On the first anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, with the nation still wounded and the Legislators deeply divided, President Joe Biden gave the speech of his presidency. And the entire Republican Party’s half of Congress was missing in action. That is with one exception, and that was Wyoming’s Representative Liz Cheney and her dad, who has visiting privileges the rest of his life.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney (R) worked with President George W. Bush. He came to work with his very similar daughter — in action, if not in appearance. He was there for the remembrance speeches. It was interesting to watch House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R-CA) turn and begin visiting with the two political Cheneys, expressing the mutual respect that used to flow throughout the Capitol chambers almost automatically.
Dick Cheney slammed his own party leaders, CNN reported. ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl spoke to the former vice president. He asked the former VP why he had come, and Cheney responded in that gravelly voice, according to ABC News:
‘It’s an important historical event. You can’t overestimate how important it is. I’m deeply disappointed we don’t have better leadership in the Republican Party to restore the Constitution.’
Then he proudly noted that his daughter was an exception. Not only is that true literally but also figuratively. Dick Cheney’s daughter is tough. She readily accepted the role of vice-chair of the bipartisan House January 6 Select Committee investigating that day and all the days from the 2020 election on November 3 until the failed coup.
When Dick Cheney went into the House chamber with Ms. Cheney, the Democrats showed him the respect that his position demanded. And that was as it should have been. He shook hands with every representative there.
‘One by one, Democratic members, including some liberals who castigated him and his politics when he was vice president — approached him to shake his hand and pay their respects,’
Afterward, Cheney and daughter left the House, and he said to ABC News:
‘Very proud of Liz. It’s great coming back. Liz is doing a hell of a job. I’m here to support her.’
Then, a reporter asked him how he reacted to his party’s current leadership, and he replied:
‘Well, it’s not a leadership that resembles any of the folks that I knew when I was here for 10 years — dramatically.’
Representative Cheney said it was also “very concerning:”
‘I think a party that is in thrall to a cult personality is a party that is dangerous to the country, and I think we clearly have got to get to a place we are we are focused on substance and on issues.’
After that, the former VP went across to the Senate with Liz Cheney. There he paused and glanced at his reflection but not in a mirror. A white stone bust of himself sat at the entrance of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) office.
On this January 6th anniversary, the only other Republicans in sight were those of Ms. Cheney’s staff.
A number of them attended the funeral of Johnny Isakson (R-GA) in Atlanta, according to The New York Times, but certainly not all of them.
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
Three White Lions podcast, Gloria Christie reads a chapter from her book of the same title. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery (in process). Find her here on Facebook.
