President Biden led Washington leaders in tributes to the late Sen. Bob Dole Thursday, urging Americans to follow the Kansas Republican’s example and “reach consensus on the basic fundamental principles we all agree on.”
Dole, who died Sunday at age 98, was a senator for more than 27 years and speakers took turns in the Capitol Rotunda recalling his bravery in World War II and his role in passing disability rights legislation.
“Bob and I, like many of us here, we disagreed on a number of things, but not on any of the fundamental things,” Biden said. “We still found a way to work together. We genuinely respected one another as colleagues and as fellow Americans. It was real. It wasn’t fake.”
Quoting a “final message” from his Senate colleague of 23 years, Biden read, “I cannot pretend that I have not been a loyal champion of my party. But I’ve always served my country best when I did so, first and foremost, as an American. Where we prioritize principles over party, humanity over personal legacy — when we do that, we accomplish far more as a nation.”
“At the end of the day, we’ve always found ways to come together,” Biden continued quoting Dole. “We can find that unity again.”
“America’s lost one of our greatest patriots,” said the president, who added: “The truth of the matter is, as divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity. consensus — the only way. May we follow his wisdom and timeless truth and reach consensus on the basic fundamental principles we all agree on.”
Leaders of both parties reflected on Dole’s sense of humor, despite setbacks that included suffering severe wounds in northern Italy during World War II and losing the 1996 presidential election to Democratic incumbent Bill Clinton.
“He did have great wit,” Biden said. “They once asked him, why in God’s name did he vote to continue to fund Amtrak? He said because if he didn’t, Biden would stay overnight and cause more trouble.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) described Dole as”the last of the greatest generation to run for president,” but added that “he was never stuck in the past.”
“Bob liked to joke that he planned for longevity by closely studying our most senior colleagues,” McConnell recalled.
“He had a whole comedy routine about how he had tried to copy Strom Thurmond’s eating habits,” added the minority leader, referring to the former senator who died in 2003 at age 100. “‘Strom takes a shrimp, I take a shrimp. If he eats a banana, I eat a banana.'”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also commemorated Dole.
“By 21, Bob had given more of himself than most of us given a lifetime,” Schumer said. “And then he kept going for 77 years after that. And my God it was 77 years well spent.”
The New Yorker alluded to a popular DC joke that the most dangerous place in Washington is between Schumer and a TV camera.
“Bob and I never worked together in the Senate, but I was not spared his famous ribbing,” Schumer said, adding: “Don’t worry Bob. It’s safe to be between me and the cameras today.”
The president and first lady Jill Biden entered the Rotunda at 10:04 a.m., following Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and congressional leadership.
Following the brief ceremony, Dole’s widow, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), briefly rested her forehead on the flag-draped casket as she paid her respects to her late husband.
Dole’s body will lie in state in the Rotunda for 24 hours before a private funeral Friday at Washington National Cathedral.
The service will be livestreamed at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall and the motorcade carrying Dole’s casket is scheduled to stop by the memorial for an afternoon ceremony featuring Elizabeth Dole; Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; actor Tom Hanks and NBC “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie.
The casket will be flown to Dole’s home state of Kansas Friday evening for Saturday services in his hometown of Russell and at the state capitol in Topeka. Details of Dole’s burial have yet to be announced.
