On different websites, I've read many posts scorning on all the attention paid to the Cheney hunting fiasco.
Major Point: It's major media distractor about a relatively unimportant story that swerves people away from legitimate scandals such as Plame, Katrina, Abu Ghraib, wiretapping, etc.
I have to disagree on this as I find this story to be of high significance and possible resounding effects in the days ahead.
As some astute observers have noted, Cheney's shooting of Whittington and the subsequent coverup serve as a metaphor for the Bush Administration. It's now plain for all to see! In the past spin has been good enough to justify or minimize the misdeeds (e.g., wiretapping, Plame), and to absolve Bush and his gang of direct responsibility (e.g., Katrina, Abu Ghraib). For the past year, more and more have begun to see through the massive bullshit from Bush and his cronies, but a solid minority (35-45%) still stubbornly stood behind them. Of course, a complicit media only helped them get away scot-free for the most part. Where is the outrage??? Sure, plenty of us are. Just look at sites like this here, and listen to conversations with many of your friends and families. Plenty of people are outraged. BUT BUT BUT not enough to smash through the walls (even if it's illusory) with the shit-faced grins and smirks of the GOP enthroned by the military-industry-media complex. Good people speak out from time to time (Sheehan, Richard Clarke, widows of 9/11, Lawrence Wilkerson, etc.). More and more people do come to see the light more clearly, but not enough to tear down the walls of GOP-Jericho.
It may very well be possible that Cheney had damage-control plans in regards to the Plame Scandal, even if he ended up indicted...with no small part due to the media and the powerful influences behind Cheney. Now with this hunting fuckup, Cheney is Chappaquidicked. He and others compulsively went into cover-up mode with no consideration that simple honesty, humility, and remorse would have at least partially absolved him. Plenty of people (sadfucks as they may be) can justify for the White House's coverups regarding wiretapping and the Katrina response...but this...not this. Only the most demented, morally depraved, and spiritually ugly people can stand proud with Cheney in the midst of all this.
Now with this Cheney hunting snafu and the coverup, it's far too transparent to many, even among some of the stubborn GOPers and the media sychophants. I daresay that Cheney will not come out of this scenario unscathed. Cheney is fucked.
Tax evasion brought down Al Capone.
The recording tapes brought down Nixon.
This hunting mishap and coverups shall bring down Cheney.
All of them deserved punishment for much more, but they served well as the fatal crack that burst their dams. As for Cheney, it's very plausible that it will be so, and maybe more. Can't plame me for thinking so.