Quayle ducked?

I watched Scott McClellan's press conference on Cheney's shooting at
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/13.html#a7142

And in all honesty, there are minutes, OK, seconds, when I do wish I was as dumb as this White House would like me to be and/or thinks I am. I mean wouldn't it be nice if the worst thing to bother me was if my socks match my boots or something along those lines. Unfortunately for Shrub, both my brain cells are working and I can't even think up a decent example of how dumb he needs me to be.

The Raw Story has the transcript of the press conference at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/White_House_briefing_Reporters_go_after_0213.html

SM said: "Well, I think that the first priority was making sure that Harry Whittington, Mr. Whittington, was getting the medical care that he needed."
OK. Good. That is pretty much what people who get shot need. But do you really expect me to believe that First Responders, EMTs or Emergency Room doctors would be the ones who'd have to stop providing medical services and report the incident to the public? Or was that in the fine print of the new Medicare plan?

reporter Q: So as of Saturday night, you didn't know, the White House did not know that Vice President Cheney --
SM: No, there were details coming in throughout that night and into the morning. I mean, there was additional information coming in at 3:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the morning and even after that. So.
I understand. The devastation in Bhagdad/New Orleans is extensive and infrastructure has been severely compromised. Electricity is out or intermittent, phone lines are down, roads are littered with rubble, looting and pillaging is rampant. It's understandable that news would have a hard time getting out of war and disaster zones. In fact, it's pretty amazing that Whittington got the medical assistance he needed under the circumstances. Oh... Wait. Cheney was in Corpus Christi.. in Texas.. in a breed 'em-born 'em-shoot 'em ranch. So, why wasn't someone able to use a phone and say "There's been a hunting accident where Vice President shot Whittington who is receiving medical attention and expected to fully recover"?

MR. MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry, I'd reject that. I disagree with that fully, Peter. I don't know what you're referring to there, but I reject the insinuation there.
sssooooo... 'I don't know what you mean, but I completely disagree with it.'

OH, this is getting too easy to poke fun at.. I can't do it... it's too easy.. like shooting 78-year-old men in the face..
Maimun