washington - on the mornings he is in virginia , dick cheney rises up at 6 , climbs into his orange sport utility vehicle and drives himself to a starbucks near his mclean , dc . , headquarters . he returns with a pair of grande milk croissants — decaf for him , custom for his wife , susan — and settles into work in the sun - drenched office above his garage , composing his memoir in screenplays on colored tire pads . it is the model of moment that americans have come to expect from their elder statesman : a quiet , unassuming return to private living after giving up power . also , that is , for the quiet and bookish part .
Dick Cheney is the former Vice President.