‘A man of principle’
Biden leads tributes to late Sen. Dole
President Biden led a second day of tributes for the late Sen. Bob Dole at Washington National Cathedral Friday, one day after the president honored his longtime colleague in the Capitol Rotunda.
The president, accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, sat in the front row, where they were joined by former President Bill Clinton. Former Vice Presidents Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney and Mike Pence sat in the row behind.
Dole’s widow, former Sen. Elizbeth Dole, was escorted to her seat for the service by Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Elsewhere in the cathedral, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sat between Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) was spotted sitting next to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Actor Tom Hanks — best known for his work in the World War II film “Saving Private Ryan,” as executive producer of the miniseries “Band of Brothers,” and who worked with Dole in building a memorial to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower — was also in attendance.
Former President Donald Trump, for whom Dole repeatedly expressed support, was not there.
In his eulogy, Biden praised Dole’s character, humor and service to his country on the battlefield as well as in Congress.
“I found Bob to be a man of principle, pragmatism, and enormous integrity. He came into the arena with certain guiding principles to begin with: Devotion to country, to fair play, to decency,” said the president, who described Dole as a “genuine hero.”
The president described Dole as “partisan, but that was fine.”
“Americans have been partisan since Jefferson and Hamilton squared off in George Washington’s Cabinet,” Biden said.
“But like them, Bob Dole was a patriot.”
Dole died Sunday at the age of 98. Following the cathedral service, his casket was driven to the National World War II Memorial for a ceremony that included remarks by Milley and Hanks.
Dole’s body was flown to his home state of Kansas late Friday for Saturday ceremonies in his hometown of Russell and at the state capitol in Topeka.