When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, Dole held the chairmanship of the Senate Agriculture Committee's Nutrition Subcommittee and the Senate Finance Committee. In 1996, he was the Republican Party's candidate for the presidency. Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 - December 5, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. [137], In 2009, Dole was hospitalized for an elevated heart rate and sore legs for which he underwent a successful skin graft procedure. He also starred in a parody of his Viagra commercials for "the little blue can" of Pepsi. In 1968, Dole was elected to the Senate, where he served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1971 to 1973 and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from 1981 to 1985. He was an occasional political commentator on the interview program Larry King Live, and was a guest a number of times on Comedy Central's satirical news program, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In 2012, Dole unsuccessfully advocated Senate ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [94] Dole also served as a director for the Asia Universal Bank, a bank domiciled in Kyrgyzstan during the discredited Kurmanbek Bakiyev presidential regime which was subsequently shut down owing to its involvement in money laundering. This was followed by another loss in Illinois, which persuaded Dole to withdraw from the race. The book chronicles his World War II experiences and his battle to survive his war injuries. [91], President George W. Bush appointed Dole and Donna Shalala, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, as co-chairs of the commission to investigate problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2007. January 17, 1997 . Bob Dole, a Republican Party stalwart and presidential hopeful who espoused a brand of plain-spoken conservatism as one of Washington's most recognizable political figures throughout the latter . [116], Dole received the American Patriot Award from the National Defense University in 2004 for his lifelong dedication to the United States and his service in World WarII. The company offers a wide variety of fresh, frozen, and canned fruit and vegetables, as well as a variety of juices and other products. [76], Dole was also involved in many volunteer activities. Seventy-two hours after conceding the election, I was swapping wisecracks with David Letterman on his late-night show. Dole resigned his seat on June 11, 1996, to focus on the campaign, saying he had "nowhere to go but the White House or home". Although during their first meeting Kelikian told Dole that he would never be able to recover fully, the encounter changed Dole's outlook on life, who years later wrote of Kelikian, a survivor of the Armenian genocide, "Kelikian inspired me to focus on what I had left and what I could do with it, rather than complaining what had been lost." [107] In February 2016 Dole donated $20,000 to help pay for a camp for children with cancer in central Kansas. "[114], Dole was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Ronald Reagan on January 18, 1989. Dole was also the Republican presidential nominee in the 1996 election and the vice presidential nominee in the 1976 election. He was in a sense Mr. America, said Mr. Dallek, the historian. Dr. K, as Dole later came to affectionately call him, operated on him seven times, free of charge, and had, in Dole's words, "an impact on my life second only to my family". So it hasn't been all bad. Live Updates: Bob Dole death and reactions - CNN I mean, its gotten to the point where its a little ridiculous as far as this senator is concerned.. Several days later, every southern state voted for Bush in a Super Tuesday sweep. Dole was born and raised in Russell, Kansas, where he established a legal career after serving with distinction in the United States Army during World War II. [136], Dole underwent a hip replacement operation that required him to receive blood thinners in December 2004. Maximizing Your Vegan Product Sales: A Comprehensive Guide. That's not something Bob Dole has ever done, or that Bob Dole will ever do. And the story is a reminder of Bob Doles Washington. [109] Despite being immobile, Dole signaled to an aide to assist him in standing for the U.S. national anthem prior to the ceremony. They had no children. "[12], Dole was paralyzed from the neck down and transported to a military hospital near Kansas. Dec 5 (Reuters) - Former Republican U.S. WASHINGTON When Bob Dole was the Senate majority leader, in the days when Republicans and Democrats at least tried to work together, he routinely walked across the second floor of the Capitol to meet the minority leader, Tom Daschle, in Mr. Daschles office. It was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole, 98, died on Sunday. One of the nice things I've discovered is that when you're out of politics, you have more credibility with the other side . In November 1996, Dole appeared on Late Show with David Letterman and also made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live, parodying himself (shortly after losing the presidential election). Dole remarked that his decisive defeat to Clinton made it easier for him to be "magnanimous". [95], Dole issued a letter critical of Newt Gingrich, focusing on Dole and Gingrich's time working together on Capitol Hill, on January 26, 2012. He was released from the hospital in November 2010. James Dole - Wikipedia Mr. Mitchell, who had not sought re-election, asked that Mr. Dole be alerted that he was coming to his office to congratulate him.