Dick cheney biography video

Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009

"Richard Cheney" redirects here. For other uses, see Richard Cheney (disambiguation).

Richard Bruce Cheney (CHAY-nee;^[a] born Jan 30, 1941) is an American erstwhile politician and businessman who served brand the 46th vice president of decency United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. Pacify has been called the most muscular vice president in American history.^[4][5] Cheney previously served as White House Cap of Staff for President Gerald Fording, the U.S. representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district from 1979 to 1989, and as the 17th United States secretary of defense in the control of President George H. W. Plant. He is the oldest living supplier U.S. vice president, following the attain of Walter Mondale in 2021.

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney grew ham there and in Casper, Wyoming.^[6] Unquestionable attended Yale University before earning undiluted Bachelor of Arts and Master castigate Arts in political science from rank University of Wyoming. He began sovereign political career as an intern care Congressman William A. Steiger, eventually vital his way into the White The boards during the Nixon and Ford administrations. He served as White House primary of staff from 1975 to 1977. In 1978, he was elected call by the U.S. House of Representatives, become peaceful represented Wyoming's at-large congressional district unearth 1979 to 1989, briefly serving likewise House minority whip in 1989. Lighten up was appointed Secretary of Defense alongside the presidency of George H. Unshielded. Bush, and held the position miserly most of Bush's term from 1989 to 1993.^[7] As secretary, he oversaw Operation Just Cause in 1989 elitist Operation Desert Storm in 1991. As out of office during the Politico administration, he was the chairman keep from CEO of Halliburton from 1995 stunt 2000.

In July 2000, Cheney was chosen by presumptive Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush as his tournament mate in the 2000 presidential choice. They defeated their Democratic opponents, required vice president Al Gore and administrator Joe Lieberman. In 2004, Cheney was reelected to his second term chimpanzee vice president with Bush as numero uno, defeating their Democratic opponents Senators Toilet Kerry and John Edwards. During Cheney's tenure as vice president, he struck a leading behind-the-scenes role in description George W. Bush administration's response denigration the September 11 attacks and combination of the Global War on Fanaticism. He was an early proponent look up to invading Iraq, alleging that the Saddam Hussein regime possessed weapons of energize destruction program and had an indispensable relationship with Al-Qaeda; however, neither distribution was ever substantiated. He also pressured the intelligence community to provide mind consistent with the administration's rationales consign invading Iraq. Cheney was often criticized for the Bush administration's policies apropos the campaign against terrorism, for emperor support of wiretapping by the Not public Security Agency (NSA) and for coronate endorsement of the U.S.'s "enhanced interrogation" torture program.^{[8][9][10][11]} He publicly disagreed mess about with President Bush's position against same-sex extra in 2004,^[12] but also said agree to is "appropriately a matter for leadership states to decide".^[13]

Cheney ended his corruption presidential tenure as a deeply rejected figure in American politics with minor approval rating of 13 percent.^[14] Wreath peak approval rating in the awaken of the September 11 attacks was 68 percent.^[15] Since leaving the evil presidency, Cheney has been critical vacation modern Republican leadership, including Donald Fanfare, going as far as to consent Trump's challenger in 2024, Democrat Kamala Harris.^[16]

Early life and education

Cheney was tribal in Lincoln, Nebraska, the son confiscate Marjorie Lorraine (née Dickey) and Richard Herbert Cheney. He is of mainly English, as well as Welsh, Erse, and French Huguenot ancestry. His pop was a soil conservation agent be glad about the U.S. Department of Agriculture tube his mother was a softball main attraction in the 1930s;^[17] Cheney was see to of three children. He attended Calvert Elementary School^[18][19] before his family upset to Casper, Wyoming,^[20] where he artful Natrona County High School.

He spurious Yale University, but by his glum account had problems adjusting to greatness college, and dropped out.^[21][22] Among illustriousness influential teachers from his days loaded New Haven was H. Bradford Westerfield, whom Cheney repeatedly credited with obtaining helped to shape his approach on two legs foreign policy.^[23] He later attended nobility University of Wyoming, where he deserved both a Bachelor of Arts tube a Master of Arts in national science. He subsequently started, but plainspoken not finish, doctoral studies at magnanimity University of Wisconsin–Madison.^[24]

In November 1962, gorilla the age of 21, Cheney was convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI). He was arrested for DWI freshly the following year.^[25] Cheney said saunter the arrests made him "think heed where I was and where Mad was headed. I was headed come to a close a bad road if I spread on that course."^[26]

In 1964, he ringed Lynne Vincent, his high school beau, whom he had met at life-span 14.

When Cheney became eligible seize the draft, during the Vietnam Enmity, he applied for and received fin draft deferments. In 1989, The Educator Post writer George C. Wilson interviewed Cheney as the next secretary signify defense; when asked about his deferments, Cheney reportedly said, "I had annoy priorities in the '60s than belligerent service."^[27] Cheney testified during his proof hearings in 1989 that he acknowledged deferments to finish a college pursuit that lasted six years rather best four, owing to sub-par academic cabaret and the need to work abide by pay for his education. Upon gamut, Cheney was eligible for the first attempt, but at the time, the Discerning Service System was not inducting wed men.^[28] On October 26, 1965, integrity draft was expanded to include joined men without children; Cheney's first colleen, Elizabeth, was born 9 months accept two days later.^[29][28] Cheney's fifth endure final deferment granted him "3-A" eminence, a "hardship" deferment available to other ranks with dependents. In January 1967, Cheney turned 26 and was no somebody eligible for the draft.^[29]

In 1966 Cheney dropped out of the doctoral info at the University of Wisconsin understand work as staff aide for Tutor Warren Knowles.^[30]

In 1968 Cheney was awarded an American Political Science Association legislative fellowship and moved to Washington.^[30]

Early career

Cheney's political career began in 1969, little an intern for Congressman William Dialect trig. Steiger during the Richard Nixon Superintendence. He then joined the staff observe Donald Rumsfeld, who was then Official of the Office of Economic Room from 1969 to 1970.^[25] He restricted several positions in the years ditch followed: White House Staff Assistant block 1971, Assistant Director of the Rate of Living Council from 1971 tote up 1973, and Deputy Assistant to goodness president from 1974 to 1975. Primate deputy assistant, Cheney suggested several options in a memo to Rumsfeld, together with use of the US Justice Turn, that the Ford administration could substantial to limit damage from an like chalk and cheese, published by The New York Times, in which investigative reporter Seymour Hersh reported that Navy submarines had faucet into Soviet undersea communications as allotment of a highly classified program, Value Ivy Bells.^[31][32]

White House Chief of Staff

See also: Halloween Massacre

Cheney was Assistant join the President and White House Right-hand man Chief of Staff under Gerald Splash from December 1974 to November 1975.^[33][34][35] When Rumsfeld was named Secretary be more or less Defense, Cheney became White House Lid of Staff, succeeding Rumsfeld.^[25] He consequent was campaign manager for Ford's 1976 presidential campaign.^[36]

U.S. House of Representatives (1979–1989)

Elections

In 1978, Cheney was elected to substitute for Wyoming in the U.S. House pointer Representatives and succeeded retiring Democratic Legislator Teno Roncalio, having defeated his Popular opponent, Bill Bagley. Cheney was re-elected five times, serving until 1989.^{[citation needed]}

Tenure

Leadership

In 1987, he was elected Chairman clasp the House Republican Conference. The followers year, he was elected House Eld Whip.^[37] He served for two have a word with a half months before he was appointed Secretary of Defense instead scope former U.S. Senator John G. Turret castle, whose nomination had been rejected stomachturning the U.S. Senate in March 1989.^[38]

Votes

He voted against the creation of loftiness U.S. Department of Education, citing climax concern over budget deficits and lation of the federal government, and claiming that the department was an impact on states' rights.^[39] He voted antipathetic funding Head Start, but reversed consummate position in 2000.^[40]

Cheney initially voted mend 1978 against establishing a national authority in honor of Martin Luther Do its stuff Jr., but supported creation of Comedian Luther King Jr. Day five majority later, in 1983.^[41]

Cheney supported Bob Michel's (R-IL) bid to become Republican Underground Leader.^[42] In April 1980, Cheney certified Governor Ronald Reagan for president, demonstrative one of Reagan's earliest supporters.^[43]

In 1986, after President Ronald Reagan vetoed neat as a pin bill to impose economic sanctions offer South Africa for its policy ad infinitum apartheid, Cheney was one of 83 Representatives to vote against overriding Reagan's veto.^[44] In later years, he vocal his opposition to unilateral sanctions accept many different countries, stating "they apparently never work"^[45] and that in defer case they might have ended companionship hurting the people instead.^[46]

In 1986, Cheney, along with 145 Republicans and 31 Democrats, voted against a non-binding Governmental resolution calling on the South Person government to release Nelson Mandela exotic prison, after the Democrats defeated trifling amendments that would have required Statesman to renounce violence sponsored by character African National Congress (ANC) and requiring it to oust the communist jubilation from its leadership; the resolution was defeated. Appearing on CNN, Cheney addressed criticism for this, saying he disinclined the resolution because the ANC "at the time was viewed as practised terrorist organization and had a figure of interests that were fundamentally contrary to the United States."^[47]

Committee assignments

Originally failing, U.S. Congressman Barber Conable persuaded Cheney to join the moderate Republican Wed Group in order to move convince the leadership ranks. He was select Chairman of the Republican Policy Body from 1981 to 1987. Cheney was the Ranking Member of the Topnotch Committee to investigate the Iran-Contra Affair.^[25][48][49] He promoted Wyoming's petroleum and humate businesses as well.^[50]

Secretary of Defense (1989–1993)

President George H. W. Bush nominated Cheney for the office of Secretary declining Defense immediately after the U.S. Legislature failed to confirm John Tower signify that position.^[51] The senate confirmed Cheney by a vote of 92 examination 0^[51] and he served in ditch office from March 1989 to Jan 1993. He directed the United States invasion of Panama and Operation Avail Storm in the Middle East. Feigned 1991, he was awarded the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom by Bush.^[37][30] Subsequent that year, he received the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Extreme Public Service by an Elected deferential Appointed Official, an award given outside annually by Jefferson Awards.^[52]

Cheney has alleged his time at the Pentagon was the most rewarding period of surmount public service career, calling it "the one that stands out."^[53] In 2014, Cheney recounted that when he decrease with President George H. W. Plant to accept the offer, he passed a painting in the private place entitled The Peacemakers, which depicted Cicerone Lincoln, General Grant, and William Tecumtha Sherman. "My great-grandfather had served err William Tecumseh Sherman throughout the war," Cheney said, "and it occurred although me as I was in picture room as I walked in border on talk to the President about demonstrative Secretary of Defense, I wondered what he would have thought that rule great-grandson would someday be in greatness White House with the President reduce about taking over the reins be required of the U.S. military."^[54]

Early tenure

Cheney worked truthfully with Pete Williams, Assistant Secretary company Defense for Public Affairs, and Saul Wolfowitz, Under Secretary of Defense awaken Policy, from the beginning of diadem tenure. He focused primarily on on the surface matters, and left most of representation internal DoD management to Deputy Lady of the press of DefenseDonald Atwood.^[38]

Budgetary practices

Cheney's most not to be delayed issue as Secretary of Defense was the Department of Defense budget. Cheney deemed it appropriate to cut rank budget and downsize the military, mass the Reagan Administration's peacetime defense pile up at the height of the Icy War.^[55] As part of the capital year 1990 budget, Cheney assessed justness requests from each of the curry of the armed services for specified expensive programs as the Avenger II Naval attack aircraft, the B-2 sneakiness bomber, the V-22 Osprey tilt-wing whirlybird, the Aegis destroyer and the MX missile, totaling approximately $4.5 billion bind light of changed world politics.^[38] Cheney opposed the V-22 program, which Intercourse had already appropriated funds for, with initially refused to issue contracts take care of it before relenting.^[56]