Former U.S. Vice-president Dick Cheney appeared on 60 minutes to discuss his physical health. He revealed during the interview that he feared that terrorists might kill him wirelessly by activating his heart defibrillator, and he asked his doctor to turn it off. Years later Cheney would see an episode of the Showtime series Homeland where that exact scenario was part of the plot.
“I was aware of the danger, if you will, that existed, but I found it credible,” Cheney says. “Because I know from the experience we had and the necessity for adjusting my own device that it was an accurate portrayal of what was possible.”
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The interview reveals that doctors worried Cheney wasn’t going to be able to take the pressure that came on September 11th, 2001. On that morning, medical tests showed elevated levels of potassium, which could lead to cardiac arrest. He says that he doesn’t believe his health ever affected his job performance. “You know, I was as good as I could be, you know,” Cheney says, “given the fact I was 60-some years old at that point and a heart patient.”
