Bob Dole

American politician; U.S. Senator from Kansas, GOP vice- Presidential candidate in 1976, Presidential candidate in 1980 and in 1996. He entered the race 4/10/1995, Russell, KS, 10:35 AM CDT, and was defeated by President Bill Clinton on 11/01/1996. Serving in the U.S. Army in WW II, Dole earned two Purple Heart decorations for heroism. He was severely wounded on 4/14/1945, c. 10:00 AM, Pra del Bianco Valley, near Castel D'Aiano, Italy, 11 E.00, 44 N.16. He was paralyzed from the waist down and remained on the critical list for three months. Rehab for 39 agonizing months left him with a withered right arm. Dole studied at the Universities of Kansas and of Arizona with a law degree in 1952. Holding public office from 1951, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1960. After winning the GOP primary by less than 1,000 votes, he was elected to the U.S. House seat and won re-election three times. In 1968 he was elected U.S. Senator. He served as the Rep. National Chairman 1971-73. In 1980 he made a bid for the presidential nomination but dropped out of the race early. He was named Senate Majority Leader in 1985 (and again in 1995) and Senate Minority Leader in 1987. Married with a daughter born in 1955, he divorced in January 1972 and married Elizabeth Hanford in December 1975. In their entire married life they have lived in the same two-bedroom condo. His tastes are simple and he is uncomfortable in plush elegance. Dole was diagnosed with prostate cancer 12/91 while running for his fifth Senatorial term and had successful surgery 12/16/1991. His World War II memoir, “One Soldier’s Story,” was released on April 12, 2005. Link to Wikipedia biography