[6SJ7]

If Cheney hadn't stiffed him, they would find something else about the case to criticize him on.

If Cheney had gone first to the D.C. Press, the drumbeat would have been, "he cares more about spinning the news than the health of his hunting buddy".

[Barney Gumble]

If Cheney had gone first to the D.C. Press, the drumbeat would have been, "he cares more about spinning the news than the health of his hunting buddy".

Exactly. They might have even said "Why isn't the family releasing the news? Why Cheney?" Who knows what complaints they could come up with, but it would be something to try to make a scandal.