(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures attending the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.
Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, delivered a eulogy. Bush described the moment he decided to choose Cheney as his vice president.
“At such a moment, most in this position would have jumped at the chance. But Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it. Before I made my decision, he insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the reasons I should not choose him,” Bush said.
“In the end, I trusted my judgment. I remember my dad’s words when I told him what I was planning. He said, ‘Son, you couldn’t pick a better man,'” Bush said.
Bush said in 2004, Cheney offered to resign if Bush wanted to replace him. Bush said he thought about it, but “after four years of seeing how he treated people, how he carried responsibility, how he handled pressure and took the hits, I arrived back at the conclusion that they do not come any better than Dick Cheney.”
“On that score, history should record that I chose my vice president not once, but twice,” Bush said.
Cheney’s longtime cardiologist, Jonathan Reiner, kicked off the service. Reiner said Cheney suffered a “relentless disease intent on killing him but he never looked over his shoulder, only ahead.”
Pete Williams shared several anecdotes from serving as Cheney’s press secretary when he was defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, including Cheney’s response when Williams offered to resign in 1991 when he was about to be outed as gay by a magazine.
“He wouldn’t hear of it,” Williams said. “And for several days after that article appeared, he would call me on the direct line to my desk at the Pentagon to ask how I was doing and to tell me to get on with the job.”
According to the cathedral’s program, Cheney’s daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, and his grandchildren will also give remarks.
Among the hundreds of mourners are President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Dan Quayle.
A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.
Also at the service are Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, Bill Kristol, Hugh Hewitt and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.
Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.
“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”
A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served in Congress, as secretary of defense and then vice president under President George W. Bush.
He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.
Bush, in a statement after Cheney’s death, called Cheney “a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”
Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.
After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.
President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.
Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed Harris, the Democratic nominee, over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”
Vice President Vance, asked about Cheney during a Breitbart news event on Thursday morning, expressed his condolences.
“Obviously, there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country. We certainly wish his family all of the best in this moment of grieving,” Vance said.
ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.
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