Former Kansas Senator and Presidential Candidate, Bob Dole died yesterday. Dole overcame disabling war wounds to be elected Senator and became a symbol of World War II Veterans. ABC’s Christine Sloan on his war service:
During his 36 year career on Capitol Hill, Dole became one of the most influential legislators and party leaders in the Senate. He shaped tax policy, foreign policy, farm and nutrition programs and rights for the disabled, preserving protections against discrimination in employment, education and public services in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Dole won a seat in Congress in 1960, representing a Western Kansas House District. He moved up to the Senate eight years later. He served as a committee chairman, majority leader and minority leader in the Senate during the 1980’s and ’90’s. He tried three times to become President. The last was in 1996 when he won the Republican nomination only to see President Bill Clinton re-elected. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998.
Dole visited President Bush as he Lay in State at the U. S. Capital and in a moving moment, he was helped from his wheelchair, stood and saluted the former President and fellow World War II Vet. When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Dole said:
Dole was 98 years old.
