Elizabeth Dole on Principles & Values Republican Sr Senator

Has spent time in all 100 counties while Senator

Yet, Dole doesn’t appear to be lacking in energy. Countering criticisms that she’s out North Carolina, she said twice during the 45-minute debate that she’s spent time in all 100 counties since her election in 2002. She’s already aired TV ads pointedly placing her in several cities and towns around the state.

Broad experience in Washington & major-league clout

Hagan said Dole had voted with President Bush 92% of the time. “People talk a lot about experience, a lot about major-league clout,” Hagan said. “But consider this: When it comes to Sen. Dole and her 40 years’ experience in Washington, experience just means a way of doing business--a way of doing business that puts special interests and their lobbyists before working families.“

Dole mainly talked about her broad experience in Washington, her efforts to save North Carolina military bases from closing and her role in the federal tobacco buyout program. Dole said she wanted to run a positive campaign and called on Hagan to oppose any TV ad campaigns by third parties--a challenge to which Hagan did not respond.

Voted with Republican Party 91.3% of 311 votes.

Character provides sense of direction & means to fulfillment

Character provides both a sense of direction and a means to fulfillment. It asks not what you want to be, but who you want to be. For in the final analysis, it is your moral compass that counts for more than any bank balance or resume.

OpEd: Proxy incumbent to succeed Jesse Helms

One of the questions you have to answer in any campaign is, "Is time our enemy or our friend?" My strategic assumption was that time was our enemy. A longer general election campaign helped Bowles, a shorter campaign, Elizabeth.

This was not because Elizabeth Dole was a weak candidate. To the contrary, she proved to be one of the strongest candidates I've ever seen. It was simply a function of name identification and resources. Elizabeth Dole began the '02 North Carolina Senate race with 90% name identification and a 7-to-1 favorable-unfavorable ratio. Her name ID could not go up much higher, and her fav-unfav could only come down.

With such universal name recognition, Dole was essentially the proxy incumbent in the race to succeed Jesse Helms.

Liberty is the birthright of every soul

America is not selfish, self-centered, and self-obsessed

Reaffirm timeless and unchangeable truths

Despite two Cabinet posts, presidential bid failed badly

Hillary herself notes Dole's poise and intelligence, adding, "It's a strange twist of fate that we now both serve in the Senate."

But for all of Dole's competence and resume building, she was a disaster in her 2002 race for the presidency. There have been 33 women senators; at present, 14 senators are women. None of them save Hillary Rodham Clinton is a credible presidential aspirant.

1988: Gave religious testimonial at GOP Convention

Dubya's use of his religion for political purposes gives him a good leg up with evangelical voters. Poor Mrs. Dole is stuck with the story of her rise from perfunctory churchgoing--with "God neatly compartmentalized, crammed into a crowded file drawer of my life, somewhere between gardening and government." W. Bush had a far more dramatic tale--saved from a life of sin, drinking, womanizing (before marriage), and, by inference, drugs--all of which comes under the rubric "indiscretions of my youth."

Set aside Sundays for spiritual and personal rejuvenation

Sunday had become just another day of the week. Gradually, I realized that although I was blessed with a beautiful marriage and a challenging career, my life was close to spiritual starvation. I prayed about this and God led me to the people and the experiences that would transform my life.

I joined a spiritual growth group at a Methodist church. Soon I was sharing feelings that I would never have expressed to White House colleagues. I’ve also discovered that Sundays can be set aside for spiritual and personal rejuvenation without disastrous effects on your work week. With our frenetic schedules, Sunday is more precious than ever to Bob and me. In the morning we go to the services at Foundry Methodist. Later we might have brunch with friends or just relax with the Sunday papers and a good book.

Crusade for a rebirth of our values

Economic health masks serious societal problems

Brings ‘courageous conservatism’ via courage of convictions

Restore integrity in our government

Voted YES on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice.

Voted YES on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.