Richard Cheney assumed his first political post as an assistant to Wisconsin Governor Warren P. Knowles in the early 1960s. at the age of 28 when he became an intern near the beginning of the [[Richard Nixon]] administration. He quickly came to the attention of [[Donald Rumsfeld]], then directing the Office of Economic Opportunity, and was promoted to a paid position in 1971. When [[Watergate]] forced Nixon's resignation in 1973, Cheney became vice president of an investment firm for a year, but Rumsfeld convinced [[Gerald Ford]] upon the latter's accession to the presidency that Cheney was indispensible, and he was recalled to public service. Eventually Cheney replaced Rumsfeld as [[Chief of Staff]] to Ford as Rumsfeld was promoted to [[Secretary of Defense]]. | Richard Cheney assumed his first political post as an assistant to Wisconsin Governor Warren P. Knowles in the early 1960s. at the age of 28 when he became an intern near the beginning of the [[Richard Nixon]] administration. He quickly came to the attention of [[Donald Rumsfeld]], then directing the Office of Economic Opportunity, and was promoted to a paid position in 1971. When [[Watergate]] forced Nixon's resignation in 1973, Cheney became vice president of an investment firm for a year, but Rumsfeld convinced [[Gerald Ford]] upon the latter's accession to the presidency that Cheney was indispensible, and he was recalled to public service. Eventually Cheney replaced Rumsfeld as [[Chief of Staff]] to Ford as Rumsfeld was promoted to [[Secretary of Defense]]. |