If this guy dies, Cheney might resign (conveniently before he gets indicted by Patrick Fitzgerald in the Plame case). Practice saying it now: Vice President of the United States Condoleeza Rice. Vice President of the United States Condoleeza Rice. Vice President of the United States Condoleeza Rice.

And, just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, try this one on for size: Condi/ Jeb 2008...

White House to file charges against birdshot!

What strikes me as the funniest/saddest part of this whole melodramatic soap opera is the stern, authoritative declarations from Mary Matlin and other Republican apologists that Cheney "didn't do anything wrong." What, other than shoot a guy? I mean, this is so absurd, I can't believe the press is even reporting it. I admit that I am not a hunter, but I do understand that there are rules that go along with handling dangerous weapons, and the first of those is clearly do no harm to other humans. Clearly, he didn't do it on purpose, but -- and for once even the mainstream media is picking this one up -- the coverup is the story. On a day when the accountability of the White House (or, more precisely, the lack thereof) was front-page news thanks to reports about the bungling of Katrina, it just goes to show once again how no one working at 1600 Penn. is ever at fault for anything. As the NRA slogan goes, guns don't kill people, people do. Doesn't sound so good now, does it, Dick?

I'm trying hard not to jump to conclusions, but yesterday's reports didn't add up. They were using the phrase "peppered" and one hospital administrator specifically mentioned "flesh wounds", but another report said that they had to leave some of the birdshot in Whittington's body. At the same time, he was in ICU even after having been tended to by Cheney's medical staff (or secret service). I'm no doctor, but you don't go to the ICU for minor wounds. You also don't generally stay in the hospital for two days.

No way that a single tax dollar should be used (other than Medicare if that is what he has)

Cheney should be writing the cheque - or the victim's insurance should be picking up the tab.

This was in no way government business and I really want some reproter to ask about who is paying.

If we can find a real reporter.

Purely a hypothetical question: If Harry Whittington were to take a turn for the worse and he ended up dying, could Dick Cheney be tried for involuntary manslaughter?

Also, David Gregory from NBC News has been asking tough questions in the White House press room for some time now. I wonder if he is getting any pressure from execs at NBC, or any of his colleauges in the news department (say Brian Williams), to back off his approach? I hope not. I think his story needs to be told in the pages of Salon, or on Bill Maher's "Real Time" show on HBO. Any chance Salon could snag him for an inverview? I'd like to see Gregory and Helen Thomas together on Maher's show (in case you have any pull). That's a real story: when reporters who ask real questions are the exception rather than the norm. Where has our democracy gone?

Thank you,

Greg Peterson

How long until the papers pick this up as The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight ... Cheney is the Bush administration policy manifested in its simplest form - take or kill anything that catches your attention - if anyone gets in the way, deface them & shoot them in the heart - then blame it on the victim. Priceless!

I just don't get it. It's like they can't help it. Didn't they think this would get out or something? They can't be that dumb. If they told the truth and were upfront about things from the start it wouldn't be this bad for them.

While all this reportage about the Cheney hunting imbroglio/negligence is certainly interesting and amusing, please don't forget about all those other, perhaps more important issues that were simmering and ready to boil over just a day or so ago.

Could it be that this "delay" in reporting the story is just another cynical way to get you guys in the Fourth Estate to pull the wool over your own eyes?

Basta, ok? Please get back to reporting the news more thoroughly.

Can't we just get Cheney to take Antonin Scalia out hunting again?

Cheney shot that f***er in THE HEAD!!!

Spray my ass. A shotgun blast to the face is not "peppering". I think every right wing pundy that tried to say otherwise should be sprayed once, at the same range.

Birdshot or no, the man was blasted in the face. It may have been an accident, it may have been careless, but it definitely was A SHOT TO THE FACE WITH A SHOTGUN.

Jumped up Jesus Christ. If it were a Democrat and he dropped a fork on the elderly lawyer's toe, he or she would have been impeached.

Well, I am going to go cook some dinner now... a nice steak seasoned with salt and a SHOTGUN BLAST TO THE FACE.

Dave Luckett