Bob Dole -1996 Republican Presidential Nominee-89 today

· by · in History, Politics. ·

 

Bob Dole the Republican Parties nominee for POTUS in 1996 turns 89 years old today. Bob Dole is the only person who was nominated from one of the two major parties for vice president and president-who was never elected to either office. He was Jerry Ford’s vice presidential  choice in 1976 when he lost to Jimmy Carter.

Dole served in World War II and was critcially injured in Italy when he was shot in the upper right back and right arm by a German machine gun. It took him 3 years of hospitilization back in the United States to recover. His right hand would be paralized-that is why he held a pen in his right hand all the time so people wouldn’t try and shake that hand.  I would highly recommend a book called “What It Takes” by Richard Ben Cramer. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. He tells the stories of six of the presidential candidates in 1988. This is the best political book I’ve read. I came away with a great admiration for BobDole.

Dole would serve in the U.S. House of Representitives from 1963 until 1969 for the first district of Kansas. He would then be elected to the Senate where he would serve from 1969 until 1996. He was Senate Majority Leader on two different occasions.

He would finally get the Republican nomination in 1996 and beat beaten soundly by President William Jefferson Clinton. I’ve always felt Dole was given that nomination-as a career reward. Clinton wasn’t going to be beaten that year. “Let’s give it to Bob”

Dole never came across well as a campaigner. When he was the VP candidate for Ford- Dole was the attack dog and a lot of people never forgave or forgot that. He also came across as the ultimate Washington insider.

His wife Elizabeth would be elected Senator from North Carollina in 2002 but would only serve one term, she lost her re-election bid in 2008.  BobDole’s health has been in decline in recent years.

I have not done any research on this but it seems to me if you did a study of POTUS and the losing candidates in those presidential elections- these men live a lot longer than the average life expectancy. Happy 89th BobDole.

 

2 responses to “Bob Dole -1996 Republican Presidential Nominee-89 today”

  1. never really was pro or con on Dole. seemed like a genuine person, but that is only what i have garnered from reading about him. i doubt that he and i would agree on a lot, but i think i could respect his opinions.

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