Former U.S. vice president Dick Cheney, architect of George W Bush’s “War on Terror,” has died at the age of 84.
Cheney served at Bush’s side for two terms between 2001 and 2009 and is known for expanding the powers of his role far beyond anything experienced by his 45 predecessors and for leading the U.S. into Iraq on what proved to be faulty intelligence concerning dictator Saddam Hussein’s nuclear capabilities in the aftermath of 9/11.
After leaving office, Cheney found himself cut adrift from the Republican Party over his rejection of President Donald Trump, whom he called a “coward” and the “greatest ever threat to our Republic,” letting it be known via his daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, that he voted for Kamala Harris in last year’s election.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney began his career as a congressional intern, eventually entering the White House and serving as Gerald Ford’s chief of staff from 1975 to 1977. After a stint representing Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 1979 to 1989, he served as House minority whip before becoming George HW Bush’s secretary of defense.
He was CEO of Haliburton from 1995 to 2000 before joining Bush’s son’s administration.
Obituary: The man who harnessed unprecedented power in Bush’s White House
Vice presidents are selected for many reasons, observes Rupert Cornwall in his appreciation of Cheney’s career.
They may balance the ticket, helping the top man in a region or a section of the electorate where he is not strong, just as Lyndon Johnson helped John Kennedy in 1960 to win his home state of Texas (and with it the White House).
Or they may reinforce a candidate’s appeal, just as Al Gore underlined Bill Clinton’s message of youth, energy and new ideas in 1992.
In 2000, Dick Cheney fitted neither model. His home state of Wyoming was a negligible electoral prize, while in contrast to George W Bush’s promises of change, he seemed the incarnation of eternal, bureaucratic Washington — so much so that some feared he would lose, not win, votes for his boss.
Yet, from this unpromising start, he turned himself into the most influential vice president in modern U.S. history, transforming a job once famously described as “not worth a bucket of warm spit” into a U.S. version of the office of prime minister, subordinate to, but almost co-equal of, the presidency itself.
Dick Cheney, George W Bush’s vice president, dead at 84
Cheney passed away on Monday, according to his family.
He had been suffering from pneumonia as well as cardiac and vascular disease.
“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said.
“We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”
Paul Farrell and Owen Scott have the story.
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Hello and welcome to The Independent’s liveblog on the death of Dick Cheney, George W Bush’s powerful vice president from 2001 to 2009 and the architect of the “War in Terror” in response to the 9/11 terror attacks.
