Former VP Dick Cheney dies age 84

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at age 84.

In a statement, former President George W. Bush described the Republican politician this way, as a man who held onto his convictions and who prioritized the freedom and security of the American people. Bush added, quote, “I counted on him for his honest, forthright counsel, and he never failed to give his best.”

Former president Bill Clinton noted, ‘though we often disagreed, I always respected his dedication to our country and his unwavering sense of duty."

Born in Nebraska, but a son of Wyoming, Richard Cheney left a lasting mark on the American governance and especially the Vice Presidency.

Cheney worked in the Ford and Nixon administrations before representing Wyoming in Congress for a decade. He then hen becoming Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush.

In 2000, George W. Bush asked Cheney to form a search committee for Bush’s vice president. Cheney finished the job by picking himself and joining the Republican ticket which eventually won the White House in a contentious election.

As Vice President, Dick Cheney wielded more power than perhaps anyone else who held the office.

He was instrumental in the United States’ response to the September 11 terror attacks.

Cheney claimed both behind the scenes and publicly that Iraq had “weapons of mass destruction” which was never proven.

Cheney also supported enhanced interrogation techniques and domestic intelligence gathering, both of which came under intense public and legal scrutiny.

A lifelong hunter, Cheney’s aim made news in 2006. During a quail hunt, Vice President Cheney accidentally shot Texas attorney and friend Harry Wittington. Wittington had serious injuries but survived the incident.

Dick Cheney was a fierce family man. He broke with his Republican party on the issue of same-sex marriage, in part due to his openly gay daughter Mary.

Dick and older daughter Liz Cheney were among the highest profile Republican voices to condemn the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Congresswoman Liz Cheney played a key role in the eventual hearings investigating the January 6 attacks.

In 2024, he said he would not vote for President Donald Trump, again becoming one of the highest profile Republicans to break from the party.

Cheney had heart problems for decades, starting with a heart attack at age 37 while serving in Congress and later which included a heart transplant in 2012.

Christian Bale depicted his life in the Oscar nominated film Vice in 2018.