‘He had such a dry humor’: Central Texas photographer reflects on time covering Dick Cheney during Bush era
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A local photographer who took thousands of pictures of President Bush in Central Texas during his time in office while he visited his ranch in Crawford is remembering the many encounters she also had with Vice President Dick Cheney.
Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, died Monday at the age of 84.
Valerie Citrano, of Lorena, is a freelance photographer who was hired to take pictures of numerous campaign events in the early 2000’s. She is remembering not only what she caught of Cheney in front of the camera but behind the scenes.
“He had such a dry humor. We would joke around during the long events,” Citrano said. “He remembered previous encounters. I witnessed hundreds of his encounters with others, and he was very friendly and put others at ease.”
Citrano photographed Cheney at inaugural events in Washington, D.C., but her fondest memories came from the local encounters.
She photographed Cheney seated next to Bush at President Bush’s Economic Forum at Baylor in August 2002.
Citrano also photographed Cheney at a fundraiser at the Waco Convention Center in 2004 when Arlene Wohlgemuth was running for the 17th congressional seat.
Wohlgemuth was defeated by incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards.
One photograph of Cheney she has is the Vice President next to the now McLennan County District Attorney Josh Tetens.
Citrano said her favorite picture she took of Cheney was the Nebraska native in a cowboy hat at the Wohlgemuth fundraiser.
“That hat went on and off in the blink of an eye,” Citrano said. “It was a gift from the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame.”
In 2006, the photographer attended a press conference for Congressional candidate Van Taylor as Cheney endorsed Taylor for the same District 17 Congressional seat.
Taylor also lost to Edwards in the seat now held by Congressman Pete Sessions.
Citrano said she’s grateful to have had a front row seat to so much history and will forever treasure the moments she had with the late vice president.
“Lots of photos of grins and at events that I was honored to capture,” Citrano said. “It was fun.”
Citrano and her husband Donald are the owners of The Coffee Shop Cafe in McGregor where President Bush has visited on many occasions.
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