's harmless humor?

Sometimes people truly disgust me.

Humor in light of something that happens and you have to release is one thing.

But come on, the only reason people are making light of this is to take digs at the VP. If this hadn't been the VP, most of these people and none of the late night hosts would be joking about it.

How is someone ANYONE being shot in the face and chest absurd? Why because the man who did the shooting is the VP? Or because the man shot is a GOP lawyer? Where's humor?

Was it a Jerry Lewis Dean Martin routine? Maybe a 3 Stooges? I truly see no humor. I see partisanship on both sides and I don't see 1 person saying they hope the man is ok.

Put the freaking partisanship away and realize this is a 78 yr old man.

I guarantee 99% of the people who laugh now and have been laughing, if this had happened to them they wouldn't find humor in it.

Jesus, he's a 78 yr old man. Where's the concern for him? Where's the compassion for him?

It's a human being and he was shot in the face and chest and people are finding it humorous or working hard to say, "Oh it's nothing".

Again, let's go hunting and let me shoot you like that and let's see the humor in all of it.

It's not about being self righteous and pious..... IT's about maintaining my dignity and beliefs in caring about another human being.

Pan... if it was anyone else who had done this, I find it highly unlikely that any of us would even be talking about it...

The only reason it is newsworthy, the only reason it is even remotely funny is simply because it was the VP of the US that did it.


Tragedy is the wellspring of comedy. Political tragedy only moreso. If pressed, most would agree that they are concerned for the wellfare of anyone who has been shot. The fact that this guy seems to be in stable condition seems to say that, he's going to be OK. These sorts of accidents happen all the time. I'm not going to lose sleep over it.


Besides, the VP doesn't need to be in jail. If the DA needs to find him, he know where to go. It isn't like Cheney can dissappear without a trace.

It doesn't matter if he "needs" to be in jail.

If you or I are required to serve time until we either post bail or have charges cleared, why isn't he? Technically his charges were cleared, but it was premature. It wouldn't have been done otherwise. If this guy dies, it's a crime.

Under the constitution, he's not allowed to be above the law in such a manner.

That's my main issue with all of this. It's easy to say "Oh, people are just saying this because it's the Bush administration," but I'd expect there to be just as much uproar if a Dem were to be in the same situation and allowed to walk free (or be treated higher) than everyone else.

Either change the law to ignore "accidents", or follow through with the same treatment others have to go through!

Hysterically funny..... and while the people laugh Cheney walks away scot free.

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/bush_administration

Clinton gets trashed in every way and tried for lying about a very private affair.

Cheney shoots a 78 yr. old man and walks away scot free. While people tell "harmless jokes".

That's justice man.

all accidental deaths are NOT considered manslaughter.

If you have a blow out, hit a bus and kill 12 students, and its determined that the blowout was caused by debris in the road, you are not at fault. If the blow out was caused because you had the same tire on the car when you bought it in in 1972, THEN you're guilty of manslaughter.