The youths don’t know, but for many years, Dick Cheney was considered to be one of the most evil men in American politics. A die-hard Republican who loathed civil rights, human rights, the Geneva Convention and Democrats writ large, Cheney served as Vice President of the United States from January 2001 to January 2009. George W. Bush appointed Cheney to vet potential VP candidates in early 2000, and Cheney ended up choosing himself to act as Bush’s right-hand man. Back in the day, we called him Darth Cheney, Lord Vader, the Prince of Darkness, etc. There were always jokes about how the man was half machine because he had so many heart operations and cardiac episodes. Well, sixteen years after Cheney left office, he has now passed away.
Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at age 84.
Cheney died Monday night due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said in a statement.
“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,” the statement said. “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.”
The quietly forceful Cheney served father and son presidents, leading the armed forces as defense chief during the Persian Gulf War under President George H.W. Bush before returning to public life as vice president under Bush’s son George W. Bush.
Cheney was, in effect, the chief operating officer of the younger Bush’s presidency. He had a hand, often a commanding one, in implementing decisions most important to the president and some of surpassing interest to himself — all while living with decades of heart disease and, post-administration, a heart transplant. Cheney consistently defended the extraordinary tools of surveillance, detention and inquisition employed in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Since he’s gone now, I’ll say two “nice” things about Dick Cheney. One, I had admiration for the fact that he did not leave his post in the Situation Room on September 11, 2001. While Bush was taken to various secure locations around the country, and no one knew if another plane would hit the White House, Cheney manned his post and refused to be taken to safety by the Secret Service in the middle of the worst terrorist attack our nation ever faced. Two, while Cheney was definitely part of the blueprint for the current catastrophe of MAGA Republicianism, Cheney was actually f–king appalled by Trump and he said so publicly. Our thoughts are with his family, especially his daughter Liz, who also stood up to Trump.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- November 23, 2013: Dr. Jonathan Reiner and Dick Cheney Former Vice President Dick Cheney present ‘Heart: An American Medical Odyssey’ in conversation with Dr. Jonathan Reine at Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida. Pictured here: Dick Cheney. Mandatory Credit: INFphoto.com Ref: infusmi-25|sp| Featuring: Dick Cheney Where: Miami, Florida, United States When: 23 Nov 2013 Credit: INFphoto.com
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- May 29, 2008: Vice President Dick Cheney addresses the Republican Party during the New York State Republican Party Annual Dinner held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in New York City. Credit: INFphoto.com Ref.: infusny-110 Featuring: Dick Cheney Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 29 May 2008 Credit: INFphoto.com
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- -Washington, District of Columbia – 20181203 Funeral for Former President George H.W. Bush -PICTURED: Dick Cheney -PHOTO by: CNP/startraksphoto.com -120318_Bush-Capitol-Pool_160 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Dick Cheney Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 03 Dec 2018 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
Well, it’s a few decades too late but I’ll take the win.
Agreed. He should have died before taking a heart (by skipping line on the waitlist I’m sure) that should have gone to literally anyone but him. F this POS bastard.
This! He got his heart just shortly after my beloved older brother died while waiting on a heart transplant list. I have never been able to stop thinking that DC jumped the line and someone else, like my brother, died waiting. The first text message I got this morning was from my daughter wishing that she had gotten to have her uncle for another 16 years instead of this POS, DC. To paraphrase a funny reel I saw on IG, “I was going to call Satan to say sorry for your loss, but I am too busy celebrating.”
May the hell he deserves welcome him in.
May Darth Cheney rise to meet his Palpatine.
May he be tortured by the souls of those unjustly killed in Iraq.
It just goes to show you how insane the USA has become when I saw war criminal Cheney’s passing and thought of Dubya’s terrible terms as “the good ole days.” I’m kidding…sort of. I’m an old lady who hopes to live long enough to see our country return to normalcy! My heart goes out to Liz, one of the first members of her party to stand up to the evil that is the monster that lives in what’s left of the White House.
Yes, I admire Liz.
Not her dad. I thought he was already dead, like others have commented.
But evil doesn’t die so quickly.
How was I today years old when I found out Liz is his kid??? This is actually embarrassing for me. 😳
Liz Cheney did the right thing one time in her life. She voted for every one of Trump’s horrific bills. She may have hated the man but she loved his work.
We saw GWB and Laura on tv last night at the Cowboys game and I said to my husband – do you think GWB is grateful for Trump? His presidency looks a lot better now after this hell we’re living. and his presidency was awful!!!!
I reflexively said “aw.” Then I remembered he was a terrible human being. 🤷🏾♀️
Not the obituary I wanted to read.
🎯 🎯🎯
💯
If we’re educating the youngins’ we need to include the time Cheney accidentally shot an elderly hunting buddy in the face, who was hospitalized and had a “minor heart attack.” After recovery, hunting buddy publicly apologized to Cheney for the trouble the incident caused him.
“I’m so sorry my face got in the way of your buckshot.” Those were the good old days. Things are so bad now, I’d give anything to go back there. Sigh.
this whole time I’ve been hoping Dick had one more “accident” left in him, really take one for the team
I thought he died ten years ago.
Me too, honestly
DING, DONG!
As soon as I read the headline, the Imperial March started going through my head.
I already don’t miss him. That’s all I’ve got.
F*ck that guy. He saw where things were going 10 years ago and did nothing except call Donny a coward. Liz did a better job, but we also needed Dick to step up. He did not.
Do you think it would have made a difference if he had? Most old school republicans spoke up in disgust of Trump 10 years ago but they were either immedately canceled (primaried / “retired”) or quickly fell in line.
He endorsed Kamala last year and made an ad. But maga is too far gone to be swayed by old time conservatives. You’d think for a country that complains about being so divided we’d vote for the candidate endorsed by both Cheneys as well as AOC and Bernie and see it as a wake up call for how bad Trump is but, nope.
To think there was once a time when I thought his political legacy would be the worst. Now I’m just holding Trump’s Diet Coke.
It’s unbelievable, isn’t it?
You must never say bad things about the dead, only good. Dick is dead, good.
– inspired by and borrowed from Betty Davis.
It’s a Dick in a box
*snorts*
Trump has the option to give him a state funeral. I am sure he won’t do it.
He’ll show up to Charlie Kirk’s funeral, but not to a former vice-president’s — even a Republican! He’s that petty and classless.
I hope Dick Cheney is in 🔥 with Henry Kissenger 😡
And folks caping for Liz Cheney because January 6 2021 was a “bridge” too far for her…when for YEARS Liz Cheney’s votes & policies ensured that deplorable “bridge” was built …is something
💯
Fuck him. If there’s any justice in the world, he’s finally receiving punishment for being so evil in life. He’s another one like McConnell, a psychopath who viewed politics as a zero sum self-enrichment game to win rather than an avenue for public service. The only reason why these guys hate Trump is because he’s a boorish trashy dumbass who is allowing a tumorous mass of white trash to metastasize into the disease that is destroying the country within their own lifetimes, and they’re embarrassed by him and how stupid he is, not because they don’t want the policies he’s rubberstamping. They’re the ones who are responsible for maga being a thing; they just didn’t think the end they were bringing to the whole country by sowing its seeds would happen so fast that they’d still be alive to see it.
What is with this fawning obituary?
He was a WAR CRIMINAL and deserved death earlier than this. He bombed Iraq when he KNEW the Saudis were behind it.
Absolutely despicable human. Good effing riddance.
Halliburton – Cheney s profiteering off war, death, environmental destruction, paving the way for Trump’s money hoovering ways.
Cheney’s company Halliburton made literal billions upon billions from the war Cheney made GWB start. Cheney is a war criminal and war profiteer of the very highest level. The destructive wreckage he wreaked was for nothing except personal financial gain. Well he can’t enjoy his money where he is now.
He helped create the monster we’re dealing with now and did horrific things with his power but he’s also one of the only few that was willing to give up the policies and the judges (for a short time, I’m sure) to declare the felon was a danger to the republic. My sympathies to his family. My sympathies to everyone he damaged during his life.
I’m also glad he got to see what his policies led to (admiring Nixon’s “when the president does it, it’s not illegal” and now look where that gets us). I’m just sorry the rest of us have to endure it.
Prick Cheney manipulated a dim president into invading Iraq. His affiliated “blind” investments and his long-time business colleagues profited from the war. American military people died because of him. I hope his last few years were painful.
Tots and pears.
It’s so weird that Cheney was only a few years older than W. He always looked and seemed like his uncle. His evil uncle.
Oh no! Anyway … what’s everyone having for lunch?
One less money-grubbing war criminal breathing our air.
Honestly, I was shocked he was only 84. Could’ve sworn he’s been around wreaking havoc for at least 100 years – at least it felt that way.
Universe, you’re getting a bit closer.
Maybe other youths don’t know him but mine said LFG! and I’m playing Coffin Dance, so yeah we’re mourning appropriately.
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye!
Never needed a nickname. Dick pretty much sums him up.
Why no mention of him shooting the guy in the face?
Bye, loser.
You voted for Kamala, Dick? Way too little, way too late.
I remember he was asked once if he ever thought of his heart donor and he said something to the effect of, “not really.”
He was a terrible, terrible person.
But Trump is even worse.
I think the thing about the Bush admin, as corrupt and malevolent as it was, most of the evil it did was in service of something they believed was some better version of America. A hideously capitalist and imperialist version – and they deserved to face an international tribunal over it, don’t get me wrong – but a version nonetheless.
With Trump…he actually hates Americans. He hates this country and the people in it, because he’s an actual clinical narcissist. He’s a void that has no happiness or joy beyond the temporary highs of people’s attention and wealth accumulation. He’s not destroying this country because he believes in some higher power or expanded manifest destiny or even to “avenge” us against some injury; he’s destroying it because he and his coconspirators were either paid or blackmailed into it by a foreign entity to gain power for itself. The Christian nationalists are just jumping at their chance to seize power in the vacuum of the empire’s collapse.
And while that feels a bit like splitting hairs, it IS a difference. The Bush admin laid the foundation. The Trump admin buried us in it, then took a wrecking ball to the rest.
Whoo hoo! What a great day for mankind!!! ❤️
I know Cheney’s company made a lot of money from the Iraqi war. I also remember that the work his company did was sub-standard because who cares about the young Americans fighting Cheney’s war? I particularly remember that one soldier (25 or 26) died by electrocution in the shower. The shower was not grounded because of shoddy, cheap work for these soldiers. I never forgot that. Being killed by your own government, electrocuted in the shower, not while fighting the enemy. Because in this case, your own government was the enemy. I also remember that Cheney seemed to be President, not Bush the Younger. There was a joke: Bush was one heartbeat away from the presidency. And Cheney got to live into his 80’s with his heart transplant (the donor could have been 25 or 26, like that young soldier killed by his own government. And our government knew there were no weapons of mass destruction even before we set foot in Iraq. Horrible.