Five Years Ago Today

Cheney got a gun, from the Bob Rivers Show. There is some uncertainty regarding the exact date of this incident- unsurprising given our former VP's unwillingness to respond honestly to questions of any kind, or to take responsibility for any of his fubars. According to Wikipedia,

The shooting was widely reported to have taken place on Saturday February 11, 2006, based on the public statements of Katharine Armstrong, owner of the 50,000-acre (200 km2) Armstrong Ranch. However, in her written statement to the Sheriff, she said that the shooting happened on February 12.

Harry Whittington, in his only public statement, said that "accidents do and will happen – and that’s what happened last Friday" (February 10). Whittington has not made another statement or issued a written statement about the shooting.

The shooting wasn't publicized for at least a day or two after it occurred, and many of us have assumed that was to give Darth an opportunity to sober up. That accusation has, of course, been strongly denied, with everyone involved insisting there was no alcohol.

Armstrong, the ranch owner, claimed that all in the hunting party were wearing blaze-orange safety gear and none had been drinking, and that at lunch they drank beer, which contradicts her later statement that "there may (have been) a beer or two in there [the coolers at lunch], but remember not everyone in the party was shooting." Cheney has acknowledged that he had one beer four or five hours prior to the shooting. Armstrong said she never saw Cheney or Wittington drink until later at the house, when Cheney had a cocktail. Armstrong did not actually see the incident happen, believing that the reason Cheney's security detail was running was that Cheney had a heart problem, although Cheney described her as an eyewitness in his Fox interview.

So there is standard Cheney operating procedure: multiple conflicting stories, denial of responsibility, no consequences, and a heartfelt apology. No, not from Cheney, you silly person, you: Whittington later apologized to Cheney for getting shot.

Followup: Also, as it happens, Sarah Palin turns 47, and Thomas Edison turns 164. Edison has, of course, been dead for nearly half that time, instead of brain-dead for most of it.