Dick Cheney passes away at 84 years old

He leaves behind a formidable political legacy as one of the most powerful vice presidents in history

Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons

On Nov. 3, former Vice President, Richard “Dick” Bruce Cheney passed away at the age of 84. Leading up to his passing, Cheney was suffering from complications associated with pneumonia and cardiovascular disease, according to AP News. 

Dick Cheney was a Republican politician who was born in Nebraska and later moved to Wyoming, where he started his career in politics. Cheney married his high school sweetheart, Lynne Vincent. He served under President Gerald Ford as White House chief of staff and later went on to become the vice president for George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election 

His family’s statement on his passing read, "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…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."

Cheney transformed the position of vice president during George W. Bush’s two terms. He spoke often on how the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 changed his perspective on patriotism into something that motivated him to avenge the attacks on America, as detailed by CNN. Many characterized Cheney through his leadership in the “war on terror” and campaigns to invade Iraq, as reported by BBC. When reflecting on the violence of war in Iraq, he said to CNN in 2015, “It was the right thing to do then. I believed it then and I believe it now.”

He also advocated for action to be taken in Afghanistan. The former vice president had always remained firm that the invasion and harsh interrogation methods were necessary to keep Americans safe following the terrorist attack on the U.S. He also played a major role in keeping tax policies and environmental protections conservative under the Bush Administration. 

Cheney notably fought with former president Bush over the issue of same-sex marriage. His daughter, Mary, is a lesbian, and Cheney was very supportive on the issue being left to the states, while Bush supported a constitutional amendment that would prohibit gay marriage. Cheney said, “Lynne and I have a gay daughter, so it’s an issue our family is very familiar with…With the respect to the question of relationships, my general view is freedom means freedom for everyone... People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to.”

In recent years, Cheney had been vocal in his dislike for President Trump. According to USA Today, Cheney decided not to endorse Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021 riots. In the 2024 election, he publicly supported Kamala Harris, according to NPR. Advocating his public support for Harris, USA Today quotes Cheney as saying, “[Donald Trump] tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him…He can never be trusted with power again. As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution.” 

The George W. Bush Presidential Center released a statement by the former president on Cheney’s passing, reading, “...I counted on him for his honest, forthright counsel, and he never failed to give his best. He held to his convictions and prioritized the freedom and security of the American people. For those two terms in office, and throughout his remarkable career, Dick Cheney’s service always reflected credit on the country he loved…”