Dana Perino Honors Bob Dole as a Fighter for Women as His Casket Arrives at Capitol

Kipp JonesDec 9th, 2021, 10:45 am

The casket of late former Sen. Bob Dole arrived at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday where he will lie in state, and Fox News host Dana Perino remembered the popular former Republican lawmaker for being a champion of gender equality.

The former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential nominee passed away on Sunday at the age of 98 after a battle with cancer. Fox News carried live pictures of the Kansas icon’s arrival at the Capitol, and America’s Newsroom hosts Perino and Bill Hemmer commented on Dole’s legacy, noting he was known for reaching across the aisle throughout his long political career.

“That is quite a sight from that camera shot,” Hemmer commented as U.S. service members prepared Dole’s casket for transfer into the building.

“It is gorgeous. Senator Dole, of course, one of the greatest generation who fought against German fascism and Japanese imperialism and helped the United States and allies win the cold war,” commented Perino.

Former Chief of Staff to Sen. Mitch McConnell and podcaster Josh Holmes called into the network and commented on a recent conversation he had with Dole on his Ruthless podcast.

“Bill, it was incredible. We were lucky enough to have an interview with Senator Dole a few weeks ago for a Veterans Day episode we were doing on the Ruthless Variety program. He chose to do it. We knew he was feeling ill and not up to his usual snuff but I have to tell you, we went in there and asked him a few questions and as sharp as he ever was. Body was clearly failing but he had a few messages he wanted to get to the American people at the end. We are very fortunate to be the conduit for that,” said Holmes.

Perino asked Holmes, “One of those messages is that he felt optimistic for the future of the country. Can you tell us more on that?”

“Yeah, Dana. The thing about Bob Dole, everything that he has gone through, the grievous war wounds, the entire career, disappointments and ups and downs and being able to have a good sense of humor through it all got the sense he is an optimist and represented the best of a generation. He thinks our greatest days are beyond us. He said we’re a strong people. I this I that’s what Bob Dole believes in his heart of hearts and what he would like to pass on to future generations is this idea that Americans are just strong people and we’ll get through anything that the world throws at us,” said Holmes.

The three remembered Dole for having a unique sense of humor, which they all agreed remained intact even after he lost the 1996 presidential election to former President Bill Clinton.

Perino then shared that she felt Dole was always supportive of gender equality.

Two thoughts. Josh, like you, I was a Capitol Hill staffer for a long time but on the House side. You are on the Senate side. What was maybe a memory that you have? I always found him to be quite solicitous and encouraging of young staffers on the Hill.

The other thing I was going to mention in my experience I thought Bob Dole was very supportive also of women. Women working on Capitol Hill, women in politics, women running for office, including his own wife, who became senator as well. He had famously said at one of our confirmation hearings, I think it was for the Department of Transportation, his only regret was he ‘had but one wife to give to our nation’s infrastructure,’ which basically highlighted a couple of things. One is his sense of humor but two what you just said, his view that everybody on Capitol Hill is absolutely equal, men, women, no matter what you look like. And he lived that and carried it out in his staff and staff honestly that is still there today. Yeah, he led by example.

Fox then shared video of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden waiting in the Rotunda to honor Dole as he was carried into the building. The Bidens were joined by Dole’s wife Elizabeth and his daughter Robin, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.