Vice President Dick Cheney during an interview with TIME magazine.
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Cheney: Yes, I do.
TIME: Why not run for President? You're younger than John McCain. You look okay.
Cheney: I've got a lot of miles on me. (Laughter.)
TIME: Seriously, I mean is it -- there's nobody who could convince you, you should? Certainly, there are people in the party would like to see it.
Cheney: I looked at it very seriously, back in '94, '96 time frame, and I went out on the '94 election cycle, and I set up a PAC. Dave Addington ran the political action committee for me. We raised a bunch of money, and I campaigned all over the country that year helping with the '94 effort. And then -- with the understanding that I'd sit down at the end of that period of time, which I did -- Christmas, that year, and decide whether or not I really wanted to run myself, and I concluded I did not, that I wasn't prepared to do all those things I'd have to do to be a candidate, and that I'd had a great 25 years in public life, and it was time to go pursue private life.
Shortly after that, Halliburton came along, and I enjoyed running Halliburton, spent five years in Dallas. The President persuaded me to come back. I'm glad I did. I don't regret that for a minute, but that's different than making a decision -- ready to jump into the arena out there and run for President. And I really think my -- the value of my service in this administration had been in part because I haven't had my own agenda. I'm not worried about how I'm going to do in the Iowa caucuses in January of '08. I'm focused specifically on what the President wants done and needs to have done. That gives me credibility inside the administration and outside, and with the other players here in Washington, and I think it's been an important ingredient -- what I've been able to do for him.
TIME: Mr. Vice President, do you imagine going back to the corporate world or what do you think you and Mrs. Cheney will do after you leave office?
Cheney: I don't have any idea. I'll be 68. I still have a few good years left, and I expect we'll spend time with family. Still got a lot of rivers I haven't fished.
TIME: Do you think you and Mrs. Cheney will live in the D.C. area or the Eastern Shore or Wyoming?
Cheney: Well, I think maybe all of the above. Grandkids are here, so we spend a lot of time here.
TIME: Do you imagine being visible, having a public role, or do you think you will be quieter?
Cheney: Well, at this stage, I do not envision a public role for me when I leave. It will have been 40 years since I came to Washington, and I came to stay 12 months. And aside from the time I spent in Texas, or the year I spent at home in Wyoming running for Congress, I've been here ever since, and I've loved it. It's been a tremendous life. I've enjoyed it very much, but I think there will come a time to hang it up, say that's it -- and my remaining years will be spent in private life.
TIME: Question to you on the hunting question. Do you know if Harry Whittington would hunt with you again?
Cheney: I haven't asked him. (Laughter.)
TIME: But you said you're going to go again. Why do you feel confident that you will, and do you think you'll do it before you leave office?
Cheney: I do expect I will go again. I'll just leave it at that.
TIME: Thank you.