Bang, Bang

I confess that I seem to be missing something about this Cheney shooting business. Here's J-Pod, of all people, fussing about it in The Corner:

This story is a very big deal, despite all the mitigating factors -- the accident involved a friend, his medical team was right there to help, and all that. Something like this has never happened before, and it is a genuinely disturbing thing to think that the vice president of the United States actually shot somebody last weekend, even for fans of his. It's disturbing as well that there was a news blackout that lasted nearly a day about this serious incident. It seems beyond question that the vice president is going to have to go before the cameras, explain what happened, and show genuine remorse for his actions, however inadvertent. It's a difficult challenge for someone as reticent as Dick Cheney. But unless he does so, and makes a good showing of it, he will be damaged goods for the remainder of the Bush presidency.

Well....it doesn't seem to me that the underlying story is, in and of itself, "a very big deal". Cheney was out hunting with his buddies and accidentally popped one of them. Fortunately, the guy appears to be okay. When I read that, I simply shrugged and said, "Oh". Dunno - maybe I spent too many years hunting myself to be overly bothered.

If there is a big deal, it is the rapidly-developing game of political gotcha. And if that's what J-Pod thinks Cheney needs to deal with, then I agree.

On the other hand, I already sense some eyes beginning to bulge, some saliva beginning to fly and some tongues beginning to be swallowed. Cheney may not have all that big a task ahead of him if his political enemies play to their usual form of shrieking, over-the-top outrage - in their effort to take him down they may well wind up, if you'll pardon the expression, shooting themselves in the foot.

UPDATE: J-Pod follows up with a post that seems to emphasize the politics over the actual incident. Meanwhile, K-Lo posts a piece of the aforementioned tongue-swallowing.

UPDATE DEUX: Release the hounds!

UPDATE TROIS: Margi Lowry suggests some guests for Dick's next hunting party.

UPDATE QUATR: So does Rachel. I smell meme-age. Get going.