Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events for the political landscape, former Vice President Dick Cheney—a figure numerous conservatives might associate with the bastion of relentless GOP values—decided to throw his support behind Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential race. However, like a true politician familiar with the art of spinning, he also threw in a backhanded critique of the future president, suggesting that Trump tended to “sound like a liberal Democrat.”
This comment certainly raised eyebrows among conservatives, who have grown accustomed to linking Trump with everything from patriotism to relentless capitalism. Meanwhile, actual liberal Democrats must have had a hearty laugh at Cheney’s remark, for it positions Trump as more progressive than their beloved poster child, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. If Cheney believes Trump’s rhetoric borders on that of a Democrat, perhaps he has forgotten what actual liberal ideology looks like: a bewildering blend of government overreach and fiscal irresponsibility that has become the hallmark of the left.
May the Force of hypocrisy be with Darth Cheney and two-faced Kamala! https://t.co/sJe1JeUTBo pic.twitter.com/ty9qY0UrpP
— NY Post Opinion (@NYPostOpinion) September 9, 2024
If one were to examine Trump’s policies, from tax cuts to deregulation, it would seem Cheney’s concerns might need a bit of recalibrating. Most of Trump’s agenda is as red as the team colors of the Republican Party. In fact, that same year, Trump launched a campaign resonating with working-class voters disillusioned by the Democrats’ elite policies that seem to protect the privileged few rather than the many. If Trump’s appeal to those voters isn’t conservative, then the definition of conservatism has been officially rewritten—or maybe it was just hidden under a pile of liberal tears.
Yet, Cheney’s critique serves as a delightful reminder of intra-party squabbles—those moments when even the staunchest of Republicans can find something to poke at regarding their own. Who knew the backlash of the past election would drudge up a critique of Trump from a veteran of the Bush administration? The irony of a former vice president suggesting the man who dismantled political correctness and revived the American economy might be sounding a tad ‘lefty’ is enough to make any sane person chuckle.
In the end, Cheney’s comments highlight the vast differences in perception even among conservatives—a microcosm of the GOP’s identity crisis. While Cheney could march forth feeling like a brave voice advocating for traditional values, in the real world, most conservatives are busy pushing toward the future, led by a man they see as the embodiment of red, white, and blue values—not an echo of the Democrats. After all, if Trump sounds like a liberal to Cheney, the party really needs to consider how to fine-tune its own definition of conservatism for the next round of political endeavors.
