Former Vice President Dick Cheney endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president on Friday, sparking criticism from political leaders who noted the Democrats’ historic treatment of Cheney.
“In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” Cheney wrote in a statement. “He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. 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,” he continued.
Cheney, the vice president under former President George W. Bush, fiercely advocated for U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts. He also served as the secretary of defense under former President George H. W. Bush.
Political commentators and leaders mocked Cheney’s endorsement.
“Remember: A vote for Kamala is a vote for Dick Cheney, Hillary Clinton, and the woke warmongering cabal. A vote for Kamala is a vote for war, war, and more war — and with it, more infringement on our liberties in the name of ‘national security,'” former U.S. representative and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard tweeted.
“Liberals, take note: If you support Kamala Harris, you are now on the same side as Dick Cheney,” former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy tweeted.
“Seeing all of these extreme progressives suddenly become Dick Cheney fans is objectively hilarious,” Meghan McCain, a former host of The View, tweeted.
Cheney’s endorsement of Harris was first announced at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin by his daughter, former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney. His daughter also endorsed Harris this month.
“I think it is crucially important for people to recognize, not only is what I just said about the danger that Trump poses something that should prevent people from voting for him, but I don’t believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates’ names, particularly in swing states,” she said.
Dick Cheney’s rise to political prominence was dramatized in the 2018 movie Vice, which was nominated for eight Oscars and six Golden Globe awards.