Did 'ja watch it? Cheney, on Fox? No? Well of course all of the regular newsy outlets will provide you with transcripts and/or video. However if you're pressed for time or simply couldn't be bothered, here's my quickie overview:
1. He shot the guy, his fault, and he just feels terrible about it. No really. He said so. He hates it when he accidently shoots an "acquaintance" (third answer). After he shoots an acquaintance however, they are forever afterward referred to as his "friend" (rest of interview). It's like an initiation ritual for the guy, I guess. Bad news: I shot you in the face. Good news: Now we're friends! Put 'er there, buddy!
2. We learned what Cheney believes to be the most important lesson he's learned from having "been in the business a long time" and that is: first reports are often wrong, and it's important to be ackerit*. He said it over and over. Why didn't you make a statement about Mr. Whittington's condition immediately? First reports are often wrong. Do you think it was a mistake to wait so long? Needed to make sure the story was ackerit, and first reports are often wrong. Now that this central guiding philosophy has been disclosed, you need be baffled no longer by this administration's propensity for inaction. They're not sitting around reading books or hi-tailing it to bunkers when the country is under attack, or out golfing during the country's largest natural disaster. It's not that they don't care about what's happening in Darfur, or to our impoverished elderly, or that 8 billion dollars is missing from the Iraq reconstruction fund. Heck no. It's just those darn first reports are so often wrong. You gotta wait a bit, years maybe, to make sure the information is ackerit**.
3. The vice President does not and has not ever participated in anything as gauche as a "leak". He simply "advocated declassification and participated in declassification decisions." C'mon people!
4. Q: What's more insulting than the 'administration of ethics' choosing to give a male prostitute top-level Presidential media access because hey...he only tosses out the sweet, sweet softball questions?
A: An hour of Brit Hume delicately feeding the Vice President fluffy, puffy marshmallows with words like "hard-hitting journalism" and "fair and balanced" and "here's a toughie, Dick!" written on the side in mini chocolate chips.
Well, that's the round-up of Cheney's first public statement to the press. But remember, first reports are often wrong.
*couldn't find this one in the dictionary. Maybe it's a fancy legal term or something.
**unless it's like, a false report about WMD's. Then you act immediately.
Mystery solved re: 'ackerit.' Did a Google search and found a link about 'Old Sayings.'
Ackerit="the figgers are not added ackrit" which in non-redneck means 'the figures are not added accurately.' So ackerit is supposed to mean ACCURATE. Apparently I have been in the south long enough to be able to translate Southernisms after a second read-through. No wonder you didn't find it in an English dictionary! The meaning fits the context though.
Posted by: Kathleen at February 16, 2006 08:26 PMI appreciate your research, thank you.
Now, what does nu-cu-ler mean?
Posted by: antigeist at February 17, 2006 11:20 AM