Former Vice-President Dick Cheney to vote for Kamala Harris
Michael Sheils McNamee
BBC News
BBC
Former US Vice-President and lifelong Republican Dick Cheney has confirmed he will vote for the Democrats' Kamala Harris in November's presidential election.
Mr Cheney, seen as an influential figure during the presidency of George W Bush, issued a statement saying there had "never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump", the current Republican candidate.
His daughter, former Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney, had told an audience in Texas earlier that her father planned to back the Democratic nominee.
“He [Trump] tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him," said Mr Cheney. "He can never be trusted with power again."
“As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our constitution," he added. "That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice-President Kamala Harris.”
Mr Cheney's remarks were welcomed by the Harris camp.
“The vice-president is proud to have the support of Vice-President Cheney, and deeply respects his courage to put country over party,” said campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon.
Mr Cheney joins a growing list of Republicans who have expressed concern about the candidacy of Donald Trump.
His daughter, Liz Cheney, has already given her backing to Vice-President Harris.
She served on the House select committee investigating the 6 January Capitol riots, and was one of 10 Republicans to vote to impeach former President Trump after the incident.
Ms Cheney lost her seat in Congress in 2022 to a Trump-backed candidate.
Taking to social media following Mr Cheney's statement, Trump called the former vice-president an "irrelevant RINO" - an acronym which stands for "Republican in name only".
He also described Mr Cheney as the "King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars" - alluding to his role in the Iraq War.
Former US Vice-President and lifelong Republican Dick Cheney has confirmed he will vote for the Democrats' Kamala Harris in November's presidential election.
Mr Cheney, seen as an influential figure during the presidency of George W Bush, issued a statement saying there had "never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump", the current Republican candidate.
His daughter, former Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney, had told an audience in Texas earlier that her father planned to back the Democratic nominee.
“He [Trump] tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him," said Mr Cheney. "He can never be trusted with power again."
“As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our constitution," he added. "That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice-President Kamala Harris.”
Mr Cheney's remarks were welcomed by the Harris camp.
“The vice-president is proud to have the support of Vice-President Cheney, and deeply respects his courage to put country over party,” said campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon.
Mr Cheney joins a growing list of Republicans who have expressed concern about the candidacy of Donald Trump.
His daughter, Liz Cheney, has already given her backing to Vice-President Harris.
She served on the House select committee investigating the 6 January Capitol riots, and was one of 10 Republicans to vote to impeach former President Trump after the incident.
Ms Cheney lost her seat in Congress in 2022 to a Trump-backed candidate.
Taking to social media following Mr Cheney's statement, Trump called the former vice-president an "irrelevant RINO" - an acronym which stands for "Republican in name only".
He also described Mr Cheney as the "King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars" - alluding to his role in the Iraq War.
Who is Dick Cheney and why is he supporting Kamala Harris? Explained
Ex-Republican Vice President launched a stinging attack on Donald Trump as he backed the Democrat presidential candidate
Ex-Republican Vice President launched a stinging attack on Donald Trump as he backed the Democrat presidential candidate
By Joe Duggan
iNEWS
September 7, 2024
Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney has announced he will be supporting Democrat candidate Kamala Harris rather than Donald Trump in November’s US election.
Trump, the Republican nominee, and Ms Harris are locked in a tight race for the White House and will face off in a crunch live TV debate next week.
Some Republicans who are upset with Trump’s control over the GOP and his actions have recently thrown support behind Harris, including dozens of former staffers of former Presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush, the latter whom Mr Cheney served as Vice President.
Who is Dick Cheney?
Dick Cheney served as vice president under Republican President George W Bush from 2001 till 2009.
The 83-year-old has made few if any public appearances over the past year or more but has dealt with heart issues since his 40s and underwent a heart transplant in 2012.
He has faced criticism over the years from human rights groups as he played a large role in planning the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which produced a heavy civilian death toll and human rights abuses.
In the case of Iraq, the war was based on claims that Saddam Hussein’s government had weapons of mass destruction – and proof of this claim was never found.
September 7, 2024
Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney has announced he will be supporting Democrat candidate Kamala Harris rather than Donald Trump in November’s US election.
Trump, the Republican nominee, and Ms Harris are locked in a tight race for the White House and will face off in a crunch live TV debate next week.
Some Republicans who are upset with Trump’s control over the GOP and his actions have recently thrown support behind Harris, including dozens of former staffers of former Presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush, the latter whom Mr Cheney served as Vice President.
Who is Dick Cheney?
Dick Cheney served as vice president under Republican President George W Bush from 2001 till 2009.
The 83-year-old has made few if any public appearances over the past year or more but has dealt with heart issues since his 40s and underwent a heart transplant in 2012.
He has faced criticism over the years from human rights groups as he played a large role in planning the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which produced a heavy civilian death toll and human rights abuses.
In the case of Iraq, the war was based on claims that Saddam Hussein’s government had weapons of mass destruction – and proof of this claim was never found.
Vice President Kamala Harris on and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump will debate each other on live television next week (Photo: AP Photo)
His daughter, Liz Cheney, lawyer and former congresswoman, has previously endorsed Ms Harris.
Both Liz and Dick Cheney have been outspoken critics of former President Donald Trump, notably during the former’s failed re-election campaign in 2022.
Why is Cheney supporting Harris?
Mr Cheney put out a statement confirming his endorsement, which read almost entirely as opposition to Trump rather than support of Harris.
He said “in our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
Mr Cheney continued: “He can never be trusted with power again.
“As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution.
“That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.”
How has Trump responded?
Trump responded on his Truth Social platform by calling the former vice president “an irrelevant RINO, along with his daughter.”
The acronym stands for “Republican in name only.”
Asked for comment, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “Who is Liz Cheney?”
The campaign also pointed to a comment Ms Cheney posted online four years ago in which she called Ms Harris a “radical liberal.”
Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Democrat nominee’s campaign chair, released a statement saying: “The Vice President is proud to have the support of Vice President Cheney, and deeply respects his courage to put country over party.”
Has Cheney clashed with Trump before?
Mr Cheney’s statement on Friday was similar to a 2022 campaign ad for his daughter as she sought a fourth term as Wyoming’s lone congresswoman.
In it, he called Trump a “coward” for trying to “steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him.”
The ad did not help his daughter in the deep-red state that once held the Cheney family dear but is now thoroughly in Trump’s corner.
By a more than 2-to-1 margin, Ms Cheney lost her Republican primary to Trump-endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman.
Has Cheney ever backed the Democrats before?
Dick Cheney has been friends with Democrats over the years but never supported one for president.
Both he and his daughter backed Trump in 2016, but Ms Cheney criticized Trump’s foreign policy decisions.
In response, Trump criticized the “endless wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq launched when Dick Cheney was vice president.
It’s unclear if either Cheney supported Trump in 2020.
Meanwhile, their home state of Wyoming delivered Trump his widest margin of victory that year.
By 2021, Ms Cheney’s vote to impeach Trump and her investigation into him for the 2021 US Capitol riot turned Trump and most of the GOP against her.
Which other Republicans have turned against Trump?
Cheney ally Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican Trump critic endorsed Biden earlier this year and spoke in support of Harris at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Several other top Republicans have come out in support of Harris while some, including Sen. Mitt Romney and former Vice President Mike Pence, who served alongside Trump, say they won’t be voting for the former President.
Of them only Romney, who is not seeking re-election, is still in office.
His daughter, Liz Cheney, lawyer and former congresswoman, has previously endorsed Ms Harris.
Both Liz and Dick Cheney have been outspoken critics of former President Donald Trump, notably during the former’s failed re-election campaign in 2022.
Why is Cheney supporting Harris?
Mr Cheney put out a statement confirming his endorsement, which read almost entirely as opposition to Trump rather than support of Harris.
He said “in our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
Mr Cheney continued: “He can never be trusted with power again.
“As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution.
“That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.”
How has Trump responded?
Trump responded on his Truth Social platform by calling the former vice president “an irrelevant RINO, along with his daughter.”
The acronym stands for “Republican in name only.”
Asked for comment, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “Who is Liz Cheney?”
The campaign also pointed to a comment Ms Cheney posted online four years ago in which she called Ms Harris a “radical liberal.”
Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Democrat nominee’s campaign chair, released a statement saying: “The Vice President is proud to have the support of Vice President Cheney, and deeply respects his courage to put country over party.”
Has Cheney clashed with Trump before?
Mr Cheney’s statement on Friday was similar to a 2022 campaign ad for his daughter as she sought a fourth term as Wyoming’s lone congresswoman.
In it, he called Trump a “coward” for trying to “steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him.”
The ad did not help his daughter in the deep-red state that once held the Cheney family dear but is now thoroughly in Trump’s corner.
By a more than 2-to-1 margin, Ms Cheney lost her Republican primary to Trump-endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman.
Has Cheney ever backed the Democrats before?
Dick Cheney has been friends with Democrats over the years but never supported one for president.
Both he and his daughter backed Trump in 2016, but Ms Cheney criticized Trump’s foreign policy decisions.
In response, Trump criticized the “endless wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq launched when Dick Cheney was vice president.
It’s unclear if either Cheney supported Trump in 2020.
Meanwhile, their home state of Wyoming delivered Trump his widest margin of victory that year.
By 2021, Ms Cheney’s vote to impeach Trump and her investigation into him for the 2021 US Capitol riot turned Trump and most of the GOP against her.
Which other Republicans have turned against Trump?
Cheney ally Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican Trump critic endorsed Biden earlier this year and spoke in support of Harris at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Several other top Republicans have come out in support of Harris while some, including Sen. Mitt Romney and former Vice President Mike Pence, who served alongside Trump, say they won’t be voting for the former President.
Of them only Romney, who is not seeking re-election, is still in office.
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