Former Vice President Dick Cheney, considered by many political observers to be the most politically active and influential vice president in U.S. history, died on Monday night, his family said. He was 84.
Cheney's wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him on Monday night, the family said in a statement, adding that the former vice president died of complications of pneumonia and 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 statement 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."
Well, we're going to begin this morning
with some breaking news. Former Vice
President Dick Cheney has died at the
age of 84. The conservative served
alongside President George W. Bush, and
he became known as one of the most
powerful and polarizing vice presidents
in American history. Cheny's family was
by his side as he passed away last
night. They released a statement saying
the cause was pneumonia and cardiac and
vascular disease. ABC's Karen Travers
takes a look back at his life and his
legacy.
Dick Cheney was called the force behind
President George W. Bush, a notoriously
silent but powerful VP who became an
outspoken defender of the Bush
administration and an artic critic of
President Obama
>> when they've made all the decisions
they've had, closed Guantanamo uh in the
high value detainee program and so
forth. I think those are all mistakes.
>> He was beloved by conservatives and
vilified by the left compared to a Star
Wars villain. They wouldn't call me
Darth Vader for nothing.
>> He was known for his increasingly
conservative views on nearly everything
but gay rights. Perhaps because he had a
gay daughter. Richard Bruce Cheney was
born in 1941 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He
grew up in Casper, Wyoming, and married
Lynn Anne Vincent in 1964.
Cheney first arrived in Washington in
1969 to work for President Nixon's chief
of staff, Donald Rumsfeld, before
replacing his mentor in 1975.
When Jimmy Carter defeated President
Ford, Cheney returned to Wyoming, ran
for Congress, and served five terms
until President George HW Bush asked him
to serve as Secretary of Defense. After
a stint as head of defense contractor
Hallebertton, Cheney returned to run
George W. Bush's vice presidential
selection committee and was selected
himself.
>> The person who was best qualified to be
my vice presidential nominee was working
by my side.
After 9/11, Cheney was influential in
formulating the US response. The
doctrine of preemptive action widened
the war on terrorism from Afghanistan to
Iraq.
>> We have a further responsibility to help
keep the peace of the world and to
prevent the terrorists and their
sponsors from plunging the world into
horrific violence.
>> He faced challenges in and out of the
White House, shooting a campaign
contributor in the face during a 2006
quail hunt. and a year later watching
his former chief of staff Lewis Scooter
Libby convicted of obstruction of
justice and perjury. President George W.
Bush later commuted Libbyy's sentence.
Cheny's daughter Liz was one of the 10
Republicans who voted to impeach former
President Trump for his role in the
January 6th insurrection at the capital.
Dick Cheney came to the capital on the
first anniversary of that horrific day.
Though a political lightning rod, Cheney
will be remembered by his allies as a
man who served his country with
conviction. Karen Travers, ABC News,
