"Left for Dead": The difference between Bush and Daschle..

[TruthIsAll]

This is from the book "Left for Dead", the true story of the rescue of mountain climber Beck Weathers, whose companions died on Mount Everest in May, 1996. Beck was lucky; he was stranded, but alive. Beck was from Texas.

When his family learned that he was stranded on Everest, they needed to find a way to evacuate him.

Linda Gravelle, a friend of Beck's wife Peach, decided to call Gov. George W. Bush.

This is what she said happened:

"I called him on his private line in Austin and got his daughter, Jenna". I said,"I need to talk to your dad." She said, "Well, he's jogging", or something like that. "I told her what had happened, and it was very important that he call me back".

"He did, and told me that this was a federal matter, that he could not deal with it on a state level. I said, "I cannot believe you! This is someone you know and you won't even help me!".

He said, "I just can't do anything. I don't know what to tell you."

"I was pretty mad. We've seen him since, and the subject does not come up.

Then somebody said, "We need to get a Democrat involved in this".

Peach, Beck's wife, called Cappy and Janie McGarr, who were friends of Tom Daschle, the minority leader in the Senate. They contacted him at home that morning. Daschle contacted the State Department, which contacted the embassy in Katmandu....

And Beck was rescued....

[Cocoa]

1. military families concerned about lack of protection on helicopters

did they call the Pentagon?

No, they called the Dem senator, Dick Durbin.

[Eric J in MN]

2. In fairness to George W. Bush, he said that it was a federal

In fairness to George W. Bush, he said that it was a federal matter to get someone rescued from Mt. Everest, and Daschle is a federal official.

If they had called Democratic governor, the story would have more significance.

[pansypoo53219]

3. fuck fairness

he's a dick. as if HE couldn't call DC.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. The Governor of Texas can call soembody in Washington...

At the very least a member of his own congressional delegation who could've done just what daschle did. Bush was just a lazy sack of shit.

[PSR40004]

4. Poor little rich people....

Ahhhh I read the same book, these morons went up ill prepared, over conifident, and got in trouble. They used sherpa's like mules and ran them to their deaths over ill advised plans. I didnt know who was friends was who but I remember talking to a friend about it and saying these guys expected everyone else to risk to their lives due to these peoples "rich" lives being soooo much better. I thought the treatment of the sherpa's as described in the book was a human rights violation... I really really hate rich people who do stupid stuff and expect us the tax payers to pay with our lives and monies to get them out. If you're stupid enough to go mountain climbing and rich enough to pay someone to carry you up, you can pay for the rescue yourself.