Dole Rips Cruz in NYT January 21, 2016

NY Times:
Bob Dole, the former Kansas senator and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, has never been fond of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. But in an interview Wednesday, Mr. Dole said that the party would suffer “cataclysmic” and “wholesale losses” if Mr. Cruz were the nominee, and that Donald J. Trump would fare better.

“I question his allegiance to the party,” Mr. Dole said of Mr. Cruz. “I don’t know how often you’ve heard him say the word ‘Republican’ — not very often.” Instead, Mr. Cruz uses the word “conservative,” Mr. Dole said, before offering up a different word for Mr. Cruz: “extremist.”

“I don’t know how he’s going to deal with Congress,” he said. “Nobody likes him.”

But Mr. Dole, 92, said he thought Mr. Trump could “probably work with Congress, because he’s, you know, he’s got the right personality and he’s kind of a deal-maker.”

The remarks by Mr. Dole reflect wider unease with Mr. Cruz among members of the Republican establishment, but few leading members of the party have been as candid and cutting.

“If he’s the nominee, we’re going to have wholesale losses in Congress and state offices and governors and legislatures,” said Mr. Dole, who served in the House and Senate for 35 years and won the Iowa caucuses twice. He described Mr. Cruz as having falsely “convinced the Iowa voters that he’s kind of a mainstream conservative.”

The only person who could stop Mr. Cruz from capturing the nomination? “I think it’s Trump,” Mr. Dole said, adding that Mr. Trump was “gaining a little.”

He said he had met Mr. Trump only once, 30 years ago. “But he has toned down his rhetoric,” he added. As for Mr. Cruz, he said: “There’ll be wholesale losses if he’s the nominee. Our party is not that far right.”

Mr. Dole repeatedly said he was strongly supporting Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, although he acknowledged that Mr. Bush has had trouble gaining traction.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/01/20/bob-dole-warns-of-cataclysmic-losses-with-ted-cruz-and-says-donald-trump-would-do-better/?_r=0

Bob Dole a Clown? November 1, 2014

Washington Times:

Independent senate candidate Greg Orman, left, talks with a supporter before a campaign event in…
Did Greg Orman, the wealthy businessman running as an independent in the Kansas Senate race, really call Bob Dole, the 91 year-old Kansas Republican political legend, a “clown”? Orman’s remarks, just days before the midterm election, have set off a new round of sparring in his contentious race against incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Roberts.

It happened Friday, as Dole, along with fellow GOP luminaries Chris Christie and Haley Barbour, appeared at a Roberts campaign event. In recent days, other Republican bigwigs, including Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, and Ted Cruz, have campaigned on Roberts’ behalf. So Orman was asked: What about the continuing series of national Republicans who have come to Kansas to campaign for the incumbent?

“It sort of seems like a Washington establishment clown car to me,” Orman answered, according to a transcript provided by his campaign. “You know, every day a new person comes out of that car. You know, ultimately we have gone out and we have brought our case to the voters of Kansas, and everywhere I go, I hear the same things. Kansans think Washington is broken.”

Not long after, Elahe Izadi, a Washington Post reporter covering Orman, tweeted: “Greg Orman referred to Clean Sweep GOP bus tour as a ‘Washington establishment clown car.'”

In the heat of a campaign, a Democrat, or even a self-styled independent like Orman, could probably get away with referring to Christie, et al, as occupants of a clown car. But Bob Dole? In Kansas? The Roberts campaign was quick to jump on Orman’s ill-chosen words. “If he wants to attack me, that’s fine because I’m used to being attacked by liberals,” Roberts said in a statement. “But Mr. Orman owes Sen. Dole an apology.”

Roberts campaign manager Corry Bliss called Orman’s words a “slimy attack” which revealed the independent candidate’s “true colors.” And then Dole himself reacted with a simple statement that bordered on bewilderment. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called a ‘clown’ before,” the World War II hero turned lawmaker and presidential candidate said. “I’m disappointed by Mr. Orman’s statement.”

Asked for reaction, the Orman campaign said Orman has said many favorable things about Dole and would never refer to the former Kansas senator as a clown. “Greg Orman has the utmost respect for Sen. Dole, and he obviously did not call him, or any other person, a ‘clown,'” said Orman campaign manager Jim Jonas in a statement. ”
More :
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/battle-in-kansas-did-greg-orman-call-bob-dole-a-clown-roberts-campaign-slams-slimy-attack/article/2555580

Romney Warns Kansas Against a 3rd Vote for Obama October 28, 2014

Former GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney warned Kansas voters against giving a third vote to President Obama in the 2014 mid-tier elections.
Romney campaigned in Kansas for Republican incumbent Pat Roberts who is an unexpectedly close race with independent candidate Greg Orman.
“A vote for Greg Or,an is a toe for Barack Obama,” Romney told a crowd of about 250 people at the Pinstripes, event center in southern Overland Park,
He continued, ” America, let’s nit make the same mistake three times. Vote for Pat Roberts”.
Romney and Roberts were jones at the event by GOP Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, who is also in a tough re-election battle.
The group was also joined by former Kansas Senator Bob Dole.
Dole told the crowd that Romney ought to run for president agains I. 2016. Most if the crowd cheered loudly when they heard that.
Both Roberts and Brownback sought to cash in on the World Series excitement gripping the Kansas City area.
Brownback was wearing a Royals jersey on the campaign trail and opened each appearance with a shout of “Go Royals!”
Roberts had a Royals baseball cap that appeared to be a couple of sizes too small.
When he put it on at the Overland Park event, he told the crowd, ” Now is not the time to lose faith”.
Later in the day, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal joined the long list of Republicans visiting. Kansas to help the local ticket.
Jindal campaigned with Brownback at a stop at a steel manufacturing plant in Gardner.
Jindal told about 100 people at that stop Brownback’s conservatism should be rewarded with a second term.

Dole Says Age May Be Issue for Clinton as it Was for Him June 6, 2014

Politico:
Former GOP Presidential candidate and Kansas Senator Bon Dole talked to Politico recently about his take on the political landscape.
Here is some of what he said:
“* Whether age is a fair issue in presidential elections: Fair or not, Dole said the subject is as in-bounds for the 2016 Democratic field as it was for him in 1996, when he ran at the age of 73. “We had signs, ‘Dole in ’96,’ and the Democrats in some areas changed it to ‘Dole is ’96,’” he recalled. “Hillary will be, what, 69? Age can be a factor. I think it was in my race, and it’ll be in hers.”
* His own decision to resign from the Senate in 1996: Dole said he never regrets his choice to step down amid the campaign – or only “rarely, not really.” But he admitted to missing the day-to-day give and take of the Capitol, at least on occasion. “Oh, you know, I kind of miss that. When I’m in the office and there’s something red-hot going on in Congress,” Dole said. “I don’t say it was fun, but it was interesting to be, sort of, in the eye of the storm.” Upon further reflection, he allowed: “Yeah, I miss that.”
* Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden: “Do I think she’d be tough?” Dole asked. “I think, with Bill’s help – he did a pretty decent job. In fact, he did a job on me.” For Biden, he has warmer words and a fond memory. “We’re great friends,” Dole said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/d-day-bob-dole-world-war-ii-107496.html#ixzz33s2waCNf

Dole, Bond, Blunt & Brownback Honorary Co-Chairs for KC Convo Pitch December 2, 2013

Former Kansas Senator Bob Dole and Former Missouri Senator ‘Kit’ Bond joins Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Missouri Senator Roy Blunt as the Honorary Co-Chairs of Kansas City’s bid to host the Republican National Convention in 2016.
Kansas City received the bid packaged from the republican national Committee (RNC) last week.
“I am proud to lend my support to the effort to bring the 2016 Republican Convention to Kansas City,” said Dole in a statement Monday. “I believe the city would be an ideal choice to host such an important event for our party.”
“The prospects for the Republican Convention in the Heart of America are exciting,” said Bond in the same statement. “In 1976 Kansas City showed it could host a world-class Republican Convention and the city gained revenue and respect. 40 years later, it would be great to have that opportunity again.”
Senator Blunt and Governor Brownback are also optimistic about the city’s chances of landing the convention.
The first order of business will be to complete the bid proposal the city has. It is due back to the RNC by February 26, 2014.
Other cities being mentioned as the host for the GOP in 2016 include Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and there may be others.
While the main convention session are planned to be held at the Sprint Center Arena in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, the local effort plans to use facilities on both sides of the state line.
In 2012, the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida metro used facilities in both cities to host the Republican Convention