Hamish McKenzie - j-schooler, Ontario
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Dead-eyed Dick
Despite the obvious humour value of the Vice President of the United States shooting his 78-year-old GOP fundraising buddy, I've pretty much dismissed Quailgate as nothing more than a lark in the park.
Some have tried to make an issue out of Cheney's and the White House's reticence in reporting the issue to the public -- but, really, why do we care so much?
Seriously, why is this so much in the public interest? It's definitely interesting insofar as it is undeniably hilarious (only so because the victim seems like he's going to pull through), but it's not like Cheney's mishap has dire social, economic, or political implications.
Sure, it does show Cheney to be a buffoon -- but we already knew that. And, seriously, he's at least partially responsible for the death and torture of many more thousands. So why do we care all of a sudden if he sprays his pellets in his friend's face?
Where it could become much more of a political embarrassment, however, is if the official version of events is proven to be a fraud. Americans seem to care a lot more about this incident than anything happening over in Iraqistan, or whatever it's called, so if the administration is shown to be lying about this one, perhaps Americans could believe it is capable of lying about other less important issues -- like the tortures at Abu Ghraib.
But of course, Cheney and the White House have come clean on this, haven't they? It was just a straight accident, nothing to be done about it. Cheney wasn't to blame. After all, ol' buddy Harry does look remarkably quail-like.
Or are there holes in the story?
Despite the obvious humour value of the Vice President of the United States shooting his 78-year-old GOP fundraising buddy, I've pretty much dismissed Quailgate as nothing more than a lark in the park.
Some have tried to make an issue out of Cheney's and the White House's reticence in reporting the issue to the public -- but, really, why do we care so much?
Seriously, why is this so much in the public interest? It's definitely interesting insofar as it is undeniably hilarious (only so because the victim seems like he's going to pull through), but it's not like Cheney's mishap has dire social, economic, or political implications.
Sure, it does show Cheney to be a buffoon -- but we already knew that. And, seriously, he's at least partially responsible for the death and torture of many more thousands. So why do we care all of a sudden if he sprays his pellets in his friend's face?
Where it could become much more of a political embarrassment, however, is if the official version of events is proven to be a fraud. Americans seem to care a lot more about this incident than anything happening over in Iraqistan, or whatever it's called, so if the administration is shown to be lying about this one, perhaps Americans could believe it is capable of lying about other less important issues -- like the tortures at Abu Ghraib.
But of course, Cheney and the White House have come clean on this, haven't they? It was just a straight accident, nothing to be done about it. Cheney wasn't to blame. After all, ol' buddy Harry does look remarkably quail-like.
Or are there holes in the story?
