Dick Cheney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dick Cheney
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Official portrait, 2003
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| 46th Vice President of the United States | |
| In office January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Al Gore |
| Succeeded by | Joe Biden |
| 17th United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office March 21, 1989 – January 20, 1993 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Deputy | Donald J. Atwood Jr. |
| Preceded by | Frank Carlucci |
| Succeeded by | Les Aspin |
| House Minority Whip | |
| In office January 3, 1989 – March 20, 1989 |
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| Leader | Robert H. Michel |
| Preceded by | Trent Lott |
| Succeeded by | Newt Gingrich |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office June 4, 1987 – January 3, 1989 |
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| Leader | Robert H. Michel |
| Preceded by | Jack Kemp |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Lewis |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's at-large district |
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| In office January 3, 1979 – March 20, 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Teno Roncalio |
| Succeeded by | Craig L. Thomas |
| 7th White House Chief of Staff | |
| In office November 21, 1975 – January 20, 1977 |
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| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Donald Rumsfeld |
| Succeeded by | Hamilton Jordan (1979) |
| White House Deputy Chief of Staff | |
| In office December 18, 1974 – November 21, 1975 |
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| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Landon Butler |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Bruce Cheney
January 30, 1941 Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
Richard Bruce Cheney, born on January 30, 1941, is an American politician and businessman. He was the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, serving with President George W. Bush. Before this, he held important roles like White House Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford and United States Secretary of Defense for President George H. W. Bush. He also represented Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Early Life and Education
Dick Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. His father worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and his mother was a softball player. He was one of three children.
He went to Calvert Elementary School. Later, his family moved to Casper, Wyoming, where he attended Natrona County High School.
Cheney went to Yale University but found it hard to adjust and left. He later attended the University of Wyoming, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree in political science.
In 1964, he married Lynne Vincent, his high school sweetheart. They had met when he was 14.
During the Vietnam War, Cheney received several deferments from the military draft. He said he had "other priorities" at the time, focusing on his college education and needing to work to pay for it.
Starting His Career in Politics
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Cheney started his political journey as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger. He then worked in the White House during the presidencies of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He was the White House Chief of Staff from 1975 to 1977.
In 1978, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Wyoming from 1979 to 1989. He briefly served as the House minority whip in 1989.
Secretary of Defense (1989–1993)
President George H. W. Bush chose Cheney to be the United States Secretary of Defense. The Senate confirmed him for this role.
Cheney was concerned that countries like Iraq, Iran, and North Korea might get nuclear materials after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. He believed that NATO should remain strong to help keep Europe safe. He also encouraged NATO to help the new democracies in Eastern Europe.
Cheney helped convince Saudi Arabia to allow U.S. troops and warplanes to be based there. This was very important for the success of the Gulf War.
International Events During His Time as Secretary
The United States worked to remove Panamanian leader General Manuel Antonio Noriega from power. In May 1989, Noriega canceled an election that Guillermo Endara had won. In December, after Panamanian soldiers killed a U.S. serviceman, the United States invaded Panama under Cheney's direction. The goal was to capture Noriega, protect U.S. citizens, and bring back civil liberties to Panama. U.S. forces took control, and Noriega was later convicted.
In 1991, the Somali Civil War caught the world's attention. In August 1992, the U.S. began providing food aid through military airlifts. Cheney sent the first of 26,000 U.S. troops to Somalia as part of a mission to provide security and food relief.
Iraq Invades Kuwait
On August 1, 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sent his forces into neighboring Kuwait. Kuwait is a small country rich in oil. This invasion started the Persian Gulf War and was condemned by countries worldwide. About 140,000 Iraqi troops quickly took over Kuwait City and moved towards the Saudi Arabia/Kuwait border.
How the U.S. and World Reacted
Cheney and General Norman Schwarzkopf planned a large U.S. military operation. Cheney visited Saudi Arabia, where King Fahd asked for U.S. military help. The United Nations also condemned Iraq's invasion and demanded that Iraq leave Kuwait by January 15, 1991. By then, the U.S. had about 500,000 troops in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. Other nations also sent troops or provided financial support for the effort, called Operation Desert Shield.
On January 12, 1991, Congress allowed President Bush to use military force to make Iraq follow the UN resolutions.
Military Action
The first part of Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, 1991. This was an air attack to gain control of the sky and strike Iraqi forces. They targeted important Iraqi command centers, including the cities of Baghdad and Basra. Cheney focused on this war effort and briefed Congress. He also flew to the region with General Powell to finalize the ground war plans.
After more than five weeks of air attacks, the Coalition forces started the ground war on February 24. Within 100 hours, Iraqi forces were driven out of Kuwait. On February 27, Schwarzkopf reported that the main goal—expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait—had been met. After talking with Cheney and his team, President Bush announced a stop to the fighting.
Aftermath
A total of 147 U.S. military personnel died in combat during the Gulf War. Iraq agreed to a formal truce on March 3 and a permanent cease-fire on April 6.
Vice Presidency (2001–2009)
In July 2000, George W. Bush chose Cheney as his running mate for the 2000 presidential election. They won against Al Gore and Joe Lieberman. In 2004, Cheney was reelected for his second term with Bush, defeating John Kerry and John Edwards.
As Vice President, Cheney played a key role in the Bush administration's response to the September 11 attacks. He also helped coordinate the Global War on Terrorism. He was an early supporter of invading Iraq.
First Term (2001–2005)
After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Cheney stayed in different secret locations for security reasons. He later wrote in his book that these places included his official vice presidential home and Camp David. He also had a large security team for his daily travel.
On June 29, 2002, Cheney served as acting president for a short time. This happened while President Bush was having a medical procedure.
Iraq War
After 9/11, Cheney was important in giving reasons for a new war against Iraq. He helped shape Bush's approach to the "War on Terror". He made many public statements saying Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. He also visited CIA headquarters to question analysts about their findings. Cheney continued to suggest links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda. However, the 9/11 Commission later found no strong connection between Iraq and al-Qaeda.
After the U.S. invaded Iraq, Cheney continued to support the war strongly. He said it would be a "huge success story" and visited the country many times. He often criticized those who opposed the war.
Second Term (2005–2009)
Bush and Cheney were re-elected in the 2004 United States presidential election. They ran against John Kerry and John Edwards.
On July 21, 2007, Cheney again served as acting president for a short time. This was while President Bush had another medical procedure.
Cheney decided not to run for president in the 2008 elections. He said he wanted to retire after his term ended.
After Being Vice President (2009–present)
After leaving office, Cheney bought a home in Virginia. He also has homes in Wyoming and Maryland.
Political Activities
In July 2012, Cheney hosted a fundraiser at his Wyoming home for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. This event raised over $4 million for Romney's campaign.
Cheney has been critical of the Obama administration's policies on national security.
In May 2016, Cheney supported Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for the 2016 United States presidential election.
On September 6, 2024, Cheney announced that he plans to vote for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election.
His Books
In August 2011, Cheney published his book, In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir. He wrote it with his daughter Liz Cheney. The book shares his memories of 9/11, the War on Terrorism, the 2001 War in Afghanistan, and the lead-up to the 2003 Iraq War.
In 2015, Cheney published another book called Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America. He also wrote this book with his daughter Liz. It talks about the history of U.S. foreign policy and military successes and failures.
Legacy
In April 2007, Cheney received an honorary degree from Brigham Young University. He also gave a speech there.
Many people have called Cheney the most powerful vice president in American history. Some have compared him to Darth Vader, a character from Star Wars. Cheney and his family even joked about this comparison.
The federal building in Casper, Wyoming is named the Dick Cheney Federal Building.
Personal Life
Cheney is a member of the United Methodist Church. He was the first Methodist vice president to serve under a Methodist president.
His wife, Lynne, was the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 1986 to 1996. She is now an author and speaker.
The couple has two daughters, Elizabeth ("Liz") and Mary Cheney. They also have seven grandchildren. Liz was a congresswoman from Wyoming. Mary worked for the Colorado Rockies baseball team.
As of 2015, Cheney had a pet Golden Retriever named Nelson.
Images for kids
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Representative Cheney in 1984
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Cheney meets with President Ronald Reagan, July 1983
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Vice President Cheney, 2001
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Vice President Cheney (far right) with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and President Bush
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Handwritten note above Joe Wilson's editorial by Cheney referring to the covert agent before the leak took place
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Vice President Cheney speaks to the press flanked by fellow Republicans Mitch McConnell (left) and Trent Lott (right), April 2007
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Pope Benedict XVI, Vice President Dick Cheney and Mrs. Lynne Cheney at a farewell ceremony for the Pope at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
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Vice President Cheney escorts former first lady Nancy Reagan at the commissioning ceremony of the USS Ronald Reagan, 2003
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Cheney shakes hands with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, May 2007
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Cheney attending the state funeral of George H. W. Bush in December 2018
See also
In Spanish: Dick Cheney para niños
