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Murphy Martin Commentary
February 16, 2006

 "People, Places and Things"

This was a strange week in American history with many different subjects covered by news-persons around the world.

PEOPLE: Cheney, Chertoff, Hussein, Whittington, Brachman, McCants --- and with each of these names add George Bush, as in President George Bush.

Vice-president Dick Cheney accidentally struck a fellow hunter with birdshot last Saturday while hunting on the huge Armstrong Ranch in south Texas. It happened about 5:30PM and Mr. Cheney's White House doctors attended to the victim, Austin Attorney Harry Whittington, until they got the victim to a hospital in Corpus Christi.

Because Cheney's office, nor the White House, had much to say about the incident until after a daughter of the ranch owner told a Corpus Christi reporter Sunday, all hell broke loose amongst the gaggle of White House reporters. Most reporters today feel that they should be notified by at least the time the ambulance takes the injured away for medical attention. But this did not happen. Oh, it was mentioned in a White House briefing on Monday but Cheney still had not said anything, nor had President Bush.

Vice-President Cheney went on Fox News with Brit Hume on Wednesday and gave his version of what happened. He said, "It was my fault ... I pulled the trigger and shot my friend!" Cheney talked through the time-line of events and said his first concern was for Whittington's medical needs and notifying his family. He did not join those who have said Whittington was partially to blame because he had left the hunting party to retrieve a bird he had shot and did not announce his return as he approached the group again from behind.

Other than feelings amongst the press corps being ruffled. it would not have become the butt of every television and radio talk show host in America--until it was learned one of the tiny pellets had lodged in Mr. Whittington's heart and brought on a "silent heart attack". The jokes let up a bit then but the disappointed press members did not.

ABC's Claire Shipman reported: "Sources close to the Vice-President say that there was actually a statement prepared either by Cheney, or with his help, to be delivered Sunday morning after the accident. It was something the White House suggested --- and might have been prepared with some White House help. But it was determined by his advisors and by him that morning that it was too 'convoluted', and might not be the best way to proceed. They decided it might be best to have somebody who actually witnessed the accident explain what happened. For some reason they thought that would seem more 'credible', hence the involvement of Katherine Armstrong. They now see that this was likely bad judgment."

Will Cheney's explanation of the accidental shooting of his friend calm the waters of a doubting press corps. Probably not. He admitted the accident "was the worst day of my life" but the press feeling neglected could have fallout for a long time.

PLACES: Much of that fall-out will be found in Washington where the glaring focus of questioning will be stepped up a notch on President Bush. While damage control was being carried out by the Vice-President, Mr. Bush's head of Homeland Security , Chertoff, was taking a beating before a Congressional Committee regarding handling of problems brought on by Hurricane Katrina.

And all the while in Iraq Hussein continues his efforts to disrupt his trial for murdering more than a hundred of his own citizens. He says he is on a hunger strike. Good! May it be successful, and his death then would be self-inflicted. He could become his own personal suicide bomber.

THINGS: Finally--two civilian scholars Jarret Brachman and William McCants confirmed the authenticity of an unpublished report about U.S. presence in the Middle East. Their report calls for the United States to rely on "proxies" for military action in the Middle East--adding that "they should avoid direct large-scale military action there.

Amongst all the PEOPLE. PLACES AND THINGS --will the disappointed media members refocus and choose new meat to chew on? I doubt it. George W. Bush will remain in their sights for whatever the makeup of their new news-menu...and Richard Cheney will find them continuing to fire at him and they probably won't be using bird-shot!

Murphy Martin

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