Dick Cheney knew how to wield power, whether in promoting a Middle East war, securing water for Western farmers or crafting an ambitious energy policy.
A Yale University washout who went on to seek a doctorate before entering public life, Cheney in his prime was a force like no other. Discreet, detail-oriented and as ruthless as the circumstances seemed to require, the Wyoming native and lifelong Republican left his mark on the landscape.
Cheney died at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family announced Tuesday.
“History will remember him as among the finest public servants of his generation — a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held,” former President George W. Bush said in a statement about his vice president.
