This is why, despite the Bush Adminstration's best attempts to fuck over the country, the Democrats have even less credibility than the Republicans.

Dick Cheney was out hunting with a couple of friends. He accidentally shot one, a lawyer named Harry Whittington. Whittington didn't appear to be injured seriously, because he was only hit with buckshot, and not actual bullets. However, he suffered a heart attack today. Some of the buckshot got close to his heart, and being 78, it probably doesn't take a lot to screw up this guys heart (even without knowing whether he has a history of heart problems).

The leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Harry Reid, wants an federal investigation. The fact that Cheney hasn't made statements to the press about the accident is part of the "secretive nature of this administration."

I agree with the Democrats on many issues. But usually, they are not right on these issues because there is any great intellect within the party. The national Democratic leaders just have a knee-jerk reaction to everything that comes out of the White House. That's not being smart, that's just playing the odds.

But occasionally, just occasionally, a member of the Bush Administration is going to do something that really doesn't need a knee-jerk criticism. But the knee jerks before the mind thinks, and the idiot Democrats are out there being stupid.

It was a hunting accident. It was something Cheney was doing on his private liesure time, to which the guy is entitled. There is no reason to think that Cheney intentionally shot is pal (who is probably a financial supporter of Cheney anyway). Every witness to the accident has stated that not only was it an accident, but Cheney wasn't doing anything unsafe, and that perhaps it was Whittington who was being unsafe by getting close to the line of fire without doing anything to signal his fellows. Whittington himself doesn't blame Cheney. Whittington's wife, who witnessed the whole thing, doesn't blame Cheney. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is investigating the incident, as they are required to do. Cheney has cooperated with them.

I've never been hunting, but I live in an area where hunting is very popular (plus my Dad lost his eye in a hunting accident), so I know a little bit about hunting through osmosis. Being shot is one of the risks of hunting. It's not unusual, despite safety precautions. One of a hunter's responsibility is to make sure that all the other hunters know exactly where he is.

There is nothing to indicate that White House interns were out there with Cheney giving blow jobs.

This incident has absolutely zero impact on politics. At least it should, but the Democrats are going to use it to make themselves even less politically relevant, if that's possible anymore. This is a trivial back page story, not a headline. The only people who should care about this are the personal friends of Whittington. Harry Reid needs to talk less about this hunting accident and more about the Patriot Act. But of course, it's just easier to take pot shots at a guy's personal problem than to deal with serious issues that affect the country, isn't it?

The next time you curse the Bush Administration for its fucked-up domestic and foreign policy, don't forget to reserve a special curse for the Democratic Party that has assisted the Bush Administration stay in office and push through more policy garbage.