A Barrage of Editorial Cartoons Address Cheney Shooting Episode

By: Dave Astor The Dick Cheney shooting episode is a natural for visual commentary, and editorial cartoonists have responded with a barrage of drawings.

There's a shooting theme in nearly two-thirds of the 45 cartoons posted Tuesday on EditorialCartoonists.com, the Web site of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. And there are about three-dozen drawings relating to Cheney's hunting accident on Cagle.MSNBC.com, Daryl Cagle's editorial cartoon site.

Some of the cartoon highlights:

-- Gary Varvel of The Indianapolis Star and Creators Syndicate shows a rifle-toting, menacing-looking Cheney saying: "There was a delay in reporting my shooting accident. To make it up to the press, I'm going to take them hunting."

-- Mike Luckovich of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Creators Syndicate shows the vice president with his shooting victim. An unrepentant Cheney says: "An apology is in order... . I'm waiting... ."

-- Scott Stantis of The Birmingham (Ala.) News and Copley News Service shows Cheney, his rifle smoking as he stands over his victim, saying: "Sorry. I thought you were the Bill of Rights."

-- Rob Rogers of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and United Media shows President Bush saying to Cheney: "Don't feel bad, Dick. I thought I was flushing out terrorists when I accidentally bagged this one!" Bush is pointing to the Statue of Liberty's head -- labeled "Civil Liberties" -- mounted over a fireplace.

-- David Horsey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Tribune Media Services shows Cheney after he blasts a hole in the U.S. Constitution. The smoke from his gun is labeled "Domestic Spying."

-- Matt Davies of The Journal News in White Plains, N.Y., and Tribune Media Services shows Cheney missing a bird labeled "WMDs." But he shot a bunch of people, who are lying dead on the ground.

-- Kevin Siers of The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer and King Features Syndicate shows "Scooter" Libby, after being shot full of holes by Cheney, saying: "My superiors made me leak!"

-- Ann Telnaes of the Cartoonists & Writers Syndicate/New York Times Syndicate shows three bird trophies nabbed by Cheney. One is labeled "Duck hunting with Justice Scalia, another is labeled "Quail shooting with Texas lawyer," and the third -- an American eagle -- is labeled "Unwarranted wiretapping fishing expedition with President Bush."

-- Bruce Plante of the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press shows Cheney, after he shoots his victim, saying: "Another case of bad intelligence."

-- Steve Greenberg of the Ventura County (Calif.) Star shows Cheney, Bush, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales all holding smoking rifles after they peppered the face of an agonized Statue of Liberty. A tablet labeled "Civil Liberties" lies on the ground.

-- J.D. Crowe of the Mobile (Ala.) Register shows Cheney, after peppering his victim, saying: "Just another day at the office... . Shoot first -- spin later."