Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and polarizing vice presidents in American history,

has died at the age of 84. He served alongside then-president George W. Bush for two terms,

which saw the 9-11 attacks and the start of two major wars. In a statement today, President Bush

wrote, quote, Dick was a calm and steady presence in the White House

amid great national challenges. Cheney's family said he passed away yesterday due to complications

from pneumonia, along with cardiac and vascular disease. John Yang looks back at his life

and legacy with this report. As President George W. Bush's number two, Dick Cheney emerged as one of the most powerful

and controversial vice presidents to date. The eight years he was in office were some of the

most consequential in American history. The 9-11 attacks, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,

and the war on terror. Cheney was at the center of it all.

I basically was given pretty much free reign to get involved in whatever I wanted to get involved in,

participate in the meetings I wanted to participate in.

He was most involved in national security, especially the controversial Iraq war.

Cheney led the effort to convince

the American public of a contentious argument.

Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.

There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies,

and against us.

When no weapons of mass destruction were found, Cheney was unapologetic.

So no regrets about Iraq.

I think we made exactly the right decisions.

Richard Bruce Cheney was born in Nebraska and grew up in Wyoming.

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