WASHINGTON — Dick Cheney will be remembered as a “patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held,” former President George W. Bush said Tuesday, memorializing his vice president.
Cheney, who died Monday, served as Bush’s vice president from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was a White House aide and chief of staff, a congressman representing Wyoming, and the secretary of the Defense Department.
“Dick was a calm and steady presence in the White House amid great national challenges. I counted on him for his honest, forthright counsel, and he never failed to give his best,” Bush said in a statement. “He held to his convictions and prioritized the freedom and security of the American people.”
Cheney died Monday night due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular diseases, according to a statement from his family. He was 84.
Cheney is remembered as one of the most powerful vice presidents in American history. He was one of the primary architects of the country’s war on terror after the 9/11 attacks.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said in an interview on Fox News Tuesday that Cheney was an “extraordinary public servant” who worked diligently to keep Americans safe after 9/11.
“There are Americans who are alive today because of just how vigorously he pursued our enemies,” Cruz said.
In his later years, Cheney broke with the Republican Party when he spoke out against President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and said he would vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
In addition to his long career in politics, Cheney used to head Halliburton, an oil and energy company with a headquarters in Houston.
While he was CEO of the company, Bush asked Cheney to head his vice presidential search committee.
“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,” Bush said. “I’m still grateful that he was at my side for the eight years that followed.”
Cruz worked on Bush’s presidential campaign and watched the bond between Bush and Cheney develop, he said on Fox News.
“President George W. Bush relied on Dick Cheney for virtually everything,” Cruz said. “He trusted him deeply.”
Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement that he is saddened by Cheney’s death and that Cheney was a “steadfast defender of American strength and security who served our nation with dedication through turbulent times.”
“Our prayers are with his loved ones as they grieve this profound loss,” Abbott said.
