[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 119 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9888-S9890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNVEILING OF THE BOB DOLE LEADERSHIP PORTRAIT
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, this summer the U.S. Capitol added a new
portrait to its collection of Senate leaders. It is a face that is
familiar to all of us since he once led this institution and spent 27
years here as a Senator. I refer to Bob Dole, former Senator from
Kansas, chairman of the Finance Committee, majority leader, and
Presidential candidate. His portrait was unveiled in the Old Senate
Chamber on July 25 and now hangs in the Senate Chamber lobby, along
with a painting of Senator George Mitchell, his Democratic counterpart.
He looks very much at home there.
Bob Dole's story is familiar to almost everyone in this Nation: Born
and raised in Russell, KS, he went off to serve in the U.S. Army during
the Second World War. He was seriously injured in combat in Italy and
underwent arduous physical rehabilitation for more than 3 years. He
returned to Kansas, got his law degree, ran for the State legislature,
and served as county attorney. He first ran for Congress in 1960 and
served in the House of Representatives for 8 years. Then, like many of
us, he migrated from the House to the Senate.
The Senate suited Bob Dole. He is a man who speaks his mind, candidly
and forthrightly. Right away he impressed Senator Barry Goldwater, who
hailed the new Senator from Kansas as ``the first fellow we've had
around here in a long time who can grab 'em by the hair and haul 'em
down the aisle.'' While that captures the combative side of the man,
there was also Bob Dole the legislative tactician, a statesman who
sought common ground among 100 Senators to craft legislation that would
best serve the Nation. When President Ronald Reagan sought to shore up
the finances of Social Security, it was Bob Dole, as chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee, working with the ranking member of the
minority, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who forged the bill that stabilized
the system for another generation.
As floor leader of his party, in both the majority and the minority,
Bob Dole stood front and center in the Chamber, shrewd, vigilant, and
masterful. But you could also find him off the floor, sitting in the
cloakroom, a legal pad on his lap, surrounded by a knot of Senators,
drafting the language of an amendment to break a legislative impasse
and get the Senate's business back on track.
He did this all with a ready quip and a limitless sense of humor that
got him and the Senate through many difficult moments. Bob Dole
possesses a sure sense of the ironies of government and the foibles of
politicians. He has used this to great advantage in winning over his
audiences, whether in small groups or vast arenas. He is smiling in his
portrait, as if he had just delivered one of those lines that made his
listeners laugh.
It is a handsome portrait of a man who well deserves the honor of
being included among the artwork of the U.S. Capitol. Future Senators
can gaze on it for inspiration, and it will remind visitors of his many
contributions to our Nation's history. Bob Dole will most likely glance
at it himself when he visits the Capitol and probably make a few wry
remarks when he does. Today he is proudly a Senate spouse, married to
the senior Senator from North Carolina, Elizabeth Hanford Dole, who
carries on his legislative tradition.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record
the proceedings of the ceremony for unveiling the Bob Dole leadership
portrait.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Remarks transcribed From the Bob Dole Leadership Portrait Unveiling--
July 25, 2006 in the Old Senate Chamber
Mr. FRIST: Good afternoon. It's an honor to be here today,
and it's a special honor for me to welcome back a leader
whose title I share but whose service will never be rivaled.
Ten years ago, Bob Dole stepped down from the office I now
hold, and he left invaluable words to all who would follow.
He said, ``You do not lay claim to the office you hold. It
lays claim to you. Your obligation is to bring to it the
gifts you can of labor and honesty and then depart with
grace.''
To congress and to the office of Majority Leader, Bob Dole
brought the gifts of labor and honesty. But what he also
brought was an invaluable perspective. It was a perspective
of a fighter. It was the mind-set of the greatest
generation--the generation who fought on the battlefield, on
farm field, in factory--so America might rise.
From the humble plains of Kansas, Bob Dole learned the
value of fighting one's way up in the world through hard and
honest work. And from the battlefields of war, he learned
that the freedoms we enjoy--the very freedoms that enable a
boy from Kansas to dream big and succeed--were to be fought
for at any price.
To this day, Bob Dole has never stopped fighting for the
America he believed in. Ardently, he fought for a better life
for all Americans--for the disadvantaged, for Americans with
disabilities, for the hard-working farmer trying to raise a
family. And always he has stood tall for America's veterans.
For those who made the ultimate sacrifice, Bob Dole fought to
ensure their sacrifice was never forgotten.
And it was that passion that paved the way to the
construction of the World War II Memorial on the Mall. At the
dedication to that memorial in 2004, Bob Dole said to the
audience: ``what we learned in foreign fields of battle, we
applied in post-war America. As a result of our democracy,
though imperfect, is more nearly perfect than in the days of
Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt.''
Bob, today I say to you, our democracy is more nearly
perfect because of you. America is a better place because
you've been here fighting on our side. From the battlefield
to the Senate floor, thank you for fighting for America.
[applause]
Mr. MITCHELL: Senator Frist, Senator Reid, Senator Dole the
first, Senator Dole the current, friends and family of both
Senators Dole and colleagues, for six years I was privileged
to serve as Senate Majority Leader. Shortly after I was
elected to that position, I went to see Bob Dole. He was then
the Minority Leader, a position he continued to hold during
my tenure as Majority Leader.
Bob had been in the Senate much longer than I had, knew a
lot more, and so I understood that I could learn a lot from
him, as I'd learned from my immediate predecessor, Senator
Robert Byrd. I told Bob that I looked forward to working with
him, and we quickly agreed on a simple set of rules that
would guide our relationship. We would not surprise or
embarrass each other. We would try to work together in good
faith whenever possible. But when we couldn't, we would say
so candidly. And always we'd let the Senate decide.
For six years, we lived by those rules. There were many
difficult issues, some tense times, we disagreed often on
substance and on process, but we never let a harsh word pass
between us, in public or in private. And that is true to this
day. Never in our lifetimes has a harsh word passed betweert
us. We believed in and we trusted each other. All
[[Page S9889]]
of this was possible because of Bob Dole's essential
integrity and his love for the Senate.
Bob's word was his bond. Never, ever did he tell me
anything that was untrue. Never did he go back on his word.
He was more experienced, more knowledgeable, more savvy than
I was, so it would not have been unreasonable for him to
spurn my offer of cooperation. But he didn't. Not because of
me but because of who he was and is.
Born and raised in Russell, Kansas, he acquired early in
life the tone and the values of the American Midwest. So he's
always had intense loyalty to his faith, to his family, to
his country. His patriotism was tested and found not wanting
in the fire of the second World War. In the most direct and
unforgettable way, he learned firsthand the horror of war.
But he also learned why some Wars must be fought in the
defense of freedom.
A long and painful rehabilitation gave him time to try to
understand why he would forever bear the scars of war. I But
it also gave him time to think of how he could best serve the
country he was so proud to defend. The result was a
distinguished political career which is so well-known to
everyone here that I won't try to recite it except to say
that Bob Dole brought honor and integrity to every office he
ever held.
One of Bob's many strengths is his sense of humor, his
ability to defuse tension with a light comment, to find a
laugh in even the most dark and difficult times. I've been
the butt of many of his jokes.
[laughter]
And I can testify that he does it in such a nice way that
makes even the butt laugh.
[laughter]
Our relationship was forged in many long days and nights in
the Senate negotiating over the substance and the process of
legislation. We usually met in my office or his. As many
visitors to our offices noted at the time, his office was a
bit bigger than mine. So I often was asked: how come the
Minority Leader has a bigger office than the Majority Leader?
I always replied that he was entitled to it because he was a
leader before I was.
After I left the Senate, I joined a law firm. Two years
later, we were reunited when Bob joined the same firm. This
is our--today is our second reuniting in recent years. And
when I got there, I couldn't help notice that while I was
tucked away in a tiny office near the attic--[laughter]--he
had literally a whole floor for himself and his huge
entourage. And I was really bothered when I learned that he
had brought along to the law firm his little dog, Leader, and
the dog had a bigger office than I had.
[laughter]
So I asked him about it. And he laughed and he said, ``He's
entitled to it because he was leader before you were.''
[laughter]
Well, it's a real honor for me to be here today to join
Bob's wife and family and friends in paying tribute to a
great and a remarkable American. Bob Dole is to me a
colleague, a mentor, and most importantly a friend.
Congratulations, Bob. It's a pleasure to be reunited with you
again, as we both hang on the wall of this great
institution--hidden away in the lobby, where no one will be
able to see us--an institution which means so much to both of
us and to which you devoted so much of your life.
And speaking of colleagues and friends, it's now my
pleasure to introduce Senator Warren Rudman of New Hampshire.
Warren, Bob and I served together in the Senate and Warren
and I have worked together in several capacities since then.
We served on a committee, and after exposure to Senator
Rudman for a couple of months, one member of the committee
said that Senator Rudman pears to have reached the age at
which he's willing to say anything, regardless of the
consequences.
[laughter]
I replied that actually Senator Rudman reached that point
at the age of nine and the rest of us had been dealing with
the consequences ever since.
[laughter]
Senator Rudman?
[applause]
Mr. RUDMAN: Thank You, George. Bob, Elizabeth, and Robin,
colleagues, friends and family of Bob Dole, when I was
preparing for today, I thought about Bob Dole's extraordinary
record in the Senate and thought of speaking about his many
accomplishments. But they are a matter of record with which
all of you are very familiar.
For me, when I think of my years of friendship with Bob,
there are two endearing qualities that are always uppermost
in my mind. First, I will forever marvel at the self-
deprecating wit of this great American from the heartland.
Second, I have deeply admired his dedication to the
principles and values of this great country. What better way
to share with you my thoughts than to do so in Bob Dole's own
words?
Thus, let me read to you two excerpts from his wonderful
memoir, ``One Soldier's Story.'' First, his wonderful wit, in
this case, given at a most solemn occasion at one of our
country's most important places.
Here are Bob's words. ``Maintaining a healthy sense of
humor is a key to overcoming any setback in life, even when
your setbacks are extremely public. In my speech at the White
House after accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from
President Clinton just a few months after I lost the election
to him, I began as though taking the oath of office. `I,
Robert J. Dole . . .' I paused as the august crowd of
political leaders and members of the press immediately caught
on and roared in laughter. `. . . do solemnly swear. . .' I
continued, without breaking a smile to gales of laughter. I
looked up as though surprised. `Sorry, wrong speech.' The
crowd roared again. `But I had a dream. . .' The audience
chuckled at my allusion to Martin Luther King Jr. `. . .that
I would be here this historic week receiving something from
the President. But I thought it would be the front door key
to the White House.' I looked over and the President himself
was doubled over with laughter.'' And for those of you that
missed that occasion, it truly was a remarkable display of
Bob Dole's humor.
Secondly, his devotion to the principles and values that
George Mitchell referred to that Bob Dole holds so dear.
Again, in Bob's own words. ``Nearly 60 years ago, after I
headed up Hill 913, I concluded my speech at the dedication
ceremony of the National World War II Memorial by saying: `It
is only fitting that when this memorial was opened to the
public, the very first visitors were schoolchildren. For
them, our war is ancient history and those who fought it are
slightly ancient themselves. Yet in the end, they are the
ones for whom we built this shrine and to whom we now hand
the baton in the unending relay of human possibility.
Certainly the heroes represented by the 4,000 gold stars of
the Freedom Wall need no monument to commemorate their
sacrifice. They are known to God and to their fellow
soldiers, who will mourn their passing until the day of
our own. In their name, we dedicate this place of
meditation, and it is in their memory that I ask you to
stand, if possible, and join me in a moment of silent
tribute to remind us all that sometime in our life we have
or may be called upon to make a sacrifice for our country
to preserve liberty and freedom.' ''
Bob, it was an extraordinary privilege to work with you in
the Senate and I'm deeply honored to have had this
opportunity to be with you and to speak in your behalf today.
[applause]
Now I'm pleased to introduce a longtime friend and senior
staff member of Bob Dole's, Rod DeArment.
[applause]
Mr. DeARMENT: Good afternoon. Shortly after I joined the
Senate Finance Committee staff, where I started working for
Senator Dole, he asked me to travel with him on a series of
speeches on the subject of the crude oil windfall profit tax.
My job was to explain the mechanics of the--of the tax. And
at the first event, as Senator Dole gave introductory remarks
and I launched into a review of the structure of the tax,
complete with charts and a pointer. Midway through my
presentation, Senator Dole slipped a note on to the podium,
and I glanced down as I was speaking and--and thought it
said, ``more detail.'' So I dug in and I gave a more thorough
explanation of the base prices, tertiary wells, stripper
well, et cetera. When I sat down and I looked more closely at
the note, I realized it said, ``move faster.''
[laughter]
Well, in time, I learned brevity and to read Senator Dole's
handwriting better.
As I contemplated this unveiling today, I thought about all
the qualities Senator Dole has that are nearly impossible for
an artist to fully capture, no matter how skillful the artist
is. For example, how can an artist truly reflect Senator
Dole's warm friendliness that was evident to all the staff
around this Capitol, from the guards at the door he greeted
each morning, to the cloakroom team, to the restaurant
workers, to the staffers--some of whom are here--that sat on
the back of the couches and were amused by Senator Dole's
comments as he passed by?
It's hard to capture his quick wit and his spontaneous
humor. Much of his humor was self-deprecating, as Senator
Rudman indicated. Hundreds of times he told the story of his
life about how he planned to study medicine. He went away to
the war, suffered a head injury and went into politics.
[laughter]
His humor was never mean, and I can tell you, his quick wit
rescued me more than once from fierce cross-examination
trying to defend things at the chair at the Senate Finance
Committee. It's also hard to capture his boundless energy. He
seemed to revel in early morning breakfasts and late-night
sessions. As we approach this August recess, I recall how
many august recesses Senator Dole threatened to cancel if we
didn't finish a particular bill. Nearly every august recess
there was that threat.
Finally, how can an artist capture Senator Dole's
perseverance, tenacity and spirit? He never seemed to give up
on bills he thought worthwhile. He just kept working. When a
bill got hung up, his instruction always was, ``work it
out.''
[laughter]
TEFRA in 1982 was a tribute to both Senator Dole's
legislative skill and his never-say-die tenacity. Now, before
I get another note from the Senator about moving faster, I
would like to introduce the subject today of this grand
portrait, Senator Dole.
[applause]
Mr. DOLE: Thank You.
[applause]
Mr. DOLE: Thank You.
[applause]
Mr. DOLE: Thank You. Well, first I want to thank everybody
for being here and particularly Senator Frist and Senator
Reid, Senator Rudman, Senator Mitchell, my good friend Rod.
And it's--you know, as Barbara Mikulski said as she walked
by, ``I wouldn't miss this hanging for the world.''
[laughter]
[[Page S9890]]
And some of my colleagues have been waiting for years to
nail me to the wall. So . . .
[laughter]
And I remind you of an old axiom: ``beware of what you wish
for.'' In fact, I understand, as Senator Mitchell has
indicated, that I'm to be hung in the Senate lobby--out of
sight from the public but not far from where distinguished
Members have been known to lie down and take a nap.
[laughter]
So if nothing else, I'll be there to disturb your sleep.
[laughter]
I also want to thank the artist for doing something that
eluded a host of high-priced campaign consultants and spin
doctors: making me look presidential.
[laughter]
Mr. Kinstler certainly made the most of what he had to work
with. It calls to mind the story of Abraham Lincoln, who was
running for the Senate from Illinois against Stephen A.
Douglas. At one point in the campaign, Douglas called his
opponent two-faced. ``I leave it to you,'' Lincoln told the
audience. ``If I had two faces, do you really think I would
use this one?''
[laughter]
I know that actually happened because I was in the
audience. So . . .
[laughter]
Coming back to this place is more than an exercise in
nostalgia. If it feels like a homecoming--and it does--it is
because of two families to whom I owe so much. Elizabeth,
Robin, Gloria, my sister Norma Jean, and Gladys, my sister
Gloria, of all the blessings bestowed on me, none can match
your love and support. I want to thank you for being here
today and for being there whenever in the past.
And then there is the Senate family. And like most
families, it sometimes appears dysfunctional to those outside
its ranks. So doubt could be a little--no doubt it could be a
little more efficient, maybe a little less verbose. But we
should never forget that all the talk and all those rules are
put in place to safeguard our liberties. How much better are
the raised voices of debate than the dull unanimity of the
cell or the grim silence of the Gulag?
Standing in this room where so much history has been made,
I can't help but reflect on lawmakers who not only made me a
better Senator but a better person. And some are here today.
Many are here today. In both parties. Others--too many
others--are present in memory only. I think of Everett
Dirksen and Hubert Humphrey and Barry Goldwater and Pat
Moynihan, for starters. Each of them a patriot before he was
a partisan.
But the Senate family is hardly limited to Senators. Rod,
who just spoke, and Sheila Burke and Bob Lighthizer and Joyce
McCluney, thank you for uncovering me today and for covering
for me over the years.
[laughter]
You serve as stand-ins for hundreds of other dedicated
staff members--many of whom are with us today--who made me
look better than any artist could. Some of you greeted
constituents or wrote press releases. Others crafted
legislation or chased down missing Social Security checks or
made certain that the voice of ordinary Kansans was heard in
this capital city. Whatever you did, each of you has a place
in the Senate's history and always a place in my heart.
When I left this building ten years ago, I said it was up
to the electorate to decide my future address. And in their
wisdom, they decided they'd rather see me in commercials than
in the Oval Office.
[laughter]
And I have discovered that there is, indeed, life after the
Senate.
If not like that other Senator.
So my final acknowledgment is to those to whom I owe my
greatest debt: to the people of Kansas who came to my aid
many, many times when I needed it and did it for many--more
than 35 years. You honored me with your confidence and you
entrusted me with your interests and ideals. And after today,
thanks to the kindness of my colleagues, part of me will
forever be joined in this--to this institution. But the
greater part will be at home on the Kansas prairie, from
which I draw whatever strengt of character I brought to these
halls.
So again, I thank you very much for being here. And may God
Bless the United States Senate, and God Bless America. Thank
you.
[applause]
Mr. REID: We've all heard people, including Senator Dole,
say funny things about him. But everyone in this room should
understand and acknowledge that we have a rare opportunity
today to stand in the presence of a great man, a man who has
changed the history of this country. Think about him.
He came from Kansas, went to fight in the war, was
grievously wounded in that war. Spent not days, not weeks,
not months, but years in a hospital with Senator Inouye--the
same hospital--trying to make a new life out of a life that
had been changed dramatically as a result of the physical
damage to their bodies as a result of that war. Fought
back. Decided he'd enter government and has done that to
the betterment of us all.
Bob Dole, candidate for President. Bob Dole, Member of the
United States Senate. Bob Dole, Majority Leader of the United
States Senate. And he's done it with such grace and humor.
I've learned a number of things from Senator Dole. I've
learned that you should try to be funny. But no one can be
humorous like Senator Dole. I asked my staff, I said, ``find
some things that he said were funny.'' And there were volumes
of stuff. But none of them seemed very funny reading them
because it's his delivery. It's his delivery.
He said, ``as long as there's only three or four senators
on the floor, the country's in good shape. It's only when you
have 50 or 60 of them on the floor you have to be
concerned.''
[laughter]
On seniority--he invented this. It's been used by many. ``I
used to think that seniority was a terrible thing when I
didn't have any.''
[laughter]
After his 1996 campaign: ``Elizabeth's back at the Red
Cross and I'm walking the dog.''
[laughter]
And again after that same campaign, he said, ``at least
Elizabeth is the president of something.''
[laughter]
Senator Dole has worked with Senator Byrd, Senator
Mitchell, Senator Daschle. And as Senator Mitchell said,
Senator Dole was a great advocate. I was there to witness his
advocacy. But the thing about Senator Dole working with these
three Senators that I've mentioned was that they all said
things in a civil fashion to each other. And I--if I had to
say in a sentence what Senator Dole has meant to me, it's
this. And this is a quote. ``Your political opponent does not
have to be your enemy.'' We should all remember that, those
of us who serve in public office. Just because you have
someone that you're opposed to, a particular piece of
legislation, that person's not an enemy.
So, Senator Dole, on behalf of the Reid Family, the Senate
Family and our country, thank you very much for your service.
[laughter]
I would ask that Senator Dole, Elizabeth Dole come forward;
Robin Dole, his daughter; Sheila Burke, who we all know;
Robert Lighthizer, former staff; Joyce McCluney, former
staff, please come forward.
[applause]
[inaudible conversation]
Mr. REID: There will be a reception in S-207. Everyone's
invited.
____________________