Vice President Missing, News At 11

I know I am breaking my own admonition from my previous post about not obsessing on the Cheney shooting story and focusing on the larger crimes of this administration, but I thought this update was worth noting-

AP: Hunter Shot by Cheney Has Heart Attack

I guess it's time to stop joking.

In addition to this news, it was reported that many of the pellets will be stuck inside him forever. Obviously this incident was more serious than the White House is admitting (but we're used to that by now). And there are lots of questions about the timeline, including suggestions that Mr. Cheney may have been intoxicated at the time of the shooting (explaining the delay before authorities arrived and were able to actually speak to Cheney or anyone beside the ranch owner). Once again, the White House has brought this speculation upon themselves with their lack of honesty and openness.

And a bigger question is begged: Where is the Vice President?!!

Why is it that whenever something big like this goes down involving his office (ie. Libby's indictment, etc), the Vice President is nowhere to be seen and little to no chatter comes forth from his office? Doesn't Mr. Cheney have an obligation to explain himself and clarify the story for the media? In previous administrations, an incident like this would've required an immediate and public press conference from the Vice President to issue a statement (imagine the right-wing outrage if Al Gore had shot someone and then gone into hiding). In George and Dick's America, that is no longer the case. Such formalities are disregarded in favor of spin and secrecy. It is the new standard in their America to have a shadowy Executive branch which answers to no one, has little to no legal obligations, and only appears before the public when they deem it necessary for their own needs.

They have done far worse than this, but once again remain accountable to no one for their actions. Perhaps it's time for the press to declare joke time over and demand that the White House treat this matter seriously and bring the Vice President out from his undisclosed location. He did shoot someone in the face, ya know.