Alcohol was my suspicion also. It seems obvious enough, almost expected, yet none of the press asked about it.

Hmm, just saw a report that they had determined that alcohol wasn't a factor, but how would they know if they didn't question him until the next day. Oh I get it Cheney told them, and they believed him.

Alcohol sounds like a good reason for this type of delay. 22 hours before it's known? Or was that just before it was given out? Send a damn text message.

Wow, press core frustrated with a (read: any) press secretary? SCANDALOUS.

You'd have to be a fool to think that there was drinking invovled in this accident

And you'd have to be a prize idiot to think that "corps" is spelled "core".

Characters named Dick, Whittington. . . If only there had been a panto audience around to yell, "He's behind you!", this tragedy might have been averted.

Scott McLellan is my new personal hero. It takes a man among men to be the mouthpiece for this free-press loving administration. Can you imagine what it must be like to have his job? "Your mission: to reasonably justify the inconsistent nonsense that the administration spouts." I stand in awe of this man.

One thing that I have seen elsewhere, and something I am content to agree with is, what if the delay was to ensure that the victim survived? If he died, well then they would have just covered it up... we all know how this administration feels about the truth. Once they saw that he was in stable condition, then they let th e news out. He is 78 years old after all... the flu could kill him, let alone being shot in the face and side with buckshot...

Scotty really is a poor fellow (well, he took the job, so..). It must be living hell trying to be the voice for the most secretive administration ever. I'm sure he never knows all the facts - and I'm sure he's permanently on medication..

While hilarious, I'm thinking we're making a bigger stink out of this than we need to. This is spin control and nothing more. There are much bigger things that this story is distracting from, like urinating on the fourth amendment, illegal wars, big pharma payola, yada yada yada...

oh, also, he was shot with bird shot, not buck shot, HUGE difference.

They can't be as incompetent as pretend to be. It's not as if while some were dealing with Whittington's injuries others couldn't be notifying the White House and the press. To listen to them tell it they can only deal with one thing at a time.

Good point Norm. Why else would they wait 24 hours to report this? Remember Chappaquiddick? In this case it is SUI. Shooting under the influence.

But then maybe they can be that incompetent. Witness Hurricaine Katrina.

Stewart had me laughing out loud. Thanks for making his clips available. Oh, and the clips are loading more quickly now. Your blog is getting pretty damned fancy. Wow. :) I like the new password verification to keep out trolls. Thanks Norm.

Thanks Jo Ann. I hope the comment verification will make it easier to carry on a conversation in the comments without having to worry about the anons, who have an opinion about everything, but seldom an intelligent thought.

It's just unbelievavle to me how much energy these press folks are spending on something as, though tragic and sad, minor compared to some of the issues before this country that deserve this sort of scrutiny and perseverance. I want to know where they are then. They sure act like a pack of dogs when there's dramatic, cnn-level bullsh1t news to sieze but if there are real issues, ones that might turn away viewers, or leave a bad taste in the mouths of people of influence, they're invisible. Not a hard and fast rule but it's what I've seen, they are soft about the real issues, and hard about what might sell news...not what is news. Done.

Mike Jensen-

It must be so hard for Scott McLellan to get up a go to work everyday when you have to lie for your incompetent boss. Scott said this during the latest round:

"I think you can always look back at these issues and look at how to do a better job."

How many times has Scott used that line over the years when talking about the Bush Administration's great blunders?

"..when talking about the Bush Administration's great blunders?"

Constantly. And he basically always says: "I'd refer you to the Pentagon or to the Vice President's office or to, whatever". These press conferences must be a real pain in the prolonged-back. No wonder they're getting nastier to him. They got to have something to do...

Why is it that the media is only outraged when they dont get information? They never grill the administration in this gung-ho fashion for being wrong and deliberatly manipulating public opinion. Just when their bottom line is threatened.