So why make a big deal out of the Cheney shooting?

When I first heard about Cheney shooting Whittington, I thought it was just a hunting accident that, while very embarassing, was not that big a deal. Kevin Drum summarized this viewpoint by writing "Honestly, I don't think the story about Dick Cheney's shooting accident is any big deal. Good for some late night laughs, but that's it."

Obviously, I have changed my original opinion. I have done so for two basic reasons: 1) the way the administration has handled this situation, which 2) typifies everything the Bush administration does. To further explain this, I am going to reprint things I have already written just to make sure I have made my points. In a comment to More on "Shotgun" Dick Cheney, I said

This event exemplifies once again some of the SOP of this administration. There might very well be a defense, but the current story doesn't provide one. Perhaps one could be formed if all the facts are disclosed, and that is not something this administration ever does. Furthermore, it's a little late now to present any kind of defense or reasonable explanation. Instead of being straight and honest, the White House determined that the best course of action was silence and then to blame the guy that got shot. That gives an overwhelming sense of "That just ain't right." Moreover, these are also typical tactics of this administration.

And because of the factors discussed above, this incident has become and will remain a much bigger deal than if Cheney and the White House had been more open and honest about it from the get go.

And I finished More to come on Cheney with

You know, folks, this incident is nowhere near as serious as matters such as taking us to war or trying to respond to a devastating hurricane, but if you haven't wondered before, it's way past time you wondered that if this administration is going to such lengths to keep the truth from the public on this matter, then what might they have done on the really big issues like war, disaster relief, corruption, etc.?

There is a third reason why I am still focusing on this incident. It shows that, as the title of my first post on this topic says, Cheney should not have his finger on any trigger. Cheney has a huge and influential (if not controlling) role in all policy decisions, including going to war and handling its aftermath. Even if one wants to buy the bullshit that Cheney was not at fault because Whittington did not announce his presence, remember what the NRA says about gun safety:

Know your target and what is beyond.

Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.

Cheney clearly did not follow these NRA rules. These rules present principles which should be followed in many other areas. Know your objective. Know the possible consequences of your decisions and actions. Think before you act. Do not simply make up your mind and then assume that everything is and will be copasetic. None of that has been done in terms of our foreign policy, particularly in Iraq, and Cheney was at the forefront of those policy decisions and actions. The Bush administration decided to go invade Iraq and ignored all possible consequences, ignored all possible alternatives, made unwarranted and myopic assumptions about the aftermath, failed to account for the obvious consequences, and utterly failed to plan for the aftermath. And that has been typical of almost everything the Bush administration has done. The fact that Cheney pulled the trigger on his shotgun without taking the time to consider all the possibilities--especially when he knew Whittington had gone to retrieve a bird--and just assumed that he had a clear line of fire after doing a 180 degree turn shows an appalling lack of thought and foresight by a supposed leader of our national government. If Cheney cannot follow these principles in something as relatively simple as quail huntring, how can anyone think he would do so when it comes to the far bigger matters of our nation's welfare and security?

This incident is just the most recent example of why Cheney should not be trusted to lead this country's government in any capacity--now or in the future.