NPR's Election 2000 Coverage: Candidate Bios: Republicans

The Republican Party Candidates:
President: Texas governor George W. Bush
Vice President: Dick Cheney

Richard Cheney
Richard (Dick) Cheney, who joined the Republican White House ticket in July, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and grew up in Casper, Wyoming. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Wyoming, and began his career in public service in 1969, rising through several jobs in the Nixon administration. At the age of 34, he became chief of staff for President Gerald Ford.

Cheney went home to Wyoming after Ford lost the 1976 election, but quickly returned to Washington as a member of Congress. He served nearly six terms in the House, and was chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to 1987.

President George Bush named Cheney as his Secretary of Defense in 1989. He oversaw both the Persian Gulf War and the U.S. invasion of Panama that removed Gen. Manuel Noriega from power.

After President Bush's defeat in 1992, Cheney took a private sector job as chairman of the Dallas-based Halliburton Company. He is credited with building a struggling operation into the largest supplier of energy-related services in the world.

Cheney married a young woman from Casper, Lynne Ann Vincent, in 1964. She went on to her own career in public service, eventually serving as the chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Cheneys have two daughters, Liz and Mary.

Resume:

Full Name: Richard Bruce Cheney
Party: Republican
Born: January 30, 1941
Age: 59

Political Experience:
U.S. Secretary of Defense, March 1989-January 1993
U.S. Congressman from Wyoming, 1977-1989
White House Chief of Staff, August 1974-January 1976

Work Experience:
CEO, Halliburton Company, 1995-2000

Military Experience:
None

Education:
Attended Yale University. Did not graduate
B.A. Political Science, University of Wyoming 1965
M.A. University of Wyoming 1967

Family:
Married Lynne Ann Vincent in 1964. Two daughters, Liz and Mary. Lives in Dallas, Texas.

Contact campaign office:
Bush for President, Inc.
P.O. Box 1902
Austin, TX 78767-1902
Phone: (512)-637-2000

Related Links & Stories

Bush Campaign Web site: www.georgewbush.com

Republican National Committee: www.rnc.org

Cheney Stump Speech (14.4 | 28.8)
All Things Considered, October 25, 2000
Former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney was campaigning in Wisconsin today. Cheney is the Republican party's Vice Presidential nominee. He repeated his campaign refrain that he and Bush have a mission to restore honor and integrity to the White House. And he pointed to fundamental differences between Bush and Gore's approaches to the world. The Bush-Cheney ticket says the engine that drives the American economy is not the government, but the people. While the Democrats like to take credit for the surplus, Cheney says it was created by the hard work of millions of Americans. Under the Democratic plan, says Cheney, the surplus would be overspent by millions, with bigger government and higher taxes. But under Bush-Cheney, he argued, some of the surplus would go back to the people.

Dick Cheney (14.4 | 28.8)
Morning Edition, October 11, 2000
Host Bob Edwards talks with Republican vice-presidential candidate Dick Cheney about this year's presidential campaign. Cheney, a former congressman and Secretary of Defense was nominated as George W. Bush's running mate in July.

V.P. on Stump (14.4 | 28.8)
All Things Considered, October 6, 2000
Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney may have boosted his public standing last night in his debate with Democratic counterpart Joe Lieberman. Cheney was cordial and confident and livelier than his reputation. NPR's Peter Kenyon was with the former defense secretary last night and today and filed this report.

VP Debate Recap (14.4 | 28.8)
Morning Edition, October 6, 2000
NPR's Andy Bowers reports from Danville, Kentucky on last night's Vice-Presidential debate. Democrat Joe Lieberman and Republican Dick Cheney sat at a table and answered questions from CNN anchor Bernard Shaw about military preparedness, tax cuts, and gay marriage. The tone for the surprisingly civil debate was set early on when both candidates pledged to refrain from personal attacks.

Cheney Profile (14.4 | 28.8)
All Things Considered, September 14, 2000
It has not been an easy campaign so-far for Dick Cheney, the Republican nominee for vice president. Cheney has been White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, as well as a member of Congress. But this is his first exposure to the special scrutiny and pressure of a national campaign. NPR's Nina Totenberg traveled with Cheney and filed this report.

Capitol Hill's Response to Cheney (14.4 | 28.8)
Morning Edition, July 26, 2000
NPR's Peter Kenyon examines Capitol Hill's response to the selection of Dick Cheney as George W. Bush's running mate.

Cheney's Work at Halliburton (14.4 | 28.8)
Morning Edition, July 26, 2000
NPR's Wade Goodwyn reports from Dallas on Dick Cheney's five-year tenure as Chief Executive of Halliburton Company, the world's largest provider of oil field equipment and services.