Chen ey Doesn't Owe the Media an Apology

Cheney Doesn't Owe the Media an Apology

by Bobby Eberle

Published: 02-16-06

The hissy fit thrown by the national media appears to be working. Just like spoiled children, the media’s temper tantrum over the lack of information flowing directly to them regarding Vice President Cheney’s hunting accident has now started to yield results. Democrats, media members, and even some Republicans are beginning to criticize the vice president. Get real! Iran is enriching uranium, and the only concern in Washington appears to be the hurt feelings of left-wing journalists.

As is being reported by CNSNews.com, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is now “calling on Vice President Dick Cheney to hold a press conference to answer questions about his accidental shooting of a fellow hunter in Texas over the weekend.” In addition, a story in the Washington Post cites Cheney’s “lack of response” as a “concern” for the GOP. Lack of response? As noted in yesterday’s posting, there was a response to the shooting, but it went through local Texas media rather than the filter of the White House press corps. And that’s what all the fuss is about.

The Post’s story starts off on the wrong foot by noting, “Vice President Cheney’s slow and unapologetic public response to the accidental shooting of a 78-year-old Texas lawyer is turning the quail-hunting mishap into a political liability for the Bush administration.” Unapologetic response? It seems to me that the only one who would need an apology is Mr. Whittington. After all, he’s the one who got shot. I’m sure that following the accident, the vice president did apologize to his friend and saw to it that proper medical care was administered. If the media now think that the vice president owes them an apology as well, they are barking up the wrong tree.

It’s typical for the Democrats and left-wing media to try to overhype a situation involving Republicans. Just look at what happened to Sen. Trent Lott as compared to when Democrats make charged statements. In this case, in addition to Harry Reid calling for a press conference, liberal reporters and pundits are milking this story strictly for political points. That’s the only logical explanation, since this is a NON story.

Questions continued on the Cheney hunting topic in Tuesday’s White House press briefing. The very first question asked was whether the Vice President should “personally” address the American people and explain why “it took so long to disclose it publicly.” Another followed which attempted to pit the president against the vice president as to how information is disclosed to the public. Question after question was thrown at White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan… not leading with Iran or some other major issue, but rather, “We’re the White House press corps, so why weren’t we told first???”

The media are doing their best to make an accident on a private hunting trip into a national media controversy. As noted in the Washington Post:

No evidence has emerged to suggest that the shooting was anything more than a hunting accident, but the spectacle of the vice president wounding a prominent Republican at an exclusive Texas ranch has become the punch line for politicians and comedians alike, and has penetrated the popular culture through late-night television.

It has become a “spectacle” because they are making it so. Let’s stop the pouting and temper tantrums and get back to covering REAL news stories. I’m sure the American public would appreciate it.
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