Bob Dole, who has been in state and national politics since 1951, continued his state tour as he stopped in Emporia Wednesday to talk to about 70 area citizens about his fondest memories.
“I’m just traveling around Kansas thanking people for their support over the years and giving me the opportunity to have a great experience representing people of Kansas, regardless of party,” Dole said. “… It’s good to be in the home of William Allen White and see all of the people here.”
Dole was born in Russell on July 22, 1923. He was a WWII veteran, a state representative, a Russell County Attorney, a U.S. representative, a U.S. Senator and a presidential and vice presidential candidate.
“I think my greatest achievement in the Senate was rescuing social security in 1983,” Dole said. “It was about to go broke. In two years, they were going to start cutting the payments. You wouldn’t get your full payment.”
He said 30 million seniors relied on social security.
“So, we put our heads together and tried to figure out a way we could deal with it,” Dole said.
As of Wednesday, he said social security is going to last 10 to 15 years.
“They ought to fix it early before it runs out of money,” Dole said. “… I’m confident. I know my mother used to remind me, ‘don’t let anything happen to social security,’ because that was her sole source of income. I assume some in the audience have had the same experience.”
Dole said he is in good health except for his right knee, he said.
“I have never forgotten where I’m from,” Dole said. “Some — I won’t name any names — go to Congress and forget how they got there and where they’re from. I try to make it a practice to come home often.”
Emporian Alberta Brinkman came to see Dole.
She has known Dole since around the 1950s, Brinkman said. She gave Dole’s staff a container of oatmeal raisin cookies for the former senator.
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5 comments:
sail posted at 12:51 pm on Wed, May 21, 2014.
Conner,im surprised you hold bob dole in such high regaurd,,, are you referring to his war service??
sail posted at 12:47 pm on Wed, May 21, 2014.
bob dole,,,,,,,,,,hmmmm did E-TOWN suffer from his leadership
p,,,,,,,,,,,,,you bet,,,his support of nafta should be treated as his low point,,,,,,,,,,,,how many jobs ,,,good paying jobs did Emporia have that fled to MX ,,,,,,,,,,how many cheap products are we buying from chinamart due to his gatt treaty which has retarded our economy and our dollar,,,,,,,,,,,,showering bob dole with accolades is akin to to praising Capt.Edward Smith...the capt of the Titanic.
KB Thomas posted at 5:54 pm on Thu, May 15, 2014.
The teacher pension fund was the 2nd worst unfunded teacher fund in the nation and I hope this clears up my previous post as it isn't the 2nd worst fund but, thanks to the new administration it is doing much better.
KB Thomas posted at 3:26 pm on Thu, May 15, 2014.
I was able to get a picture with Bob Dole and I told him I was his campaign manager when I was a young guy and shared with him that my daughter is director of Homeless housing for veterans at the Bob Dole Center in Wichita, Kansas.
I was glad to see him back our governor because before Brownback took over the teacher pension fund was the 2nd worst in the nation. I like the idea that he is against big central government.
conner_belfast posted at 11:28 am on Thu, May 15, 2014.
Bob Dole is a Kansas hero, but it's sad that he will be helping Brownback, whose actions and policies are destroying our state, with his re-election campaign.