Dick Cheney, 46th Vice President of the USA

Dick Cheney is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under president George W. Bush. Cheney, often cited as the most powerful vice president in American history, ended his tenure as an unpopular figure in American politics. He is currently the oldest living former U.S. vice president, following the death of Walter Mondale in 2021.

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney grew up there and later in Casper, Wyoming. He attended Yale University before earning a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in political science from the University of Wyoming. He began his political career as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger, eventually working his way into the White House during the Nixon and Ford administrations. He served as White House chief of staff from 1975 to 1977. In 1978, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and represented Wyoming's at-large congressional district from 1979 to 1989, briefly serving as House minority whip in 1989. He was selected as Secretary of Defense during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, and held the position for most of Bush's term from 1989 to 1993. During his time there, he oversaw 1991's Operation Desert Storm, among other actions. Out of office during the Clinton administration, he was the chairman and CEO of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000.

In July 2000, Cheney was chosen by presumptive Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush as his running mate in the 2000 presidential election. They defeated their Democratic opponents, incumbent Vice President Al Gore and Senator Joe Lieberman. In 2004 Cheney was reelected to his second term as vice president with Bush as president, defeating their Democratic opponents Senators John Kerry and John Edwards. During Cheney's tenure as vice president, he played a leading behind-the-scenes role in the George W. Bush administration's response to the September 11 attacks and coordination of the Global War on Terrorism. He was an early proponent of invading Iraq, alleging that the Saddam Hussein regime possessed a weapons of mass destruction program and had an operational relationship with Al-Qaeda; however, neither allegation was ever substantiated. He also pressured the intelligence community to provide intelligence consistent with the administration's rationales for invading Iraq. Cheney was often criticized for the Bush Administration's policies regarding the campaign against terrorism, for his support of wiretapping by the National Security Agency (NSA) and for his endorsement of "enhanced interrogation techniques" which several critics have labeled as torture. He publicly disagreed with President Bush's position against same-sex marriage in 2004. (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Per the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress:

"CHENEY, Richard Bruce, (father of Liz Cheney), a Representative from Wyoming and a Vice President of the United States; born in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebr., January 30, 1941; attended public schools in Lincoln and Casper, Wyo.; attended Yale University 1959-1960; Casper College, Casper, Wyo. 1963; B.A., University of Wyoming, Laramie 1965; M.A., University of Wyoming 1966; Ph.D. candidate, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 1968; congressional fellow 1968-1969; special assistant to the Director of OEO 1969-1970; White House staff assistant 1971; assistant director, Cost of Living Council 1971-1973; vice president, Bradley, Woods & Co. 1973-1974; Deputy Assistant to the President 1974-1975; White House Chief of Staff 1975-1977; elected as a Republican to the Ninety-sixth and to the five succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1979, until his resignation on March 17, 1989, to accept appointment by President George H.W. Bush as secretary of defense; minority whip (One Hundred First Congress); Secretary of Defense 1989-1993; senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute 1993-1995; chairman and chief executive office of the Halliburton Company 1993-2000; elected Vice President of the United States, on Republican ticket with George W. Bush, in 2000, reelected in 2004, and served from January 20, 2001, until January 20, 2009."

Sources

• "Cheney, Richard Bruce." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. < link > Accessed 9 May 2022.
• "Dick Cheney." Wikipedia, revision of 2 May 2022. < link > Accessed 9 May 2022.