Thursday, September 4, 2008
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. — Minn. — Bob Dole (R-Kan.) told Kansas delegates to the Republican National Convention on Wednesday that he was getting old, but that he had not lost his sense of humor.
At a private tribute on his behalf, the 85-year-old joked about his sexual libido, Barack Obama’s inexperience and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson’s acting career.
Dole, who is the namesake of KU’s Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, was honored by Ceron, a health care information technology solutions company, for his dedication to health care reform in the U.S.
When Dole was given his award, which a Ceron executive said was “a small token of their appreciation,” Dole said, “What is this? Viagra?”
Dole served in the Senate from 1969 to 1996, and was the U.S. Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987. He was the Republican vice presidential candidate in the 1976 election and the party’s presidential candidate in the 1996 election.
This week he took a break from campaigning for his wife in North Carolina to attend the convention. Dole’s wife, Elizabeth, is currently up for reelection to the Senate.
Dole took a stab at former president and Democratic rival, Bill Clinton, during his speech while describing his role in Elizabeth’s campaign.
“But I’m not doing like Bill Clinton,” he said. “I’m trying to help her.”
He also attacked current Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, playing on the junior senator’s lack of experience. Dole said that when Obama heard about the violence in the country of Georgia, he bought a ticket to Atlanta.
“It’s a slam dunk. John McCain has the experience,” Dole said of the presidential election.
Dole told attendees he thought McCain “rolled the dice” by choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but backed McCain’s selection, and said Palin was a good conservative. He said everyone had problems, but unlike other people, Sarah Palin had dealt with her problems well.
“I bet everyone in this room has had a problem or two, and it makes you a better person,” he said.
Dole’s speech was not all about politics. He also took the opportunity to kid former presidential candidate Fred Thompson. Thompson, who is a good friend of Dole’s, also attended the tribute.
“I don’t really like any program but ‘Law and Order,’” Dole said. “But what I really like is the marathons.”
He said Thompson sent him tapes of the show, but he did not need to watch them because he had seen every episode of the show.
“But at my age, you forget after a couple days,” he said, causing the audience to roar with laughter.
Dole and Thompson served in the Senate together from 1994 to 1996, when Dole retired from the Senate. Dole took Thompson under his wing, helping the new senator learn the ropes.
“He’ll always be in my leader,” Thompson said in a speech. “I’ll always be proud of those years.”
Several Kansas and Missouri Republican politicians honored Dole at the ceremony as well, including Sen. Sam Brownback and Rep. Todd Tiahrt of Kansas.
Brownback, who recently said he would not run again for his Senate seat in 2010, will address the Kansas delegation again at a breakfast Thursday, the final day of the convention.
— — Edited by Kelsey Hayes
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