Cheney, Richard
Cheney, Richard (1941– ), member of Congress, secretary of defense.Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the son of a federal soil conservation agent, Cheney grew up in Casper, Wyoming, and attended Yale and the Universities of Wyoming and Wisconsin. Appointed a congressional fellow in 1968, he served as assistant to Donald Rumsfeld in various positions in the Nixon and Ford administrations. In 1975–77, Cheney was President Gerald Ford's chief of staff. Then, in 1979–89, Cheney served in the House of Representatives as a staunch but pragmatic conservative Republican from Wyoming. As minority whip, he actively supported President Ronald Reagan's defense buildup and aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
President George Bush appointed Cheney secretary of defense after the Senate rejected John Tower. Cheney had no military service, having obtained deferments during the...
[The entire page is 353 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Oxford University Press Titles
