Ok, so I’m a little late on this one. I spent most of the day yesterday dealing with a birthday party outing for 5-7 year-olds, something that takes a lot of time and energy.

The blogosphere has been having a field day with this story, of course. There’s just so many angles. There’s the Quayle-Bush-Cheney angle, which I settled on for my title. Making a joke that maybe he’s practicing for the next time he sees “Scooter” Libby. I like that one. Austinist went for the Clinton/Lewinsky face shot angle. Scoop Jackson points out that Cheney has crappy hunting etiquette and refers to some of the history of his victim, Austin lawyer, Harry Whittington.

Whittington’s having a year of ups and downs already. He was shot in the face and neck this weekend. A little over a week ago (February 4th), one of his buildings burned down, destroying the club in his building, which, honestly, has housed crappy dance clubs for as long as I can remember, and spreading to the building that housed KOOP radio, Sweatbox Studios, a legendary local punk/garage rock recording studio, and rehearsal/studio space for several Austin artists. That’s the second fire on that block in less than two months.

Last month, Whittington got a favorable decision in his many year long battle with the city over eminent domain and a property that he owned downtown. Here’s a copy of the Third Court of Appeals ruling in his favor from last summer. The Statesman details more of Whittington’s history in the GOP and Texas politics. A quick check of the appraisal roll shows that Whittington owns a couple of places next to Mount Bonnell, a favorite tourist destination with an amazing view of the lake and hills west of Austin, and two to three properties other than the one destoyed by fire downtown.

Eminent domain took center stage last summer because of a Supreme Court ruling; the most amusing result of which is an attempt to have a property owned by Justice Souter seized and turned into a hotel.

Update: These are damn funny.