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Life Lessons from Bob Dole’s Memorial Service
Services for departed legends convey lessons on life and service. Even silly media distractions.
As a former US Secretary of the Senate, I’m honored to have joined current and former Senators for two notable funerals of historic public servants in recent years. The late Strom Thurmond (R-SC), who died at age 100 in 2003, and Bob Dole (R-KS), who passed last Sunday at age 98, whose memorial service at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, my wife and I attended last Friday. I served as Dole’s third and final Secretary of the Senate over his years in the 1980s and mid-’90s as Senate Majority Leader.
Two different men. Two different lives and trajectories. Different backgrounds, and each representing very different states. They were products of times neither chose, leaving different legacies, distinct yet impressive legislative accomplishments, and more than two decades as colleagues in the U. S. Senate. Both services left indelible marks.
The same person eulogized both services: Joseph R. Biden. Thurmond specifically requested that he do so. There was never any doubt that Biden, now President and Dole’s longtime Senate colleague, would speak. And to his credit, Biden delivered terrific remarks each time. Biden excels at eulogies if nothing else.
I sat to the left of Thurmond, then-Senate Pro Tempore, as he presided over the Senate on June 11, 1996, when then-Majority Leader and GOP Presidential candidate Bob Dole delivered his memorable farewell address. It was a classic Dole tour de force, laced with humor. Dole left the Senate to go “all in” on his candidacy for President that year. He never looked back.
As a US House Republican in 1964, Dole voted for the same Civil Rights Act that Thurmond, who had just converted to the GOP, opposed. Thurmond was a “States Rights Democrat” in 1948 when he was South Carolina’s Governor, winning electoral votes in five southern states. Dole ran for President 3 times, including capturing 41 percent of the vote and 19 states in 1996 as the GOP nominee against Bill Clinton and “Reform” candidate Ross Perot.
Both Thurmond and Dole were decorated World War II veterans. Both were awarded Purple Hearts. Dole had the more challenging and life-defining climb from his grievous injury. Unlike Thurmond, Dole had been left for dead and took 39 months of therapy in his early 20s to recover to a point where he could return to finish college and move on to law school. His WWII experiences would define Robert Dole more than they did those of Strom Thurmond.
Dole lay in state at the Capitol Rotunda atop the same black-draped catafalque quickly constructed in April 1865 to accommodate the funeral of President Abraham Lincoln. Appropriately so.
Imagine spending your early 20s in hospitals and therapy just trying to resume an everyday life, trying to retrain and regain the use of limbs permanently injured. Most of us recall our early 20’s somewhat differently. I was busy working as a newspaper reporter and editor, or in a congressional office far away from harm’s way. Dole spent his crafting weights to help him rehabilitate and regain use of his arms after being left for dead on an Italian battlefield.
Memorial services, of course, teach us about the departed, mainly reflected in stories told by survivors, close friends, and colleagues. They provide a history lesson on events and an era that shaped their lives, either from a 39-month struggle to recovery from battlefield wounds from a major world war or the domestic evolution of our times, such as civil rights for all Americans. We inevitably compare our lives to theirs.
They also leave us with valuable examples of life’s lessons, both in and out of politics. Hopefully, they inspire us to follow their example. Dole’s brilliantly planned and choreographed Memorial service was no exception.
Nothing Big Happens Without Bipartisanship: Unity from Diversity
We are blessed this past week to have been feted with Senator Dole’s remarkable history. This includes his powerful legislative record to combat hunger, saving Social Security in 1983, helping enact the Americans with Disabilities Act, and after his political career, making the World War II and Dwight Eisenhower memorials a reality. He did it all on a bipartisan basis, demonstrating an ability and a desire to truly unify politically diverse colleagues around a common goal that transcended partisan politics. Nothing major gets done without a lot of elbow grease, relationships, and cooperation. Partisan showhorses ultimately achieve nothing more than the vapors of forgettable 10-minute interviews on cable TV programs. You know of whom I speak.
Yes, it happens that a single-minded majority can jam down its agenda without broad support. House and Senate Democrats are trying to do it now. The result is usually calamitous. Consider “Obamacare,” which passed the Senate in 2010 with zero GOP Senate votes and only one Republican in the House (who would lose his reelection). Not only have many of its major tenets been repealed, but it forever haunts small businesses and self-employed who, if above a certain income, don’t get the first dollar of coverage until they’ve spent at least $30,000 on health care premiums and deductibles. I know; I’ve been there. That includes paying for services they’ll never need.
Never Embrace Victimhood. Play the Hand Fate Deals You.
Bob Dole’s brush with death in 1945 occurred at an instant. They almost always do. From a post at military.com, referencing his 1988 autobiography:
Dole had joined the Army’s Enlisted Reserve Corps in 1942 and soon became a second lieutenant in the 10th Mountain Division. On April 14, 1945, Dole’s “I” Company of the 85th Regiment was attempting to take Hill 913 in their zone when they ran into intense enemy fire raking a clearing they had to cross. Dole threw a grenade at a machine-gun nest and dove into a shell hole.
In his 1988 autobiography he wrote, “I could see my platoon’s radioman go down … After pulling his lifeless form into the foxhole, I scrambled back out again. As I did, I felt a sharp sting in my upper right back.”
Although he left the Army as a captain, in 2019 Congress voted to promote him to Colonel in honor of his service.
In a 1998 campaign video Dole describes his wounding graphically: “Some high-explosive bullet entered my right shoulder, fractured my vertebrae in my neck. I — I saw these — things racing — my parents, my house. I couldn’t move my arms, my legs.” A medic gave the young lieutenant morphine, and then marked Dole’s forehead with an “M” in his own blood. After nine hours on the battlefield before being evacuated to an Army field hospital, Dole was not expected to live.
Although Dole himself often makes light of his maimed right arm and his hospital stay, recalling his “bedpan promotion” to captain, in reality his recovery took him through several hospitals, nine operations, and over three years of rehabilitation and recuperation. He learned to write with his left hand and to rely on that arm, since his other cannot be used.
As famously told, Dole primarily subsisted on nickles and dimes collected in cigar boxes from his Russell neighbors, along with the generosity of doctors during his lengthy rehab. A new and experimental drug then, penicillin, probably saved his life.
During his rehabilitation and recovery, Dole met two lifelong friends at now-closed Percy Jackson Hospital in Michigan. Both would influence his life and become great friends — future US Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Philip Hart (D-MI). Even more importantly, he persevered painfully and persistently to recover as much of his previously strapping and athletic life as he could. His right hand would forever be maimed, and, as a result, we all learned the Bob Dole handshake with our left hand.
We could also have called it the Daniel Inouye handshake. He lost his right arm during WWII. Dole was determined to finish college and shifted his ambitions from being a doctor to an attorney. And, eventually, a public servant. The thought of surviving as a victim never crossed his mind. We’ll never know, but I wonder if Dole would ever have become a US Senator with his remarkable record of accomplishment had he not brushed death fateful day in Italy in April 1945, just days before WWII ended. When life deals you a hand, you play it.Never Let Losses Defeat or Define You; Set Ambitious Goals
Dole’s greatest fear after his war injuries was that he would be forever forced to sell pencils on the streets of Russell. It no doubt drove him to bigger ambitions. He did not let his status define him down or defeat him. He was determined to overcome them, and he did. It is a lesson for all of us, whether recovering from war wounds, surgeries, job changes, family disruptions, or even cancel culture. He always set ambitious goals, even if he didn’t achieve them, and lived to fight another day. He never gave up.
Treat Everyone With Respect; Do Something For Someone, Every Day
After he had left the Senate, daughter Robin told the story of Dole’s goal to help at least one person every day. As she recounted, he doubted he was meeting his goal. She abused him of that notion, and rightfully so. From regular visits to the World War II Memorial to greet “honor flights to helping young people with scholarships through the Robert J. Dole Foundation, Leader Dole will be meeting his goal for a very long time.
Always Say Thank You, Even When You Nothing Anything in Return
This wasn’t mentioned during the Memorial Service, and I wish it were.
In 2014, then 90-year old Robert Dole set an ambitious goal; to visit every one of Kansas’ 105 counties that year to thank people – no fundraising, no votes requested, nothing asked in return. This recipient of a Dole scholarship said it well then:
“I’m not here to ask you for anything. I’m not asking for your vote and for once I’m not asking for money. I just want to say thank you.”
Sen. Bob Dole started off each of his stops with these words on his second tour of Kansas this year while visiting 16 counties in four days.
As a girl from small town Kansas who received a Robert J. Dole Public Service Scholarship when I first came to Kansas University, it was an honor and a thrill to get to travel with him throughout this tour. Seeing so many people greet Dole made me realize how many lives he’s touched. With such a tight schedule and a rock-star welcome everywhere we went, it was sometimes difficult for us to make sure the senator had enough time to talk with everyone who came out to see him.
Dole has set an ambitious goal at the age of 90 of visiting all 105 Kansas counties. This really shouldn’t surprise any of us. The senator has set ambitious goals for himself his entire life.
It is widely known that Dole was injured in World War II in Italy. Once he came back to the United States, he focused on his rehabilitation and returned to college to finish his education, determined to not allow his injuries to slow him down. He went on to become the longest serving Republican leader in the Senate and the Republican nominee for president in 1996.
When asked on the recent tour what accomplishment from his time in the Senate he is most proud of, Dole’s response was saving Social Security in 1983. The senator further stated that his biggest disappointment while in the Senate was not getting the balanced Budget amendment passed in 1995.
Ambitious goals sometimes reap great rewards. What Dole shows us is that even when things don’t work out exactly as planned, there are always lessons to be learned and always more to be accomplished.
When Given the Opportunity, Mentor
Speaking with former colleagues of Senator Dole at his memorial service, I heard him described more than once as a mentor, always looking to help his junior colleagues meet their objectives while guiding them on being more effective legislators. He was especially fond of my former boss, US Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK), whom he saw as a potential successor and possible vice presidential nominee in 1996. Dole relished giving advice and counsel to young staff and aspiring politicians long after leaving office.
Be A “Covert Spiritual Agent”
Perhaps my favorite comments at the Memorial Service came during the Homily offered by the Senate’s Chaplain of 19 years, Brig. Gen. Barry Black (US Army, Ret.), when he referred to Dole not only as his brother in Christ but also as a “Covert Spiritual Agent.” People chuckled, including me: daughter Robin and others noted that Dole appreciated brevity, which is not a typical Senate trait.
When referring to Dole as such, he referenced both a poet and a Saint, Francis of Assisi, who said, “Preach the gospel everywhere you go. When necessary, use words.” Chaplain Black also cited a poem by Edgar Guest: “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.” In modern parlance, he was said this: Dole walked the walk. Chaplain Black’s homily is worth your time.
Don’t Distract From Those Being Honored
Of course, leftist wags on Twitter and other social media worked overtime to find ways of diverting attention away from Dole to disparage any other notable Republicans in attendance. Especially a favorite foil, US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
While most of the Senate delegation attending were leaders and colleagues who had served with Dole (only eight current Senators served with Dole), Sen. Ted Cruz notably made the effort to pay respects. But while most attendees wore masks and were encouraged to by church staff, Cruz has rather famously made it clear that he will not wear a mask. It is no longer legally required to adorn a face diapermask in the District of Columbia, home to the National Cathedral.
Nearby media captured Cruz, sans-mask, on camera and took immediately to Twitter. Frankly, nobody cared. Being a former staffer and official, I usually follow the lead of most senators on such matters. Since most of them adorned masks, I chose to do the same. There was no requirement for Cruz to wear a mask, and no one in attendance I heard asked him to adorn one.
My only regret was that some media tried to use Cruz to distract from Dole’s service to demean a sitting Republican Senator. Kudos to Sen. Cruz for ignoring the manufactured brouhaha and focusing on the honoree.
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members.
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Thank you for that most inspiring and informative post. As you say, Senator Dole was a remarkable and heroic man in many, many ways.
What an incredible leader. We were so blessed by Senator Dole.
I enjoyed your story of how Dole served the nation. Let me add some stories that I found moving. One of the most terrifying moments when Dole was campaigning was when a mother thrust her baby to him to hold. Dole instinctively backed up. His right hand and arm were strong enough only to grasp a pen, and his left arm was very weak. Dole was terrified that he would drop the baby.
Dole was not able to cut food, so he avoided public dinners.
Dole would prefer to go to meetings at the Democrat leader’s office, so if he wanted to end the meeting, all he needed to do was to stand up and leave!
Dole was on a platform when the front gave way, dropping him to the ground. For a short second, he was startled, but then he got a smile back on his face. https://youtu.be/UIatQSImzU0 What incredible will power.
Dole used to smoke. He stopped cold turkey.
For more Dole stories, see George Will’s column. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/05/goodness-of-bob-dole-george-will/
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The purpose of the filibuster is to prevent one party from running over the other. But the other purpose is for the Senate to come together, reject both extremes, and create settlements that have the support of the middle.
It used to be that the Senate would adopt a bill by a two-thirds vote, with the bitter-enders of the Left and Right gnashing their teeth. That was certainly true of saving Social Security in 1983, and the 1986 Reagan Tax Cuts, both with a Democratic House and Republican Senate.
Obamacare broke that pattern. When Teddy Kennedy died and Scott Brown was elected that was the time for Democrats to stop, and create the deal with Republican and Democrat features. They refused to do so, and created Obamacare ramming through the flawed Senate plan, with the only Republican vote in the House being the short-for-this-world Republican from New Orleans, Joseph Cao, who had won only after the Democrat William Jefferson was found to have $90,000 in his freezer. This is a D+26 district so even voting for Obamacare did not save Mr. Cao.
We returned the favor in 2018 when we slammed the Trump tax cuts through without a Democrat vote.
Biden has both learned and forgotten this lesson; the infrastructure bill that passed with 19 Republican votes in the Senate was a good bill, the so-called social infrastructure bill, or “Build Back Better” is a bad bill, a collection of government programs, which will spend lots of money, and produce few results. The only way it passes is if it can be slammed through the Senate, and thank goodness Manchin and Sinema are holding tough.
When will we learn? Dole was a strong partisan, but who could also see the other side’s point of view. His compromises contained significant Republican victories.
As long as we can continue to produce people like Bob Dole, America will survive. Thank you for an outstanding post.
Thank you for this story and pictures. Wow! A life well lived – our country was and is so much richer because he was a servant in the best sense.
Nothing Big Happens Without Bipartisanship: Unity from Diversity
I have to take issue with this using examples from the original piece. First, social security wasn’t “saved” in 1983, they just raised the SS tax. The structure of FDR’s mandatory Federal Ponzi scheme remained the same and the system is still barreling toward insolvency. The ADA has been an absolute litigation nightmare, it has imposed enormous costs on local governments and small businesses, it has stopped universities from sharing knowledge online, and its broad definition of “disability” allowed courts to declare alcoholism, drug addiction, and HIV/AIDS as “disabilities.” And that “major tenet” of Obamacare that was repealed, the Individual Mandate, was repealed by a Republican Congress acting in a partisan way. The attempt to repeal more of Obamacare was thwarted by “bipartisan” senators John McCain, Lisa Murkowsi, and Susan Collins. As for the “good” infrastructure bill, <20% of it is allocated for roads, highways, and bridges. Vastly greater sums are allocated for mass transit, “green energy,” addressing the lack of diversity in the trucking industry, mandatory systems in new cars to detect if the driver has been drinking, and a trial run at a national mileage tax. (Thanks, Mitt Romney.) And it places Pete Buttigieg and Mitch Landrieu in charge of deciding how all this money will be spent.
The biggest accomplishment of “bipartsianship” is the $33 Trillion National Debt.
There’s a lot here to correct and comment on, but I’ll address just one claim, that social security wasn’t “saved” in 1983. No, it wasn’t, at least for the long term. Dole himself said in 1996 in his Senate farewell address that the 1983 bill would keep Social Security solvent until 2029. He’s been proven almost right (he’s off a couple of years). No legislation is perfect nor is anything “saved” in perpetuity. Even the Constitution has been amended 27 times. The bigger problem is that too many in Congress have bribed people with their own money. The repeal of Obamacare was every Republican’s fault – no one could agree on an alternative. You can’t replace something, no matter the smell, with nothing. My list of bipartisan “failures” is much longer than yours, but I’ll take them over partisan jam-throughs any day.