WASHINGTON (CBSDC) — Dick Cheney will not be endorsing any Republican candidate as they battle it out for the GOP presidential nomination.
The former vice president appeared with his daughter Liz Cheney on “CBS This Morning” on Monday to discuss their new book “Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America.” Liz Cheney said that she and her dad will not be endorsing anyone in the GOP race.
“In all seriousness, we’ve decided that we’re not going to endorse anybody in this race and it’s in large part because the book is very much focused on the issue what we think is critically important in this race and that’s national security,” she said. “We make the case that it’s an urgent set of issues the next president has got to address.”
Dick Cheney served as vice president under former President George W. Bush and as defense secretary under former President George H.W. Bush. Even though he’s a “fan” of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Cheney believes there’s many good candidates on the Republican side.
“Jeb was a good governor. I haven’t endorsed him for president, I haven’t endorsed anybody,” He told “CBS This Morning.” “One of the good things is we have a lot of good candidates on the Republican side.”
Cheney said that some GOP candidates have reached out to him.
“I haven’t put my name to advising any candidate, occasionally I’ll get calls,” he said. “And I’m happy to answer those calls, but again on the basis that it’s not something we discuss with the press.”
When broached if he would back Donald Trump if he won the nomination, Cheney said, “I will support the nominee of my party, which I have traditionally done. I will support the nominee of my party.”
Several national polls show Trump with a commanding lead over his GOP rivals.
