Bob Dole on Principles & Values Former Republican Senator (KS)

OpEd 1996: After first Baby Boom president, no reaching back

1996: Won Texas presidential vote, with Bush's help

The local campaign leader told Dole about reports he'd just heard from Dole's traveling party that Dole was closing the gap, but none of the optimistic reports were backed up with public polling. Dole looked off into the distance as the limo sped down th freeway. He let the man's word pass. Then he quietly said, "They don't need to lie to me. I'm a fighter." Eleven days later, Dole won Texas by 5 points while losing the country by 8. He did, however, hold Clinton to less than 50% of the vote.

1994: Considered Colin Powell for V.P. & Secretary of State

If the Dole-Powell ticket won, the presidency would likely be Powell's, for two full terms. If something happened to Dole, it would be Powell's sooner. And, as vice president, Powell could also serve as Secretary of State. He just couldn't receive two salaries.

Powell didn't respond directly. He was used to offers, people making soundings, speaking, without authority. Dole hadn't decided yet, but the Powell idea was worth pursuing. He wanted to talk directly to Powell. Not to get Powell as vice president specifically, not to make a deal. That would be impossible. He wanted to see who Powell was.

Dole's strength: What you see is what you get

One key to understanding Dole, Lacy said, was this: "Dole's strength is what you see is what you get. Dole's weakness is what you see is what you get."

Values are connected with religion

"My mother was a nut for cleanliness," he volunteered. "We didn't have a lot of clothes. She'd take 'em off at night, and we'd wear 'em again in the morning, but they would be spotless, you know, she'd see to that."

Those were the things he remembered when the talk turned to values--religion, hard work, cleanliness, not talking dirty.

1988: Attacked in TV ads as "Senator Straddle"

"It Takes a Village" implies state over family

Dole missed the point of the book, which is that families are the first line of responsibility for children, but that the village--a metaphor for society as a whole--shares responsibility for the culture, economy and environment in which our children grow up.

1994: Apology for raising Whitewater when Bill's mother died

The White House Press Office put out the news of Virginia's death, and when we turned on the TV set in our bedroom we saw the first news item flash on the screen: "The President's mother died earlier this morning after a long battle with cancer." It made the death seem terribly final. Then Bob Dole & Newt Gingrich appeared on the Today show for a previously scheduled appearance. They began talking about Whitewater: "It to me cries out for the appointment of a regulatory, independent counsel," Dole said. I looked over at Bill's face. He was utterly stricken. Bill was raised by his mother to believe that you don't hit people when they're down. That you treat even your adversaries in life or politics with decency. A few years later, someone told Bob Dole how much his words had hurt Bill that day, and to his credit, he wrote Bill a letter of apology.

Injured in Italy in WWII; suffered 3-year recovery

Dole admits he was bitter at times, that he felt sorry for himself. Even now he occasionally goes back over the fateful day he was hit. The assault had been delayed for a day because of the death of FDR, the beloved president and commander in chief. Dole was greatly saddened by Roosevelt's passing, but he sometimes wonder, "What if he hadn't died that day? What if we had moved out on schedule? Would I have been wounded?"

1996 V.P. debate: "Stop lying about my record"