Liz Cheney 鈥� former U.S. representative for Wyoming鈥檚 at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023 鈥� addressed issues of democracy, Donald Trump鈥檚 influence on the Republican party, the Jan. 6 insurrection and the war in Israel and Palestine at the 103rd .
From 2019 to 2021, Cheney was the chair of the House Republican Conference. She served as vice chair of the House Select Committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol. Cheney鈥檚 new memoir, 鈥淥ath and Honor,鈥� details the events and her investigation of the Jan. 6 insurrection. President Christina Paxson P鈥�19 P鈥橫D鈥�20 introduced the event and later led a Q&A.
Cheney began her lecture by speaking about her experience during the Presidential Election in 2000 鈥� one of the closest elections in American history 鈥� when her father, Dick Cheney, ran alongside George W. Bush as his vice president.
鈥淲hen it was all over, Vice President Al Gore gave what I believe is one of the finest speeches in American political history,鈥� Cheney said. She quoted Gore, saying, 鈥渙ur disappointment must be overcome by our love of country.鈥�
鈥淭oo often we don鈥檛 stop and think about what it means to live in a nation characterized by the peaceful transfer of power,鈥� Cheney added. She noted that throughout American history, each president has respected this process.
鈥淓very president has done that, until Donald Trump,鈥� she said.
Trump is currently which allege that he worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
Cheney emphasized the danger of Trump鈥檚 refusal to acknowledge the peaceful transfer of presidential power as 鈥渟omething we鈥檝e never faced before.鈥� She highlighted his inaction on the day of the insurrection, claiming that he failed to protect those at the Capitol.
Cheney said to the audience that Trump鈥檚 moves to proceedings in the criminal cases he is facing is an effort to 鈥渟uppress the evidence鈥� of his 鈥渋ndefensible鈥� actions.
鈥淲e have an obligation to remember鈥� that day, she added. 鈥淲e have an obligation to tell the truth about what happened.鈥�
Cheney noted the hesitancy of many Republicans in Congress to oppose Trump in the aftermath of Jan. 6. She said that it is 鈥渋ncumbent upon all of us 鈥� to ensure that he never again is anywhere close to the Oval Office.鈥�
Cheney also addressed arguments proposed by conservatives that institutions will protect the country from any adverse actions Trump may take during a potential second term. In her view, Trump still has heavy influence in the American government even out of office.
鈥淗e is controlling what the Republicans in the House and many of the Republicans in the Senate do on a daily basis,鈥� she said. According to Cheney, Republicans in both chambers of Congress refused to pass critical bipartisan legislation that would improve border security and provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan 鈥� because Trump 鈥�.鈥�
Regarding the upcoming 2024 presidential election in November, Cheney urged the audience to 鈥減ut partisanship aside.鈥�
鈥淭hink about how important and how high the stakes are,鈥� she said. We must 鈥渨ork above party to make sure that we defend our Constitution and this wonderful country.鈥�
After her lecture, the event shifted to a question and answer session led by Paxson.
Paxson began by asking Cheney about her first-hand experience being in the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Cheney responded by describing the day鈥檚 events as 鈥渃hilling.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember being scared 鈥� I was very angry at my colleagues who had been pushing the lie,鈥� she said, referencing the well-circulated idea that protestors in Washington, D.C. would be able to change the outcome of the 2020 election.
When asked about her role as vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, Cheney emphasized the 鈥渘on-partisan nature鈥� of the committee鈥檚 work, adding that she was very proud of their efforts.
鈥淲hen we can get back to spending our time debating policy, we鈥檒l know 鈥� we鈥檙e back on solid footing in our democracy,鈥� she said.
Cheney also addressed the future of the Republican party, speaking to the importance of a two party system that allows for debate through substantive discourse. She said that the Republican Party may have to 鈥渟tart over again鈥� after the 2024 election, given her concern about the party being 鈥渉ijacked by a cult of personality.鈥�
Paxson asked Cheney about the effects of disinformation in the upcoming 2024 election, and Donald Trump鈥檚 efforts to manipulate facts to his advantage.
鈥淒onald Trump has tapped into severely real concerns that people have, and he鈥檚 betrayed them,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 made people think he will be a voice to them.鈥�
According to Cheney, it is critical to be very careful about information that is spread on social media, and to 鈥渓ive in the truth and speak up for the truth.鈥�
Following her initial questions, Paxson pivoted to ask Cheney about her opinions on recent foreign policy concerns.
鈥淎ny thoughts on prospects for peace in Israel-Gaza?鈥� Paxson asked.
Cheney noted her own support for Israel, stating that 鈥渢here鈥檚 no context that justifies the slaughter that we saw on Oct. 7,鈥� referencing Hamas鈥檚 on Israel that killed 1,200 people and took an additional 250 hostage. At this remark, a portion of the audience broke into applause.
In Israel鈥檚 military retaliation, over 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been , many of them civilians.
She also emphasized America鈥檚 obligation to address foreign security concerns, specifically in the Middle East and Russia. According to Cheney, it is crucial for America to defend its interests and not 鈥渓ook the other way.鈥� She voiced her concerns that under another Trump presidency, we will experience 鈥渁 real unraveling of the global world order that has 鈥� helped defend freedom since the end of World War II.鈥�
In response to a question from Paxson about Cheney鈥檚 future plans, Cheney said that she feels an obligation as a parent to ensure a democratic nation for future generations.
鈥淚 certainly wouldn鈥檛 rule out running for office again,鈥� Cheney said.
To conclude the event, Paxson asked a question submitted by a student about how young people can respond to 鈥渁nti-democracy鈥� in America and what actionable steps can be taken to work 鈥渢oward that course correction.鈥�
Cheney emphasized the importance of voting and the influence that young voters can have on elections. 鈥淲e all have that power, and we have the obligation to fight to keep it,鈥� she said.
Oscar Low 鈥�25 attended the event because of his interest in Cheney鈥檚 鈥渁nti-Trump stance,鈥� despite her conservative politics. He said that it was fascinating to hear her speak about the importance of 鈥減reserving the framework of this country,鈥� regardless of political differences.
But, for Low, Cheney鈥檚 talk only 鈥渄escribed the problem,鈥� and did not 鈥渟peak to the root of the problem.鈥� He emphasized how misinformation in the media can influence voters. 鈥淧eople are being divided more and more, and I don鈥檛 think Liz Cheney really spoke to that,鈥� he said.
Brooke Ury 鈥�24 particularly appreciated Cheney鈥檚 eloquence in her lecture. 鈥淚 have a lot of respect for Liz Cheney,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think she鈥檚 a really important voice, considering how polarized everything is.鈥�
Sophia Wotman is a Senior Staff Writer covering the Affinity & Activism beat under University 国产偷拍. She is a sophomore from Long Island, New York studying Political Science and Music with an interest in women鈥檚 rights. She is a jazz trumpet player, and you鈥檒l often find her performing on campus and around Providence.
