What Did Bob Dole Really Think About Donald Trump?
Tributes are pouring out after the tragic death of Senator Bob Dole on December 5. Dole was a savvy politician, who spent over 30 years in the House and Senate before becoming the GOP presidential nominee in 1996, losing to Bill Clinton. As one of the elder statesmen of the Republican party, some wondered what Dole thought about Donald Trump; the two men could not seem more different.
The former Republican Senator grew up poor in rural Kansas in the Great Depression. His parents and three siblings had to live in their tiny basement and rent out their house to make ends meet, per The New York Times. The farm boy earned two Purple Hearts in World War II, but his heroics came at a price. Dole was wounded and had to spend three years in the hospital recovering from injuries and losing the use of his right hand for the rest of his life due to his war wounds. Donald Trump came from a wealthy family and grew his real-estate business into a luxury brand. According to Business Insider, Trump reportedly received a medical exemption from the Vietnam War because of bone spurs.
So, what did Dole think about Donald Trump? You'll probably be surprised.
Bob Dole said he was 'Trumped out'
When Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, former Senator Bob Dole was one of the only Republican party elders to support him. Dole was also the only former presidential nominee to attend the 2016 Republican National Convention, per CNN. But Dole said he split with Trump after the 2020 election.
In a July interview with USA Today, Dole said, "I'm sort of Trumped out." The straight-talking Kansas Republican told the outlet he believes Joe Biden won the election fairly. Dole explained, "Rudy Giuliani running all over the country, claiming fraud. He never had one bit of fraud in all those lawsuits he filed and statements he made."
But Dole told USA Today that he's concerned about polarization in America. Dole said, "I don't like to second-guess, but I do believe we've lost something," he said. "I can't get my hand on it, but we're just not quite where we should be, as the greatest democracy in the world. And I don't know how you correct it, but I keep hoping that there will be a change in my lifetime." The 98-year-old had kind words for his former colleague in the Senate, saying Biden is "a great, kind, upstanding, decent person."