Former Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney, is dead.

He was 84 years old, and his cause of death was cited as cardiac and vascular disease. Dick Cheney had a long history of heart issues, having his first heart attack at just 37. He went on to have a total of five heart attacks and was fitted with a cardiac defibrillator. Despite his condition, he exuded a tough demeanour and never felt sorry for himself.

He was a major figure in the Republican Party for decades and a respected statesman of American government. He went on to serve three Presidents. Cheney began his political career as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger during the Richard Nixon administration. He went on to serve as Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford.

President George H. Bush rated him highly and valued Cheney for his loyalty and discretion. Bush senior appointed him as Secretary of Defence between 1989 to 93. It was Cheney who directed the invasion of Panama and oversaw Operation Desert Storm.

Dick Cheney was a talented and capable man and in the private sector, gave a good account of himself as CEO of energy services giant Halliburton.

He was on the George W. Bush ticket in the presidential election of 2000, going up against the Democrats’ Al Gore and Joseph Lieberman.

Some saw him as a hawk, and he even went under the sobriquet “ Darth Vader“ of the White House. But that might be a little unkind. He was principled, a man of conviction and had a tenacious will. He was the kind of guy you want beside you in battle. He was a key architect of the “ war on terror” invasion of Iraq, which led to the toppling of Saddam Hussein. Cheney thought the attack on the Twin Towers should be avenged and that a message should be sent to Islamic terrorists.

His power grew during George W. Bush’s second term between 2005-2009.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice valued Cheney as a mentor and admired his statecraft.

“He was an inspiring presence and mentor who taught me a great deal about public service. I will remember his toughness but also his sense of humour.

“He was indefatigable in his determination to defend this country and patriotic to his core,” she said of him.

Cheney is part of that great generation of Republican titans who were greatly admired at the turn of a new century – Donald Rumsfeld, James Baker, and George Shultz.

On his passing, his family issued a statement which read: “Dick Cheney was a great and a good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our party and to live lives of courage, honour, 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.”

Dick Cheney is the father of former Republican U.S. representative for Wyoming Liz Cheney, an ardent opponent of Donald Trump. Her father was very proud of her accomplishments, and both father and daughter supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential race.

Of her father, Liz Cheney said: “ I want people to know that my father raised me to have the courage of my convictions. I want people to remember that my father chose country over party.

“I feel confident he will be remembered as a man of tremendous courage and someone who did what he knew was right, even when it was tough and even when people were criticising him for it.”

Two quotes from Dick Cheney sums up the man: 

“We are, as a matter of empirical fact and undeniable history, the greatest force for good the world has ever known.”

“There was a dream that men could one day speak their thoughts. There was a hope that men could stroll through the streets unafraid. There was a prayer that each could speak to his own God. That dream, that hope, that prayer became America.”