Memorable moments from Bob Dole's life and political career

WASHINGTON – Bob Dole’s governmental vocation began successful 1950 with predetermination to the Kansas Legislature and officially ended astir 5 decades later, 1 measurement abbreviated of the White House. In retirement, Dole kept moving into his 90s for the causes helium cherished.

A look astatine immoderate of the moments from a beingness successful politics:

As a assemblage student, Dole had planned to beryllium a doctor. World War II changed his life’s direction. He astir died from injuries sustained arsenic a 2nd lieutenant starring an battle connected German forces. After 3 years of surgeries and carnal therapy, Dole regained the quality to dress, devour and walk. But helium ne'er recovered usage of his close manus and arm, and overmuch of his near manus was numb. Dole returned to college, earned a instrumentality grade and was elected region attorney. “The mentation was, if I can’t usage my hands, I tin usage my head,” helium aboriginal recalled.

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Dole was a legislator already known for his biting remarks erstwhile President Gerald Ford chose him arsenic his moving mate. Dole shocked viewers of the 1976 vice statesmanlike statement by declaring the wars of the 20th period truthful acold — the 2 satellite wars, Korea and Vietnam — to beryllium “Democrat wars” that had killed oregon wounded 1.6 cardinal Americans. “Senator Dole has richly earned his estimation arsenic a hatchet antheral tonight,” his Democratic opponent, Minnesota Sen. Walter Mondale, responded.

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Dole rebounded from his ticket’s nonaccomplishment to Jimmy Carter and Mondale. He toned down his barbs, directing much of them toward himself. He erstwhile analyzed the 1976 statesmanlike run this way: “President Ford was expected to instrumentality the precocious road, and I was expected to spell for the jugular. And I did — my own.”

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During his astir 36 years successful Congress, Dole became known arsenic a pugnacious deal-maker, trusted to trade bipartisan compromises. “You’ve got to marque the hard choices,” Dole said. It was not for him to “vote nary against each the hard things and ballot yes for each the casual things, and you spell retired and marque speeches astir however pugnacious you are.”

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In May 1996, Senate Majority Leader Dole amazed his colleagues by announcing that helium would resign his spot to give himself to his statesmanlike campaign. “I volition question the presidency with thing to autumn backmost connected but the judgement of the people,” helium said, “and obscurity to spell but the White House oregon home.”

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As a 73-year-old statesmanlike nominee, Dole faced questions astir his age. It didn’t assistance erstwhile helium tumbled disconnected a run signifier successful Chico, California, landing successful the dirt. Dole tried to displacement the absorption to questions astir the idiosyncratic quality of his opponent, President Bill Clinton. “If thing happened on the way and you had to permission your children with Bob Dole oregon Bill Clinton,” Dole told voters, “I deliberation you would astir apt permission them with Bob Dole.” Polling connected the question suggested parents felt otherwise.

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Hoping to revive his statesmanlike campaign, Dole launched a round-the-clock marathon of events implicit the last 96-hour agelong to Election Day 1996. When a newsman asked whether Dole had brought capable cleanable clothes, helium quipped, “We’re going to halt astatine an underwear factory.”

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Dole chose comedian David Letterman’s amusement for his archetypal postelection appearance. He unleashed a crisp wit that had been mostly kept hidden during the campaign. Invited to crockery astir Clinton’s weight, Dole demurred: “I ne'er tried to assistance him. I conscionable tried to bushed him.” Asked whether helium would see accepting a station successful Clinton’s administration, Dole said, “Well, if helium wanted to springiness maine his job, I’d deliberation astir it.”

“I accidental you could accidental my post-political vocation truly began connected that Friday nighttime arsenic viewers discovered that I wasn’t the glowering, Social Security-devouring sourpuss” portrayed successful Democratic run ads, Dole aboriginal wrote.

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Dole was a driving unit down operation of the World War II Memorial connected the National Mall. He spoke poignantly astatine its 2004 dedication earlier tens of thousands of chap veterans successful their 80s and 90s astir “the carnal and motivation courageousness that makes heroes retired of workplace and metropolis boys.”

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In 2012, looking frail and utilizing a wheelchair, Dole returned to the Senate level to rally enactment for transition of the U.N. pact connected the rights of the disabled, which was modeled aft the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act helium had shepherded done the Senate. The treaty, opposed by astir of the Republican senators, failed contempt his idiosyncratic appeal.

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Two weeks later, Dole was backmost successful the Senate arsenic mourners passed by the casket of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, whom Dole had befriended decades earlier arsenic the men convalesced from their warfare injuries. Rising from his wheelchair and walking with help, Dole saluted Inouye’s casket. He explained to a Roll Call newsman that helium “wouldn’t privation Danny to spot maine successful a wheelchair.”

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In 2014, astatine property 90, Dole embarked connected a bid of sentimental tours of his location state, with a campaign-style gait of 3 oregon 4 stops per day. Dole, surviving successful Washington, said helium wanted to convey the radical backmost location for their enactment implicit the decades. Kansans lined up astatine libraries and courthouses and elder centers to shingle his manus and stock memories arsenic helium visited each 105 counties.

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“I’m impervious that it’s ne'er excessively precocious to articulation Twitter,” Dole, past 92, tweeted from his caller societal media relationship successful June 2016. Dole utilized the level to knock Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, a blimpish Republican who was successful a superior situation from a campaigner who campaigned arsenic a pragmatist, Roger Marshall. In August, Marshall won the superior and his spot successful the House, earlier winning a Senate spot 4 years later, besides with Dole’s endorsement.

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In 2016, Dole initially backed erstwhile Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for the GOP statesmanlike nomination. He aboriginal warmed to Donald Trump, but not to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, telling The New York Times successful January of that twelvemonth that Cruz was an “extremist” whose information would origin “catastrophic” GOP losses, adding, “Nobody likes him.” He aboriginal formally endorsed Trump.

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In September 2018, then-President Trump signed authorities to grant Dole the Congressional Gold Medal, 1 of the highest civilian honors bestowed successful the U.S., successful designation of Dole's Army work and agelong governmental career. In galore respects, Dole embodied the authorities motto of Kansas: “Ad astra per aspera” — to the stars done difficulties.

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Another Dole infinitesimal successful the nationalist oculus was a moving one: On Dec. 4, 2018, Dole made an affectional quality earlier the casket of different World War II veteran, erstwhile President George H.W. Bush, successful the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. As an adjutant lifted Dole from his wheelchair, a intelligibly ailing Dole dilatory steadied himself and saluted Bush with his near hand, chin quivering. Witnessed by many, it was a moving tribute to his onetime governmental rival

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Six weeks aft the November 2020 election, erstwhile Trump inactive was refusing to concede to Democrat Joe Biden and promoting unfounded claims of elector fraud, Dole told The Kansas City Star, “The predetermination is over.” He said of Trump: “It’s a beauteous bitter pill for Trump, but it’s a information helium lost.

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Dole announced connected Feb. 18, 2021, that helium had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung crab and that helium would commencement attraction successful a fewer days. An outpouring of sympathy, prayers and well-wishes from crossed the governmental spectrum followed connected societal media. Dole said: “While I surely person immoderate hurdles ahead, I besides cognize that I articulation millions of Americans who look important wellness challenges of their own.”

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Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Former Associated Press writer Connie Cass contributed to this report.

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