Dick Cheney, Controversial Vice President, Dead At 84

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush, has died at age 84. According to a statement issued by the Cheney family, the official cause of death was "complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease."

Dick served alongside Bush in both of his presidential terms and played a massive role in the war on terror, leading to him regularly being referred to as the "architect" of the country's response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. That wasn't always a term used in the most flattering sense: organizations such as Human Rights Watch criticized Dick for the specific methods of warfare he endorsed, including waterboarding. Even with the criticism, Dick was regarded as an exceptionally powerful figure in Washington during his time as vice president. In fact, speaking to NPR in 2009, Joel Goldstein, author of "The Modern American Vice Presidency," described him as "the most powerful vice president that we've ever had."

Toward the end of his life, Cheney began making headlines for his criticism of the GOP, particularly of Donald Trump. After his daughter Liz Cheney's relationship with Trump soured (after she voted to impeach him), Dick appeared in a campaign advertisement for Liz and delivered a scathing assessment of the former businessman. "In our nation's 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump," he said before adding that he and his wife Lynne Cheney were proud of their daughter's stance against him. "I am Dick Cheney. I proudly voted for my daughter. I hope you will, too," he said in the video.

Beyond supporting his daughter's political ambitions, Dick Cheney was also incredibly close with both Liz and his other daughter, Mary Cheney. Per the family's statement, Mary and Liz were with him at the time of his passing, along with Lynne Cheney. 

Though there certainly had been tension within the family in the past (Mary is openly gay and even publicly called Liz out for opposing same-sex marriage, and their rift was featured in a biopic based on their father, "Vice"), they were also known for being incredibly close, and the statement went on to reflect that. "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," the heartfelt announcement read. "We are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man," it concluded. 

Dick had long faced cardiovascular illness and made no secret of the fact that he'd survived a heart attack in his 30s. The former vice president went on to have four additional heart attacks in the decades that followed, and ultimately underwent a heart transplant several decades later, at the age of 71. In 2013, he co-authored "Heart: An American Medical Odyssey" with his cardiologist, documenting his experiences with cardiovascular illness. At an event with the National Press Club Journalism Institute, Dick shared that the book was aimed at raising awareness of the lesser-known symptoms of heart attacks and the importance of seeking medical care. "Never hesitate. If you think you might be having a heart attack, if you don't get your fanny to the nearest emergency room, you're a fool," he stated (via BookTV). We're keeping the late vice president's family in our thoughts.