Iraq War Veteran Running for Senate Declines to Honor Dick Cheney After His Death

Former Vice President Dick Cheney passed away this week at age 84, and while most Americans pause to honor the service of high-ranking officials regardless of political disagreement, Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has decided to take a different approach.

Platner, an Iraq War veteran running for Senate in Maine, released a video statement making clear he will not be mourning Cheney’s passing. “Usually when a former vice president passes, we all take some time to mourn. As a veteran of the Iraq War I’m going to say, no, not this time,” Platner declared.

Here are the facts. Cheney served as vice president under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. He died on November 3 due to complications from pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, according to his family’s statement. These are objective realities.

What Platner offers is subjective political commentary masquerading as moral authority. He claims “the only legacy that we have to remember is that he wasted thousands of young American lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives, and trillions of dollars for absolutely nothing.”

This is a familiar left-wing narrative about the Iraq War, one that conveniently ignores the bipartisan support the conflict initially received, including from prominent Democrats who voted to authorize military force. It also glosses over the complex geopolitical realities of post-9/11 America and the intelligence failures that spanned multiple administrations.

Platner’s campaign represents the progressive wing attempting to gain ground in Maine, where he faces competition from Governor Janet Mills for the Democratic nomination. The winner will challenge long-serving Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has indicated plans to seek re-election.

The timing and tone of Platner’s statement raise questions about political judgment. There exists a longstanding American tradition of allowing families to grieve and permitting a respectful period before launching into political attacks on the deceased. This tradition transcends party lines and reflects basic human decency.

Platner’s decision to leverage his veteran status as justification for his comments is particularly noteworthy. While his service deserves respect, it does not grant him exclusive moral authority to speak for all Iraq War veterans, many of whom hold diverse views about the conflict and those who led it.

The candidate has previously generated controversy. He has apologized for a Nazi-style tattoo and faced scrutiny over past statements about communism, which he later claimed were jokes.

President Bush released a statement praising Cheney as “the one I needed” as vice president, highlighting their partnership during challenging times for the nation.

The question for Maine voters becomes whether Platner’s approach represents the kind of leadership they want in the Senate. Political disagreement is healthy and necessary in a functioning democracy. Using someone’s death as a platform for political grandstanding is something else entirely.

Facts do not care about feelings, but basic respect for the dead and their grieving families should matter to anyone seeking public office.

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