110+ Dick Cheney Quotes (Powerful, Influential And Controversial)

Dick Cheney is an American politician who served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He was the first vice president to serve under President George W. Bush. Cheney was previously the Secretary of Defense from 1989 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush.

Top 10 Dick Cheney Quotes

1. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.
2. The Iraqi forces are conducting the Mother of all Retreats.
3. It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.
4. Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.
5. Except for the occasional heart attack, I never felt better.
6. From kindergarten to graduation, I went to public schools, and I know that they are a key to being sure that every child has a chance to succeed and to rise in the world.
7. I had other priorities in the sixties than military service.
8. We have no intention of ignoring or appeasing history's latest gang of fanatics trying to murder their way to power.
9. We've never made the case, or argued the case, that somehow Osama Bin Laden was directly involved in 9/11. That evidence has never been forthcoming.
10. Cheney, Cheney, you can't hide, we charge you with genocide.

Dick Cheney Short Quotes

• Two days ahead of schedule, the world witnessed the arrival of a free and sovereign Iraq.
• We believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.
• Direct threats require decisive action.
• The issue is that [Saddam] has chemical weapons.
• We must be prepared to face our responsibilities and be willing to use force if necessary.
• I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about my faults.
• I think Barack Obama is a one-term President.
• Principle is OK up to a certain point, but principle doesn't do any good if you lose.
• I think freedom means freedom for everybody.
• I support the President's plan to amend the Constitution, banning same-sex marriage.

Dick Cheney Famous Quotes And Sayings

I think we may well have some kind of presence there over a period of time... The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency. — Dick Cheney

When George Bush asked me to sign on, it obviously wasn't because he was worried about carrying Wyoming. We got 70 percent of the vote in Wyoming, although those three electoral votes turned out to be pretty important last time around. — Dick Cheney

We've gotten a long way on missile defense. We know how to do it. We know how to take down incoming warheads, but we need to do a lot more work in order to be - to deploy a system that'll defend the United States against those kinds of limited strikes that might be possible by a nuclear armed North Korea or Iran. — Dick Cheney

There comes a time when deceit and defiance must be seen for what they are. At that point, a gathering danger must be directly confronted. At that point, we must show that beyond our resolutions is actual resolve. — Dick Cheney

If we have reason to believe someone is preparing an attack against the U.S., has developed that capability, harbours those aspirations, then I think the U.S. is justified in dealing with that, if necessary, by military force. — Dick Cheney

If we're successful in Iraq ... we will have struck a major blow right at the heart of the base, if you will, the geographic base of the terrorists who have had us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9/11. — Dick Cheney

I think we need a very, very serious effort, primarily through tax policy to provide incentives and encouragement for people to save and invest and expand their businesses and to create more jobs. The kind of thing we did in the early Reagan years, 30 years ago. I think that's essential. — Dick Cheney

In Iraq, a ruthless dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. He gave support to terrorists, had an established relationship with al Qaeda, and his regime is no more. — Dick Cheney

I'm absolutely convinced that the threat we face now, the idea of a terrorist in the middle of one of our cities with a nuclear weapon, is very real and that we have to use extraordinary measures to deal with it. — Dick Cheney

The greatest threat now is a 9/11 occurring with a group of terrorists armed not with airline tickets and box cutters, but with a nuclear weapon in the middle of one of our own cities...there's a high probability of such an attempt. — Dick Cheney

Unfortunately, we don't have the option of marriage in our country. We could go to Britain or Spain or Argentina and do something symbolic, but that's not what I want. I want to have the rights of anybody else in my home country. I don't want to be a second-class citizen — Dick Cheney

People tell me that Senator Edwards got picked for his good looks, his sex appeal, and his great hair. I say to them: How do you think I got the job? — Dick Cheney

It's awfully hard to convey a sense of credibility to allies when you [the Congress] voted for the war and then you declared: Wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. — Dick Cheney

You can't fall back on the private sector and say, 'You take care of the nation's banking system.' That's a fundamental function of the government, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury and the FDIC, etc. All of those agencies have a major role to play there. — Dick Cheney

The plan was criticized by some retired military officers embedded in TV studios. But with every advance by our coalition forces, the wisdom of that plan becomes more apparent. — Dick Cheney

A little tough talk in the midst of a campaign or as part of a presidential debate cannot obscure a record of 30 years of being on the wrong side of defense issues. — Dick Cheney

His regime has had high-level contacts with al Qaeda going back a decade and has provided training to al Qaeda terrorists. — Dick Cheney

We urge all democratic nations and the United Nations to answer the Iraqi Governing Council's call for support for the people of Iraq in making the transition to democracy. — Dick Cheney

We haven't really had the time yet to pore through all those records in Baghdad. We'll find ample evidence confirming the link, that is the connection if you will between al Qaida and the Iraqi intelligence services. They have worked together on a number of occasions. — Dick Cheney

You know, in this business, you don't have any control over what the press says and how they portray things. And that's their prerogative. But I think anybody who looks at it objectively has trouble making the case that somehow this is a bad economy. — Dick Cheney

The bottom line is that we've had enormous successes (in Iraq) and we will continue to have enormous successes. — Dick Cheney

One of the reasons the deficit got as big as it did, frankly, was because of the economic slowdown, the fall-off in deficits, the terrorist attacks. A significant chunk was taken out of the economy by what happened after the attacks of 9/11. — Dick Cheney

I've worked for four presidents and watched two others up close, and I know that there's no such thing as a routine day in the Oval Office. — Dick Cheney

I can think of a lot of words to describe Senator Kerry's position on Iraq; "consistent" is not one of them. — Dick Cheney

We have great information. They're going to welcome us. It'll be like the American Army going through the streets of Paris. They're sitting there ready to form a new government. The people will be so happy with their freedoms that we'll probably back ourselves out of there within a month or two. — Dick Cheney

We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons. — Dick Cheney

There's overwhelming evidence that there was a connection between Al Qaeda and the Iraqi government. — Dick Cheney

Sarah Palin is an attractive candidate, but based on her background, she only was governor for what, two years. I don`t think she passed that test. — Dick Cheney

My belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators. . . . I think it will go relatively quickly, . . . [in] weeks rather than months. — Dick Cheney

It's not just Bin Laden or just those that are involved in the counterterrorism effort. We've gotta cast the net broader than that. But I think it's a - very special tribute that we all owe to the bravery and courage of the men and women in the intelligence and military business who performed so well to finally get it done. — Dick Cheney

The good Lord didn't see fit to put oil and gas only where there are democratic regimes friendly to the United States. — Dick Cheney

I was a big supporter of waterboarding. I was a big supporter of the enhanced interrogation techniques. — Dick Cheney

After 9/11, it became clear that we [the United States] had to do several things to have a successful strategy to win the global war on terror, specifically that we had to go after the terrorists wherever we might find them, that we also had to go after state sponsors of terror, those who might provide sanctuary or safe harbor for terror. — Dick Cheney

Saddam Hussein had a lengthy history of reckless and sudden aggression. He cultivated ties to terror -- hosting the Abu Nidal organization, supporting terrorists, and making payments to the families of suicide bombers. He also had an established relationship with Al Qaida -- providing training to Al Qaida members in areas of poisons, gases and conventional bombs. He built, possessed, and used weapons of mass destruction. — Dick Cheney

Because if we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States, and that we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind set if you will, that in fact these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts, and that we're not really at war. I think that would be a terrible mistake for us. — Dick Cheney

I think that freedom means freedom for everyone. As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay and it is something we have lived with for a long time in our family. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish. Any kind of arrangement they wish. — Dick Cheney

We have to deal with this new type of threat in a way we haven’t yet defined. . . . With a low-probability, high-impact event like this . . . If there’s a one percent chance that Pakistani scientists are helping al Qaeda build or develop a nuclear weapon, we have to treat it as a certainty in terms of our response. — Dick Cheney

In terms of asking questions, I plead guilty. I ask a hell of a lot of questions. That's my job. — Dick Cheney

As Vice President one of the things I spend time on is the continuity of government; that's the main reason I'm here is a back up for the President if anything happens to him. — Dick Cheney

I do not believe the President requires any additional authorization from the Congress before committing US forces to achieve our objectives in the Gulf. — Dick Cheney

Once we got hit by - on 9/11 and lost 3,000 people that day, we recognized, and it was one of the key decisions President Bush made, that this is not a law enforcement problem, it is a strategic threat to the United States. It's a war. And based on that, we then adopted a whole set of policies that flowed out of that proposition. — Dick Cheney

I think there's - the assumption seems to predominate on the other side that the reason there's been problems in the world is because of U.S. activity, U.S. conduct. We're the bad guys.We're the ones that lead people to become terrorists. We're the ones that generate the kind of criticism that has given al Qaeda an excuse to come attack the United States. — Dick Cheney

We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will. We've got to spend time in the shadows in the intelligence world. A lot of what needs to be done here will have to be done quietly, without any discussion, using sources and methods that are available to our intelligence agencies... That's the world these folks operate in, and so it's going to be vital for us to use any means at our disposal, basically, to achieve our objective. — Dick Cheney

Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many. — Dick Cheney

I believe very deeply in the proposition that what we did in Iraq was the right thing to do. It was hard to do. It took a long time. There were significant costs involved. — Dick Cheney

I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. — Dick Cheney

[Saddam Hussein is aggressively seeking nuclear and biological weapons and ] the United States may well become the target. — Dick Cheney

One of the problems we have as a government is our inability to keep secrets. And it costs us, in terms of our relationship with other governments, in terms of the willingness of other intelligence services to work with us, in terms of revealing sources and methods. And all of those elements enter into some of these leaks. — Dick Cheney

I think things have gotten so bad inside Iraq, from the standpoint of the Iraqi people, my belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators. — Dick Cheney

My own personal view is that people ought to have the right to enter into any kind of relationship they want to enter into. With respect to how that's affected or regulated by the State, those are State decisions. Different States are likely to make different decisions based upon their own wishes and desire of the people of the State, and that's perfectly acceptable. — Dick Cheney

We need to have a pro-growth policy put in place that offers people hope and offers the opportunity for businesses to expand and for them to have confidence in what the world is going to look like for the next two or three or four years with respect to economic policy. — Dick Cheney

I worship the ground Paul Ryan walks on. — Dick Cheney

I can't think of a time when we've had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian. — Dick Cheney

Whoever controls the flow of Persian Gulf oil has a stranglehold not only on our economy but also on the other countries of the world as well. — Dick Cheney

Europeans know that their great experiment in building peace, unity and prosperity cannot survive as a privileged enclave, surrounded on its outskirts by breeding grounds of hatred and fanaticism. — Dick Cheney

Instead, the terrorists see just what they were hoping for, our unity gone, our resolve shaken, our leaders distracted. In short, they see weakness and opportunity. — Dick Cheney

You know, I've got experiences going back to the wage price controls in the Nixon administration where, in effect, we had what I think was a terrible mistake, in that case a Republican administration, where moved in and tried to control the wages, prices and profits of every enterprise in America. It was a huge mistake. — Dick Cheney

Oil remains fundamentally a government business. While many regions of the world offer great oil opportunities, the Middle East with two-thirds of the world's oil and the lowest cost, is still where the prize ultimately lies, even though companies are anxious for greater access there, progress continues to be slow. — Dick Cheney

How could any responsible leader have ignored the Iraqi threat? If we had not acted, Saddam Hussein and his sons would still be in power. — Dick Cheney

It's a tougher program for tougher customers. — Dick Cheney

I worry very much that we're in a situation now where there doesn't appear to be any limitation whatsoever in terms of the spending commitments that Obama's administration wants to make. Vast expansion in terms of the deficit, but it also says a lot about what they intend for the role of government in the society. — Dick Cheney

That's the nature of the intelligence business. You have to work with what you can get your hands on, but it is.. and in fact it's more an art form than it is a science, and you have to continually work the problem, continually try. — Dick Cheney

I think, in fact, the situation with respect to al Qaeda, to say that, you know, that was a big attack we had on 9/11, but it's not likely again, I just think that's dead wrong. I think the biggest strategic threat the United States faces today is the possibility of another 9/11 with a nuclear weapon or a biological agent of some kind. And I think al Qaeda is out there even as we meet, trying to figure out how to do that. — Dick Cheney

I'm more concerned with bad guys who got out and released than I am with a few that in fact were innocent. — Dick Cheney

There's every reason to believe there will be further attacks attempted against the United States. For us to spend so much time patting ourselves on the back because we got bin Laden that we miss the next attack would be a terrible tragedy. — Dick Cheney

When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry. — Dick Cheney

Let us rid ourselves of the fiction that low oil prices are somehow good for the United States. — Dick Cheney

Everyone knows that you're not really a real man unless you own a gun. — Dick Cheney

I think it's fair to say you can't predict a straight line to victory. You know, there'll be good days and bad days along the way. — Dick Cheney

I think there's no question but what the tail end of the Bush administration, Bush-Cheney administration, that we took steps specifically geared to try and free up the financial sector. — Dick Cheney

Under our plan you can build wealth, even if you don't have a dollar to spare. — Dick Cheney

The biggest threat we face is the possibility of terrorist groups like al Qaeda equipped with weapons of mass destruction, with nukes, bugs or gas. That was the threat after 9/11 and when we took down Saddam Hussein we eliminated Iraq as a potential source of that. — Dick Cheney

You wake up every morning with a smile on your face because you've got a new day you never expected to have. And there's a sense of wonderment. Nothing short of magical. — Dick Cheney

The days of looking the other way while despotic regimes trample human rights, rob their nations' wealth, and then excuse their failings by feeding their people a steady diet of anti-Western hatred are over. — Dick Cheney

We're fighting a war on terror because the enemy attacked us first, and hit us hard. ... Al Qaeda's leadership has said they have the right to kill four million Americans,... For nearly six years now, the United States has been able to defeat their attempts to attack us here at home. Nobody can guarantee that we won't be hit again. — Dick Cheney

[In response to the question "Do you think that you underestimated the insurgency's strength?"] I think so. I guess if I look back on it now, I don't think anybody anticipated the level of violence that we've encountered. — Dick Cheney

...And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war. And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth? And the answer is not very damned many. — Dick Cheney

I'm one of those people who believes that part of the greatness of the United States is our private sector. It's what we do as private citizens for ourselves and our companies. And our economy is essentially the wonder of the world because, in fact, it's produced so much for us over the years. — Dick Cheney

The Middle East with two thirds of the world's oil and lowest cost, is still where the prize ultimately lies. — Dick Cheney

Don Rumsfeld is the finest secretary of defense the nation has ever had. — Dick Cheney

We do know, with absolute certainty, that Saddam Hussein is using his procurement system to acquire the equipment he needs in order to enrich uranium to build a nuclear weapon. — Dick Cheney

As a former secretary of defense, I think Donald Rumsfeld is the best secretary of defense the United States has ever had. — Dick Cheney

From our perspective, trying to deal with this continuing campaign of terror, if you will, the war on terror that we're engaged in, this is a continuing enterprise. The people that were involved in some of those activities before 9/11 are still out there. — Dick Cheney

Had the decision belonged to Senator Kerry, Saddam hussein would still be in power today in Iraq. In fact, Saddam Hussein would almost certainly still be in control of Kuwait. — Dick Cheney

I feel very strongly that the significance of 9/11 cannot be underestimated. It forces us to think in new ways about strategy, about national security, about how we structure our forces and about how we use U.S. military power. — Dick Cheney

Well, we've got a major effort under way to try to educate everybody, to let them know we have a zero tolerance policy where sexual assault is involved. — Dick Cheney

I believe that we were not as effective in the second term dealing with this issue of nuclear none proliferation as we had been during the first term when we stripped Libya and Iraq and A.Q. Khan and their capacity to proliferate nuclear technology. — Dick Cheney

We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators. — Dick Cheney

I want to avoid personal attacks, ... I promise not to make fun of your singing. — Dick Cheney

With respect to the question of relationships, my general view is that freedom means freedom for everyone. People...ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to. — Dick Cheney

The relevance for 9/11 is that what 9/11 marked was the beginning of a struggle in which the terrorists come at us and strike us here on our home territory. And it's a global operation. It doesn't know national boundaries or national borders. — Dick Cheney

Life Lessons by Dick Cheney

1. Dick Cheney's work as vice president demonstrates the importance of staying focused on the task at hand and having a clear vision of what you want to achieve.
2. It also highlights the importance of maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders and having the courage to make tough decisions.
3. Finally, it shows that it is possible to achieve success through hard work, dedication, and strategic planning.