Dick Cheney funeral: George W. Bush, Liz Cheney give eulogies

Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral was held at Washington Nationwide Cathedral on Thursday, with a number of high-profile political figures attending the service for the person thought of one of the vital influential vice presidents in U.S. historical past.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for 2 phrases, delivered a eulogy. Bush described the second he determined to decide on Cheney as his vp.

“At such a second, most on this place would have jumped on the likelihood. However Dick stayed indifferent and he analyzed it. Earlier than I made my determination, he insisted on giving me an entire rundown of all the explanations I shouldn’t select him,” Bush mentioned.

“In the long run, I trusted my judgment. I keep in mind my dad’s phrases after I instructed him what I used to be planning. He mentioned, ‘Son, you could not decide a greater man,'” Bush mentioned.

Bush mentioned in 2004, Cheney provided to resign if Bush wished to interchange him. Bush mentioned he thought of it, however “after 4 years of seeing how he handled individuals, how he carried accountability, how he dealt with stress and took the hits, I arrived again on the conclusion that they don’t come any higher than Dick Cheney.”

“On that rating, historical past ought to file that I selected my vp not as soon as, however twice,” Bush mentioned.

Cheney’s grandchildren and his daughter Liz spoke after Bush.

Liz Cheney, who like her father represented Wyoming in Congress, mentioned he was impressed to stay a life in public service by President John F. Kennedy.

“Dick Cheney grew to become a Republican, however he knew that bonds of occasion should all the time yield to the only bond we share as People,” she mentioned. “For him, a alternative between protection of the Structure and protection of your political occasion was no alternative in any respect.”

Bush was seen wiping away tears as Liz Cheney spoke about her father.

Different audio system included Cheney’s longtime heart specialist Jonathan Reiner and Pete Williams. Williams shared a number of anecdotes from serving as Cheney’s press secretary when he was protection secretary beneath President George H.W. Bush, together with Cheney’s response when Williams provided to resign in 1991 when he was about to be outed as homosexual by {a magazine}.

“He would not hear of it,” Williams mentioned. “And for a number of days after that article appeared, he would name me on the direct line to my desk on the Pentagon to ask how I used to be doing and to inform me to get on with the job.”

Among the many lots of of mourners had been President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Dan Quayle.

A White Home official confirmed to ABC Information that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was additionally not invited, a supply conversant in the matter confirmed to ABC Information.

Additionally on the service had been Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, Invoice Kristol, Hugh Hewitt and former Trump nationwide safety adviser John Bolton.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 on the age of 84 because of issues of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular illness.

“Dick Cheney was an excellent and good man who taught his kids and grandchildren to like our nation, and to stay lives of braveness, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the household mentioned in an announcement on the time. “We’re grateful past measure for all Dick Cheney did for our nation. And we’re blessed past measure to have beloved and been beloved by this noble large of a person.”

A polarizing and highly effective determine, Cheney labored for 4 many years in Washington. He served as a consultant in Congress, as secretary of protection after which vp.

He performed a number one function within the response to the assaults on Sept. 11, 2001, together with the conflict on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Washington Nationwide Cathedral, located simply miles north of the White Home, has been the positioning of a number of state funerals for former presidents, together with Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After information of Cheney’s dying earlier this month, the White Home lowered flags however made no main proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s dying. White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt instructed reporters Trump was “conscious” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney grew to become a blunt critic of Trump following his push to disclaim the 2020 election outcomes and the pro-Trump mob assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed Harris, the Democratic nominee, over Trump in 2024. Explaining his determination, Cheney mentioned “there has by no means been a person who’s a better risk to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded on the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Countless, Nonsensical Wars, losing Lives and Trillions of {Dollars}.”

Vice President Vance, requested about Cheney throughout a Breitbart information occasion on Thursday morning, expressed his condolences.

“Clearly, there are some political disagreements there, however he was a man who served his nation. We definitely want his household all the finest on this second of grieving,” Vance mentioned.

ABC Information’ Hannah Demissie and Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.