After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Cheney worked out of sight for long stretches at an undisclosed location for security reasons.

He remained largely in the background as he helped prepare the Bush administration for the Iraq war, but gave a few high-impact public speeches making the case for invasion. Supporters praise his leadership and dedication, but Cheney has been a lightning rod for criticism of the administration's conduct in the war and its aftermath.

As vice president, Cheney also drew the ire of an environmental organization and a conservative watchdog group, who sued to force the disclosure of Cheney's contacts with industry executives when he headed Bush's energy policy task force. The groups claimed Cheney, a former chief executive of energy and construction company Halliburton Co., secretly drafted a policy favorable to the energy industry.

Cheney said: "You can't run the government if you don't have the ability to talk to people in confidence." He appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and the justices sent the case back to an appeals court for more hearings.

PINSTRIPES AND COWBOY BOOTS

The 62-year-old former congressman has a reputation for politeness, even with political foes, so it was a surprise to many when he directed a four-letter expletive at a Democratic senator earlier this year.

Cheney usually blends pinstripe elegance with cowboy boots and a voice so quiet a listener often has to lean forward to catch his words, only to find they express a hard line.

In an August 2002 speech, he sounded the call for war in Iraq, saying: "There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us."

President Bush took a U.S.-led coalition to war in March 2003, despite U.N. opposition, and Baghdad fell in early April. No unconventional weapons have been found.

CONTRAST TO JOHN EDWARDS

When Bush, then Texas governor, picked Cheney as his running mate for the 2000 Republican presidential ticket, the seasoned Cheney seemed like the quintessential safe choice.

But Democrats swiftly zeroed in on a number of votes Cheney cast when he represented Wyoming in the House of Representatives, including a vote against the release of black South African leader Nelson Mandela, and votes against popular gun control and environmental and education funding measures.

This year, Cheney's bald pate, spectacles, sober demeanor and tendency to speak out of the side of his mouth provide a stark contrast to Sen. John Edwards, the Democrats' younger and charismatic vice presidential candidate.

Bush has emphasized Cheney's experience, and stuck with him when some in the Republican Party wanted Bush to dump him in favor of a more moderate Republican, like Secretary of State Colin Powell, who might be more appealing to swing voters.

At a recent campaign rally, he said, "I admit to you he isn't the prettiest one in the race. I didn't pick him for his looks. I picked him for his judgment, his experience. I picked him because he can get the job done."

On Sept. 11, 2001, Cheney was whisked to a White House bunker by Secret Service agents, he recommended Bush approve the downing of a passenger airliner if necessary to prevent an attack on a target such as the U.S. Capitol. He told the president to delay his return to Washington for fear that "we've been targeted."

For weeks afterward, Cheney worked in a secret location and minimized his joint appearances with Bush to guard against the possible loss of both elected executives in a single attack.

CONFIDENCE, TAKE-CHARGE STYLE