Slush Pile: Cheney accidentally shoots fel

2006 Slush Pile

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Cheney accidentally shoots fel

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Hi Wendy,

I would like to nominate VP Dick Cheney and the NRA for an Honorary Darwin. Seems that he accidentally shot a fellow Republican supporter. How approriate that he did so the day before Darwin's BIRTHDAY!!!! Yes, the photo shown in my local paper proves that "Tricky Dicky" is indeed tied in with the NRA. Not to be political, but it seems that those who favor liberal gun laws are potential candidates for the Darwins anyways... and at this rate, both Cheney and the GOP ARE headed for certain political SUICIDE.

BTW - please fix loops on Site Map, Anti-Spam link; Contact Darwin is hard to find. Thanks.

Cheney accidentally shoots fellow quail hunter

Lynn Brezosky and Nedra Pickler

Associated Press

Monday, February 13, 2006

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a companion during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, spraying the fellow hunter in the face and chest with shotgun pellets.

Harry Whittington, a millionaire lawyer from Austin, was in stable condition in the intensive care unit of a Corpus Christi hospital Sunday.

"He is stable and doing well. It was almost like he was spending time with me in my living room," said hospital administrator Peter Banko, who visited Whittington.

Banko said Whittington was in the intensive care unit because his condition warranted it, but he didn't elaborate.

The accident occurred Saturday at a ranch in south Texas where the vice-president and several companions were hunting quail. It was not reported publicly by the vice-president's office for nearly 24 hours, and then only after it was reported locally by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times on its website Sunday.

Katharine Armstrong, the ranch's owner, said Sunday that Cheney was using a 28-gauge shotgun and that Whittington was about 25 metres away when he was hit in the cheek, neck and chest.

Each of the hunters was wearing a bright orange vest at the time, Armstrong told reporters at the ranch some 100 kilometres southwest of Corpus Christi. She said Whittington was "alert and doing fine."

Armstrong told The Associated Press emergency personnel travelling with Cheney tended to Whittington before an ambulance -- routinely on call because of the vice-president's presence -- took him to a hospital in Kingsville. From there, Whittington was flown by helicopter to Corpus Christi 65 kilometres away.

Cheney's spokeswoman, Lea Anne McBride, said the vice-president met Whittington at the hospital Sunday. Cheney "was pleased to see that he's doing fine and in good spirits," she said.

Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Cheney, Whittington and another hunter got out of the vehicle to shoot at a covey of quail.

Whittington shot a bird and went to retrieve it in the tall grass, while Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and discovered a second covey.

Whittington "came up from behind the vice-president and the other hunter and didn't signal them or indicate to them or announce himself," Armstrong said.

"The vice-president didn't see him," she continued. "The covey flushed and the vice-president picked out a bird and was following it and shot. And by god, Harry was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty good."

Whittington has been a private practice lawyer in Austin since 1950 and has long been active in Texas Republican politics. He's been appointed to several state boards, including when then-Gov. George W. Bush named him to the Texas Funeral Service Commission.

McBride said the vice-president's office did not tell reporters about the accident Saturday because they were deferring to Armstrong to handle the announcement of what happened on her property.

Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong Ranch where the accident occurred, said Whittington was bleeding after he was shot and Cheney was very apologetic.

"It broke the skin," she said of the shotgun pellets. "It knocked him silly. But he was fine. He was talking. His eyes were open. It didn't get in his eyes or anything like that.

"Fortunately, the vice-president has got a lot of medical people around him and so they were right there and probably more cautious than we would have been," she said. "The vice-president has got an ambulance on call, so the ambulance came."

Cheney is an avid hunter who makes annual trips to South Dakota to hunt pheasants. He also travels frequently to Arkansas to hunt ducks, among other places.

Armstrong said Cheney is a longtime friend who comes to the ranch to hunt about once a year and is "a very safe sportsman." She said Whittington is a regular, too, but she thought it was the first time the two men hunted together.

"This is something that happens from time to time. You know, I've been peppered pretty well myself," said Armstrong.

Cheney was legally hunting with a licence he purchased in November, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesman Steve Lightfoot said. The vice president flew back to Washington on Sunday evening, according to his office.

Submitted on 02/13/2006

Submitted by: Greg Lang
Reference: AP Feb 13 / 06

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Toss: Other
Sorry, Greg, but as much as a fair portion of the US population despises Mr. Cheney, we can't award someone just because they are a bad shot (or a US vice president who happens to be a bad shot). Just the same, I need to remind myself NOT to ever go hunting with Cheney! :-)

Jack said:
Definitely Toss: Other
Since many of our readers are from outside of the U.S., we try to avoid national politics as much as possible. And in addition, hunting accidents are generally too common for a good award. Thanks anyway, Greg. We do appreciate all submissions!

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2006 Slush Pile

Cheney accidentally shoots fel

2006 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

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2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

>> The Darwin Awards, by Wendy Northcutt <<
Link to Fight Evil.