Choice of Messenger Is an Issue in Its Own Right

Cheney finally addressed the incident Wednesday, but the forum in which he chose to do so -- in an exclusive interview with Fox News host Brit Hume -- quickly became another source of contention.

Fox News executives cast the scoop as the result of persistence and the growing clout of the top-rated cable news network.

"We've been after the vice president since Sunday, as everyone has, and our efforts paid off," said John Moody, Fox's senior vice president for news editorial. "I think he wanted to make sure he got a fair interview and a good interview -- good in the sense of thorough -- and Brit is sort of the preeminent journalist in Washington right now."

However, some Democrats and competing broadcasters charged that Cheney chose to speak only with Fox News because of a perception that the cable channel is sympathetic to the Republican administration. They called for the vice president to hold a news conference with the rest of the media.

"Now that he feels forced to talk, he wants to restrict the discussion to a friendly news outlet, guaranteeing no hard questions from the press corps," said Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) in a statement.

On CNN, commentator Jack Cafferty called the interview "a little bit like Bonnie interviewing Clyde

The interview came after days of sniping between the White House press corps and White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan over why news of the hunting accident wasn't released earlier to the national press. Supporters of Cheney called it a non-issue that was only of interest to the press itself.

Southern California talk radio buzzed about the Fox News interview, which liberal KTLK-AM (1150) host Johnny Wendell called akin to a "groupie in the front row of a Justin Timberlake concert." Even conservative Bill Handel, host of KFI-AM's (640) top-rated morning show, faulted the vice president for only speaking with Fox News and "taking the path of least resistance."

While Fox News is known for its outspoken conservative commentators, network officials reject the idea that partisanship creeps into its coverage.

"What we try to do is not shut out any points of view," Moody said.