The next step is to criticize the VP for NOT making a public appearence to get this STORY behind him. You can be sure that IF/WHEN he does come forward they will criticize him for taking so long to do so.
Which leads me to the beginning of this silly story about an unfortunate accident. IF Cheney notified the WH Press Corps immediately there would have been wide spread media speculation as to WHY the VP found it necessary to get out in front of this story and not devote his attention to the well-being of his friend.
I am sure that there may even have been some whispered speculation that the shooting could have been premeditated because a statement was released so soon after the shooting that it makes you wander if the statement was prepared IN ADVANCE.
People said the President would have to come out an talk to Sheehan when the peaceniks were protesting loudly outside his ranch and it was the only story on the news for weeks. What political damage did that do? None.
It's the same here. Only short-term while the story is going on will there be any negative impact. The story might even help the administration by diverting attention from other more substantive problems.
The important thing is for Cheney NOT to expose himself to questions by the antagonized press corps. A press conference would be a disaster. An interview with a friendly reporter IF Whittington's condition takes a turn for the worse is about the furthest he should go. Otherwise he should let the media burn itself out because all the facts are there.
The public won't like the top story being:
And our top story today, today marks the 100th day of nothing happening in the wake of the Cheney shooting incident. We are here with PR expert/MSM whore Mr. X.
Mr. X, should Cheney come forth with all the details and make an apology for not reporting this story earlier?
X: Absolutely, random news show host. Despite the fact that Mr. Whittington has fully recovered and been back home for months now, the Administration still hasn't owned up to it's responsibilities. In order to put this incident behind them, Cheney must come forward to answer questions not about the incident itself but why he didn't give us every detail of the incident for almost 14 hours some 3 months ago!