His family said the cause was complications from pneumonia and chronic heart and vascular disease. People.com+1Dick Cheney was born January 30 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and grew up in Casper, Wyoming. HistSecDef+1 He studied political science at the University of
Wyoming (earning both a B.A. and M.A.) after a brief stint at Yale. George W. Bush White House Archives+1
His early career was not glamorous: from congressional aide, to positions under Nixon and Ford, culminating in his service as the youngest White House Chief of Staff under Gerald Ford. Biography+1
He served six terms as a U.S. Representative from Wyoming (1979–1989) before being appointed Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993. Wikipedia+1
In 2000, George W. Bush chose Cheney as his running mate. From 2001 to 2009, Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States. Wikipedia+1
His tenure redefined the office: after the September 11 attacks, Cheney helped shape America’s response — the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, an expanded surveillance state, and a broad concept of executive power. Encyclopedia Britannica
Whether one admired or opposed him, both agreed he wielded great influence: some historians call him the most powerful Vice President in U.S. history.
Style and Philosophy
Cheney believed strongly in a robust executive branch. He once said, “The Constitution doesn’t prohibit a strong executive. It assumes one.” That belief underpinned his every major decision.
His critics saw him as a symbol of unchecked power and secrecy; his supporters regarded him as a decisive strategist who refused to sacrifice security for popularity.
