Scott McClellan: Compassionate Conservative?

Let me see if I get this straight. Scott McClellan said what today? From the Washington Post:

White House press secretary Scott McClellan was in fine fettle yesterday morning when he strode smiling into the briefing room and made a joke about Vice President Cheney's hunting accident.

President Bush, he announced, would be on the South Lawn to honor the national champion University of Texas Longhorns, whose football jerseys are burnt orange and white. "The orange they're wearing is not because they are concerned that the vice president will be there," the spokesman deadpanned.

The reporters, who had tormented a stone-faced McClellan about the episode on Monday, guffawed at his newfound levity. "Although," McClellan continued, pointing to his orange tie and eyeing the loaded-for-bear reporters, "that's why I'm wearing it."

At the time, McClellan was unaware (or at least he didn't acknowledge it if he was) that the victim of the shooting had developed complications and suffered a minor heart attack. But still, even without that knowledge, it seems very insensitive to me to joke about the misfortune that has befallen the victim.

And to think that conservatives were all up in arms when Tom Toles released his cartoon about Rumsfeld's "battle-hardened" army.

Maybe in their world, only the military deserves the compassion of conservatives.