A Look at Dick Cheney's Hunting Accident Through the Eyes of Media Scholars and Comedians

As is customary, Vice-President Dick Cheney was in the news the week of February 12, 2006, but this time for a slightly stranger reason than usual. During a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, the Vice-President accidentally shot a fellow hunter. Seventy-eight year old Harry Whittington, a Republican lawyer, wound up on the receiving end of a load of buckshot from Cheney as well as a frenzy of attention from the press. The heavy amount of media coverage of the event provides ample fodder for a discussion of the legitimacy and impact of various forms of print and electronic media. This paper will address three different media outlets’ accounts of the incident: an article in the Los Angeles Times, television coverage by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and a weblog entry on www.blogsforbush.com . By viewing these varying representations through the lenses of several media scholars, one can begin to see a comprehensive picture of the significance and influence of both print and electronic media on a democratic society.