One of the more controversial politicians of our time has passed away.
Dick Cheney, vice president during the administration of George W. Bush and the father of former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), has died at the age of 84.
According to news reports, Cheney died surrounded by family members.
The announcement of Cheney’s death came early Tuesday morning from his family.
It stated, "Richard B. Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, died last night, November 3, 2025. He was 84 years old. His beloved wife of 61 years, Lynne, his daughters, Liz and Mary, and other family members were with him as he passed. The former Vice President died due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease."
The statement continued, "For decades, Dick Cheney served our nation, including as White House Chief of Staff, Wyoming’s Congressman, Secretary of Defense, and Vice President of the United States.”
It concluded, "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."
Former President Bush responded to news of the death, describing Cheney as a true patriot and his death as a huge loss for the country.
He stated, “Laura and I will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was. History will remember him as among the finest public servants of his generation -- a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”
He continued, “As a young White House aide and chief of staff, a Congressman, a Secretary of Defense, and my Vice President, Dick earned the confidence and high opinion of five presidents.”
Bush added, “I asked him to join my ticket in 2000 after first enlisting him to help me find the best running mate. In our long discussions about the qualities a vice president should have -- deep experience, mature judgment, character, loyalty -- I realized that Dick Cheney was the one I needed. I’m still grateful that he was at my side for the eight years that followed.”
I am not one to attack someone after their death, but nor am I one to sit back and allow people to gush over someone who is not what they make him out to be, and that is my opinion when it comes to Cheney.
Cheney, in my opinion, put this country into a war that never should have been when he claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, even though intelligence reports said something else completely. At the time, Cheney said, “Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.”
The then-VP wanted to take out Hussein, and he used that claim to facilitate that desire, admitting as much during a 2015 interview, stating, “Our objective was to take down Saddam Hussein. We did it. The world’s a much better place without him.”
There will be plenty of people who will gush over Cheney over the next few days, and some may request that he be allowed to lie in state at the Capitol. I will not be among them.
