Less than 2 beers and he comes out at .05 BAC?

Agreed. Someone's not telling the truth. (0.00 / 0)

There's a slew of new stories after Congressman Denny Rehberg's phone interview with reporters today. But where are all the tough questions?

Where are the other witnesses in this story?  Is the media really just going to take Denny at his word?  Did anyone at the Docks see Barkus stumble or hear him slur his words?  Did anyone at the campground smell alcohol?

It's troubling that while we wait for official information, Rehberg is being treated by the media as the one true source in this incident.

From the Missoulian today:

   He chatted about health care, he said, and cap-and-trade legislation and taxes, and spent some time talking to the disc jockey. Rehberg ordered steak and potatoes - "as I always do" - and drank a pint of beer. Later, someone brought him a second beer, which he doubts he even finished.

   (Following the accident, Rehberg's blood-alcohol level tested at .05. Barkus' BAC has not been released, although investigators have said they believe he was drinking that night.)

   Rehberg said he thinks Dustin Frost, his state director, had a beer, and Kristin Smith, his deputy chief of staff, had a white wine, although he does not recall Barkus drinking. But, he added, "when I'm working, I'm paying attention to me.",

A Roll Call story recounting Rehberg's 2004 CODEL to Kazakhstan, excerpted below,  indicates that maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't rely on him as a valid source...especially when counting is involved.

   First, Col. Arthur White, the Senate's Marine Liaison, who accompanied Rehberg and Burns on the Congressional delegation, dissected the e-mail line by line. The mysterious sender of the e-mail said Rehberg drank "some 20 shots of vodka" during a ceremonial lunch in Kazakhstan, then ran into the woods, "returned on a horse, fell over (stumbling drunk) and was trampled by another horse."

   "That's not true," the colonel told HOH. "He probably had half a dozen." (For the record, half a dozen is two more than Rehberg confessed to having; and six more than Rehberg's press secretary first asserted his boss had consumed.)

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by: MTboots @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 20:17:14 PM UTC

And this matters how? (0.00 / 1)

[butthurt liberal] WE HATE YOU DENNY!!  YOU'RE GOIN' DOWN!!1!  RAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRR!11!!1!ELEVEN!!1 [/butthurt liberal]

Denny broke no laws, you got nothin'.  The false outrage is growing tiresome, but I'm sure that won't stop ya! * thumbs up *

No bullshit, Singer, I expect this sorta shit from your nutters, but you're usually more grounded.  Are you starting to become unhinged yourself?

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by: Rusty Shackleford @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 21:18:09 PM UTC

I said in my post that this doesn't have legal consequences (4.00 / 1)

That's why I don't understand lying about it.

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by: Matt Singer @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 21:53:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm surprised you are not more (0.00 / 0)

interested in the salient questions.  

++Is the boat GPS being sent to the manufacturer for testing?

++What are the statements of the other injured parties?

++What are the statements of the wait staff, other restaurant patrons, and people at the marina?

++What was the speed lever position of the boat when found?

++Did the campers on the beach who first reached the injured hear any statements of what happened?

++If the authorities obtained Barkus' BAC from the hospital, what was it?

So many real questions that need clear answers rather than just pointing political fingers.

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by: Craig Moore @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 21:37:42 PM UTC

The guy is going 40 mile per hour, (0.00 / 0)

it's dark, and he's confused....so why didn't he slow down?

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by: bigsage @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 18:32:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No one in Montana has ever lost an election due to excess drinking ... (0.00 / 0)

and never will. We're not that prudish. Denny is a fixture until he decides to move on or retire.  

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by: Mark t @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 23:16:29 PM UTC

Denny on the Rocks (0.00 / 0)

but maybe the can have new drinks named after them.

The real questions about now need to be why in the hell isn't the press picking this apart.

Why hasn't the bartender from the docks been interviewed?

What about the waiters and waitresses at this event?

The other patrons?

Why hasn't anyone seen the bill from the event - that would be a pretty good indication of the amount of acohol served.

What about the campers?  Bigfork's quick responders?  Hospital nurses?  etc...

We should demand of the press the answers Rehberg won't answer - - the man got on (literally) the first train out of town before ever answering a single question.

Seems a little suspicious to me!  

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by: BJ N @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 23:40:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]