Bob Dole, R.I.P.

Ten days ago a statesman who never made it to the presidency

nor the vice presidency yet still left an indelible mark on our

country and our politics passed away; Retired U.S. Senator

Robert J. Dole was 98. 

The native Kansan made service the core of his life. Service in

the Army,  the Kansas state legislature, the House of Represen-

tatives, and the Unites States Senate (where he was at various 

times Senate Majority leader and Senate Minority leader), an

advocate for various charitable causes and organizations, 

and in his political career was an advocate for and practitioner 

of bipartisan cooperation and teamwork. While being highly

critical of his Democrat colleagues, the Republican Senator

Dole made friends with and worked closely together with 

many of them to pass important legislation for, to name but

one effort, an international school lunch program to help

impoverished children around the world, for which Dole 

and Sen. George McGovern (D-SD) were awarded the 

2008 World Food Prize. What made the receiving of this

honor was the fact that Dole was one of the most conservative

members of the Senate when he was a member while

McGovern was one of the most liberal senators (some say 

THE most liberal senator). They bridged the partisan gap 

to do phenomenal work together. 

Dole earned two Purple Hearts for his grievous injuries 

as well as the Bronze Star with a "V" device for valor 

while serving in the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division in

Italy during WWII. He never regained the full use of his right

arm, but never regretted his efforts to gain victory in battle;

he would later write a war autobiography about his battle 

experiences and his battle to regain as much of the use of 

his wounded areas of his body that he could.

Dole also was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by 

President Bill Clinton, to whom he lost the 1996 presidential 

election. Dole made many friends and forged alliances with 

people that held much different politics and political ideas.

Your faithful Peasant knows of no one from either major

political party today who has picked up where Bob Dole left 

off in this regard. 

Farewell to a unique statesman and a great American.

Requiescat in pace.

MEM