Former vice president Dick Cheney has mainly stayed out of the political spotlight while his daughter Liz Cheney has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of disgraced former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Recently, Ms. Cheney revealed what her father had to say about today’s Republican Party only for the claim not to go so well among users on social media.
Speaking at the Aspen Institute, Ms. Cheney revealed that her father was “deeply troubled” after witnessing what the Republican Party has become today. Cheney, who served as vice president under George W. Bush for two terms from 2001 to 2009, may have spoken out because his daughter was ousted from her position as the number three House Republican in Congress. Ms. Cheney condemned Trump for inciting the Capitol insurrection and has pushed back against her fellow Republicans. Ms. Cheney is also serving as one of the Republicans on the House Select Committee that would be investigating the riots.
However, the former vice president’s claim did not go so well among netizens. To note, Cheney contributed to the modern GOP moving towards the extreme right of the political spectrum. “In many ways, Dick was always part of the problem!” said one commenter.
“Whatever bright lines there are, they start at Dick Cheney and everything to the right of him is basically Nazi,” said another commenter.
“Leaders like Dick Cheney ushered in the Trump movement. He helped create an America and a Republican Party that uses minorities to spread fear amongst suburban whites. We are here partly because of him,” said a third commenter.
Meanwhile, Ms. Cheney is facing a steep re-election bid in the 2022 race. The Wyoming Republican lawmaker’s vocal criticism of members of her own party has also taken its toll on her in the polls as most Republicans are still avid supporters of the former president. Polling data in her state showed that only 23 percent of Republicans plan to vote for her, while 77 percent said they will not.
In a survey by McLaughlin & Associates, 53 percent saw Ms. Cheney as liberal while only 26 percent said conservative.