In response to Frank Field's letter, "Cheney shooting editorial lacks journalistic value," Feb. 17, I find it interesting as a journalist myself, how many people seem to think this is not news. The vice president is held to something called a higher standard; as a public figure, he is, rightly or wrongly, expected to be more immaculate than the general public. The fact that he and the entire administration kept the accident secret until interrogated by the press further highlights their subversive attitude, knowing that it wouldn't bode well for Dick Cheney.

It is newsworthy for several of the points Field raised. There was no immediate recreation or investigation of the accident; aside from notifying the sheriff's department, little else was done legally until the next morning. Much of the scene has been described in news reports since then: low brush, with about 30 yards between Cheney and Harry Whittington.

Instead of accusing liberals of using this accident -- and I believe it was nothing more than an accident between friends -- to imply that Democrats want to take away guns, the GOP should use this opportunity to show that hunting accidents can happen to anyone and urge hunters to take more safety training.