Liz Cheney (R-Wy) is on her way out, meanwhile, she sure she is on her way in. Something entertainingly out of touch about that, innately American, innately Cheney, never say never even when your constituents say “never” – by 35 points. She is now “pondering a White House run.” The funny thing is that Liz Cheney’s primary loss tells us far more than most realize, about raw ambition.
Yes, most on the left shake their head, sure her defeat makes a sad day for Republicans, arguing her defeat reveals her constituents just do not get it, do not understand rioters in buffalo suits nearly took down America, or somehow unforgivably forgive Trump because his policies are better for America than anything Democrats are doing.
Well maybe, but other lessons come from this defeat, and they are worth pondering – as Liz ponders her White House run. Think about what we just saw, and then think about what it means.
What Liz Cheney’s short career illustrates is that you can spin hay to gold for a time, but then people want to know what is going on. She began spinning some time ago, no doubt a student of an illustrious, occasionally imperious father and her scholarly mother.
Her mother, Lynne Cheney, is a sage, serious author if a bit self-possessed. One of her best quotes is “dogs don’t bark at parked cars.” Makes one wonder why Americans were so upset about 2020 election procedures, why so many are today upset with Biden, and why so many of her daughter’s constituents voted against her: Dogs, after all, don’t bark at parked cars.
Her father, however, takes the prize. As Liz Cheney tried to frame her political ambitions as pure principle, utterly selfless, all about duty, her constituents – who know her best – began to doubt, first in small numbers, then large. What they suspected was gold spun from hay is not gold.
So, what did the ambitious Congresswoman from Wyoming do? She called in The Cavalry, her famous father, former Secretary of Defense (who had to be convinced not to use tactical nuclear weapons), and former Vice President (who when asked to vet candidates, selected himself).
What did Dick Cheney, the taciturn wit do? He cut a scathing ad for his daughter, complete with cowboy hat. He said, “There has never been a greater threat to our republic” than Donald Trump, then turned up the heat, calling Trump a “coward.” Forget the British, Germans, Soviets, Chinese, al Qaida, ISIS, and Hezbollah. Forget the Battle of Fort McHenry, Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Normandy, and Battle of the Bulge, the threat to watch is Donald Trump.
But the rich part is watching Dick Cheney, who copped five draft deferments to avoid military service in the 1960s, call Trump a “coward.” Asked about those deferments in 2004 – because he was a student and his wife was pregnant (with Liz), he said, “I had other priorities in the 60’s than military service.”
Indeed. How convenient “other priorities” are when the alternative is dying in a Vietnamese jungle. Cheney did not avoid the draft once, but five times after being classified “1-A,” “available for service.”
So, a man who avoided the draft five times, who never wore a uniform, who was talked off the ledge – dissuaded by Colin Powell from using nukes, who sent 2,448 young Americans to their deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, thinks Trump a “coward.”
Well, okay, but here is the thing. While Trump received deferments, Cheney also pushed combat over diplomacy, pushed America into two extended wars, which cost eight trillion dollars and 900,000 lives.
Is Trump without casualties? No, we lost 60 soldiers in Afghanistan during Trump’s four years. Ironically, the administration that pulled us out of Afghanistan left 100,000 US allies behind and killed 13 service members in their bumbling.
The unspoken part of Liz Cheney and her ambitious gamble, building a future on trashing Trump, is that Washington DC is now a “zero sum game.” That is, when Republicans turn on Republicans, Democrats gain; when Democrats turn on Democrats, Republicans gain.
This is not healthy, not how life used to be, not good for a Republic, and not what people – most people, including Wyoming – want in their leaders. People are tired of seeing self-interest lead, tired of seeing the grubby underside of politics. They want better.
What are the top lessons from Cheney’s defeat? Putting aside the national brouhaha over Trump, the real lessons are – people don’t like demagogues, grandstanders, and self-righteous politicians, those who consider themselves unrivaled paragons of virtue.
People want authenticity, more humility, and policies that will help them pay bills, help their kids learn real stuff, help their neighbors survive – not endless hand wringing, bell clanging, or shouting from rooftops about what other politicians do wrong.
As Liz Cheney “ponders a White House run,” and her father calls Trump’s kettle black, most Americans will look at her 35-point loss – and shrug. We know the facts, see the reality, and have no interest in chasing parked cars. From where most sit, Cheney’s car looks parked.
Excellent, well spoken article. Thank you.
RBC – The only thing I would add to your next to last paragraph is that we want leaders with a strong backbone who actually understand what the oath of office means and do what it says. If the GOP does that, then they will be in good shape. That is what Reagan and Trump did. Authentic, genuine, humble, with integrity, strong character, and moral convictions. A winning combination every time. Just my opinion.
When you find yourself in a hole Lizzy, the best thing to do is STOP DIGGING!
Stupid, Daughter like Father!
SWAMP RATS THE WHOLE BUNCH.
Feels like the Republican party is changing from the old guard to a new kind of patriotism. We want a lot of what the left grandstands, greener energy, diversity (but without equity), and less corporatism. But we also see the failings of the left, where race is pitted against race, unprotected borders overflow, social media meddling, nullification of any virtue, excuses for bad actors within the government and a control over speech that is unprecedented.
I would add that, today, we also want politicians who support America and Americans and are willing to stem back the tide of socialism/marxism/communism/….whatever you want to call it.
She can’t stay true to her own party. What makes her think Republicans will support her? Personally, I wouldn’t vote for her even if she was the only person on the ballot. I’d Write in Trump.
“The American people have spoken” has been used when a candidate usually wins. Now it really means something when self-serving politicians are finally exposed. The American people have truly spoken. Carry on!
The woman & her father are a national disgrace, period…The American people & the people of Wyoming know this only to well…
The best thing that can happen to either of these individuals is for both of them to sit in their parked car, discussing old times & agreeing with each other on all points, they here a strange noise approaching them & just like that a D-8 Caterpillar pushes the parked car off a 300 ft. cliff, done…
Bill… :~)
Patriots, As a combat Vet of two tours in the jungle on Vietnam…. Dick Cheney is a draft dodging Son of a B**ch. May he live long and suffer much !
His daughter is RINO trash !
The swamp people that think they are entitled are the problem in this country. We need people in congress that have struggled creating successful businesses and jobs for people and have dealt with the ups and downs of businesses and the red tape thrown at them by the government who knows nothing about anything.
Great article – and as always, written well. Thank you
Dick Cheney is like Bob Macnamara. The analogy will be complete if he finally admits that the iraq war was a massive wrong, one carried out with others lives. The veil is now lifted. We know now that the rinos are as much an arm of the new world order as the dems. The main difference is that the dems use the rinos then discard them while the rinos arent clever enough to do the same to dems.
Dogs, after all, don’t bark at parked cars…mine does, been thinking about renaming him “Dimocrat” ’cause he’s just about that stupid.
I didn’t even have to read the rest of the article to know that if Liz Chaney is THAT determined to run for President in 2024, she is obviously aware of the Commie Progressive Dems cheating and voter fraud in the ‘2020’ election and knows they’re going to do it again, the only sure way she could win!! Poll numbers mean nothing to any person who knows their party will cheat! It is clear Liz has the severe mental illness Trump Derrangement Syndrome. She is not a true Conservative to not recognize all the other ills our country is facing. Somewhere someone said that Democrats were going to register as Republicans to vote.
That’s not even going to matter if they already have the election wrapped up for 2024….and I mean cheating!! Our country is faced with a great evil, and if the people don’t turn back to God, we’re finished!! However, and it’s up to the Lord, but we might be finished already.
Now a note to AMAC: It has been well over a month since the beginning of said updates to your systems. In my mind that’s plenty of time to make sure other web platforms like, Duck Duck Go are provided access to your site through emails. I had no problem previously being on DDG and accessing the articles from my email. I’ve said it before, I did express my aggravation over our comments ‘awaiting approval’ at times. Fixing or changing that system would have been better than dissing your paying members. My complaints were abrasive but not vulgar. It’s a shame I need to come on your website to read and comment on the articles. But AT LEAST I can do that. I like AMAC, and that’s why I’m still a member. I just think there’s ‘someone’ in the media division of your organization that’s a little WOKE.
We are already upset about what’s happened to our country, we don’t need to have our nose wiped for us about our responses to the articles sent to us in our emails…I’m still getting them by the way, and just have to delete them. I don’t want to believe I’ve been blocked without an explanation. So, there it is, and I hope I’m wrong, and it gets remedied.
Liz and her dad will be sitting in a parked car eating dung-filled hay watching with contempt when Trump wins re-election in 2024 and see America become strong and respected and prosperous again!
Lizzie will get a big post as a board member of an arms maker for $200,000 a year! Daddy will keep his eye out for her!
If this woman harbors delusions of the presidency she must have buttloads of dark money lined up for her campaign.
The problem with Lizzie, in she is a Demorat in Sheep’s clothing. First thing to be a Demorat is to lie very well and have a degree in the Uncle Joe’s and Adam Shill’s college of lying. She has backed the wrong horse in this race. I believe in my heart, soul & mind that the 2020 election was stolen from President Trump. Nancy Pelousy said before the election that she and the Dems haven’t used all of the arrows in their quiver. After all of this mail-in voting, Mark Zuckerberg & wife spent millions, not on donations, but telling people how to use their money or lose it and after watching 2000 Mules, this has me convinced of the election results.
Uncle Joe & his Happy Band of Clowns are doing everything to ruin America, and Lizzie is right there with them. Who called her to console her after he Primary loss? Uncle Joe, not some top Republican. She still doesn’t get it. She is a sore loser, but she did it to herself. She repeatedly turned her back on Wyoming voters that strongly supported President Trump, and his America 1st policies, but then became a mouthpiece for the Demorats. Her prize witness turned out to be a liar and Lizzie said she was the ‘Smoking Gun’ against President Trump.
The mentally deranged Democrates keep looking into their mirrors and calling others by what they see in their own reflections. They have no substances to their comments—just name calling and phoney accusations with no proof.
One can only hope the Republicans realize their constituents have matured and evolved where we no longer will be sitting back, trusting and expecting the Republican leadership has control and our best interests. They do not. Good ole’ boys networks and backroom deals with the devil are gone – those failed. Like it or not President Trump has changed the parties base and for the better.
Our principles and core Conservative values remain… God, family, Constitution, individual inalienable rights, Law and Order, smaller government, free enterprise and capitalism, peace through strength, secure borders with legal immigration, love of country, environment, leadership on the world stage… but now we have changed – we demand action and results not just play nice and lip service.
Republicans need to get on-board and come together because a huge part of the party will never go back to status quo.