NRO's Media Blog notices something that is too common: Clintonistas who spent eight years warning us against the "politics of personal destruction," against diverting people's attention from the issues "that matter to their lives" onto scandalous personal behaviors, doing exactly that with Republicans. (Of course, the Clintons and their spinners commonly dug into the mud of the personal lives of their antagonists in an attempt to shut them up or discredit them.) In the case of Cheney, Paul Begala came on CNN to demand blood samples to prove the accidental shooting wasn't fueled by alcohol, earning him the "Count Begala" title:
BEGALA: The vice president's performance yesterday leaves a whole lot of questions unanswered. First and most importantly, why was he drinking, how much was he drinking and did that affect his ability — his cognitive ability — while he was hunting?
Stephen Spruiell notes: "Then Begala goes from dumb to downright creepy, repeatedly calling for [victim Harry] Whittington's blood." How classy:
BEGALA: Will the president encourage his friend Harry Whittington and the hospitals in Texas that treated him to release the blood alcohol content of Mr. Whittington? That wouldn't be dispositive as to whether Cheney was drunk, but it would certainly be suggestive. [...]
WOLF BLITZER: To be fair, to be fair, the vice president, in the interview yesterday, he said that he had a beer over lunch, which was several hours before the incident, which occurred at 5:30 local time, central time in Texas.
BEGALA: That's what he admits to. What I wanna know is, did Mr. Whittington — who presumably did have a blood test taken when he went to the hospital — did he have an elevated alcohol content? We've been told before there was no alcohol whatsoever.
BLITZER: In the police report that came out today, when they questioned Mr. Whittington at first, when they asked him about alcohol, he said there was no alcohol.
BEGALA: A lot of people say that. I'm interested in the blood alcohol content.
I don't know who's more ridiculous, Begala for demanding blood samples, or Hillary Clinton for suggesting that it's troubling that this administration is slow to issue information to the media. (As if she didn't hide Whitewater papers in her residence, just for starters!)
