[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 18952-18954]
[From the U.S. 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 6 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 6 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 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.

[[Page 18953]]

       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]
       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.

[[Page 18954]]

       [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.

                          ____________________