which is the official student organization of the dole institute. to haveator dole agreed his records kept here at the university of kansas, he stressed the importance of doleving students at the institute. i am pleased to report that the dole institute has an extremely active student advisory board and is experiencing record turnout at events, meetings and volunteering. over 100 students attended our first kickoff event and attended our first meeting. as the student advisory board, we purchase of the in many activities, including event andning, discussion community involvement. on behalf of the student advisory board, i have the honor of welcoming senator dole and senator kassebaum to the dole institute. dole has long been a role model of my. during a time as a student and in turn, he has always been happy to meet me at his office in d.c., or saying hello at the world war ii memorial. i have not met senator kassebaum before today, but i am so happy to meet her and welcome her here. senator dole and senator kassebaum are not only giants of the senate, but are examples of the best that our country has to offer. before we begin, i would like to remind you to turn off your cell phones. if you need hearing assistance at any time, please alert a staff members student volunteer. during the question and answer. , please raise your hand and ask for a microphone. now it is with great pressure that i introduce -- pleasure that i introduce this doctor. cody.nk you good evening and welcome to the dole institute. giants of the senate, with senators bob dole and nancy casaubon. today's interview will be conducted by the director of the dole institute, bill lacy. there is not enough time to recognize the immediate special donors.nd thank you all for joining us and thank you for your support of the dole institute. both giantsts are of kansas politics, and own a combined 53 years of service in the united states congress. hailing from russell kansas, senator bob dole was a world dust was a veteran and began his career in public service in 1950. in 1968 he was elected to the united states senate where he would represent the state of kansas for 28 years. he reserved -- he was elected senate majority leader and served as his party's leader until 1996. making him the longest serving republican leader in the history of the u.s. senate. senator nancy casaubon was born in topeka, kansas. she won an election to the u.s. senate in 1978 and was the only senaten the 100 member year.er rivals that she was a prominent member of many senate committees are including serving as a senior member of the foreign relations committee and becoming the first woman to chair a major senate committee. she represented the state of kansas for nearly two decades in the senate. and senatorr dole kassebaum, kansas was in good hands. ladies and gentlemen, it is an absolute pleasure for me to welcome the former united date senators, robert dole and nancy casaubon. give them a warm welcome. [applause] bill: senators dole and nancy casaubon, thank you for being with us and welcome back to the dole institute. it is great to have you. do we have everybody's microphone on? former senator dole: not fair, they all got a mic. former senator kassebaum: hello. let's start with a question for but start with a question for you, could you tell us about your upbringing, your education and what led you to a career of a big service. former senator kassebaum: i never dreamed i would be running or united states senator, running for office. i grew up in topeka and spent a lot of time hiking over to the coral river. at that. of time when i was growing up, time when ieriod of was growing up, my parents did not believe in swimming in the river. it was that and walking the railroad tracks. i had a good time campaigning. in those times you could tack up posters, now you cannot do that. fun, going around and tacking the campaign posters. i would do that for other candidates when i was going up. inemember will d roosevelt 1940, my neighbor and i thought josh we didgreat not have very many neighbors -- we did not have very many neighbors. we would yell wilke or roosevelt and that way we could decide how the election would come out. now it isator dole: either trump or, what is the other one, clinton. [laughter] us about that first race he had in 1978. former senator kassebaum: there was a lot of us, i think seven in total. i was very fortunate to have gone to ku where i could call on people that i knew. ifot in late, but if it -- they were helping someone else, they would suggest someone else that i could see for the campaign. i also had four children at kansas state. i was able to go to school and get helpers in the campaign. volunteers, i could not have one without volunteers. enjoyable, it was a close , but that is how i won with good volunteers who really helped all the time. former senator dole: you won because he deserved it. former senator kassebaum: well bobby you pave the way. what were your feelings when senator kassebaum was elected, knowing she would be one of your colleagues? former senator dole: i was very happy, we had a great relationship. ,e were proud to be traditional kansas, republican conservatives, which mean we understood to get things done, r's but nancynd and i also had friends on both sides. [applause] you developor dole: a trust when you get to know someone. , youyou trust each other can talk to each other about how can we work this out, how can we settle this so we can pass this bill. nancy did a better job at that than i did. i learned a lot from her, and i'm learned a lot from howard baker. mentor, he was the majority -- in 1981 reagan slept us into the majority into the and he hadthe house been tempered to the finance committee for 17 years. suddenly i became chairman of the finance committee. i remember once they called the l, they always tell you the , and he said mr. voters. and the .thought i was the chairman [laughter] he was a wonderful guy, he has the right attitude. he knew to have sense to not call each other names. i want to think the chancellor for all the help they had given the dole institute, which i think is an asset to ku. [applause] bill: you are one of the first women elected to senate in your own right. can you talk a little bit -- and you also were the first to chair a major committee. did you talk about the challenges you faced as a woman going into the senate with having only one trailblazer -- trailblazer and how that might be different for challenges that women in public service face today. irmer senator kassebaum: think there are different challenges for both men and women, as bob touched on, but i always said i was te senator, nr for women. i thought it was important to be able to show that we are all there addressing in many ways, the same issues. if i spent a lot of time worrying about whether or not i was being taken seriously, i would be wasting a lot of my time. , there is arry senate dining room and there is only a senate dining room. there is the republican table and the democratic table. i must have been there half a year before i went through that door. maybe you took me bob. it was not that i was afraid to go, i just wasn't sure if i wanted to bother. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: they wouldn't tell me dirty jokes. simpson said he had to clear his jokes through his wife. billnk i would have to say that the problems now are different, but they are significant. for both of us, the worry is that people are not willing to work across the aisle. you do not spend the time as your committee chairman, and a lot of shrink lies in those committee chairman. as finance chairman you had tremendous power, but you always worked with the entire committee. it was the chairman who really exercised that initially, i think today. but when i chair, which is now called the health committee, which is a silly name. [laughter] it wassenator kassebaum: the old labor committee and handles health issues. ted kennedy was either major or minor leader, and we worked back and forth together. i had some people ask how did i work with ted kennedy? you can when you care about the issues, and he did in health care. i think today, what really is a concern is that people do not , and even, or respect root respect for those who -- and even respect for those who might disagree with you all of the time. there has to be something that you feel is important in that respect. we are really lacking it today, and i think that is why so many people say i am so tired of this yelling and shouting so we may not vote. that is unfortunate too. that is a longer answer than you wanted, but it leads me to what i think is a real issue today. maybe trying to understand why there is such discontent in the public. nobody is paying any attention, nothing is getting done. i can tell you when bob was , we were in the senate 18 years together, but bob was leader for six of those years. former senator dole: i thought i was leader even after i left. [laughter] maybe senator kassebaum: it was, you took over in 1984 and i did not leave till 86. you still work. then howard was leader for four years. i cite you bowled really work with your committee's chairman. you made sure you pointed out and you were working together. i think that is what we need to instill again. bill: i would like to ask both of you, and i will start with you. name a couple of three leaders that you work with that you really admire. former senator kassebaum: well, bob. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: and that is true. and howard, yes of course, howard. howard however, after i married him i told him i would never call him leader again. [laughter] hemer senator kassebaum: also had a rule that i could not believe, and i might share with you, but i grew up and we always talked at the dinner table about public affairs and what was going on. dad like to talk about local gossip in the state as well as national. it was he who did most of the talking. we all sat around the table and we exchanged. familycame to visit the in 1996, right at the time of the democrat convention. we were all arguing about that and someone said, so howard what you think about the convention? it is my rule that we do not talk politics or religion at the dinner table. so i set will what you talk about? [laughter] former senator kassebaum: i , i workede to say with a lot of colleagues, -- but i admired and i think we all had a fairly convenient time at that time. he followed you after you step lott.nd 96, trent former senator dole: i thought i was going to be president. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: we all did. former senator dole: it was too late for a recount. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: anyways, i tell you who i miss and disagreed with. reagan, i have been in the room with him when he was trying to talk about something that we did not agree with -- on , but he always managed to find some way to end the conversation in an upbeat way. i really miss that today. i really miss that sense of , and hopethusiasm that things could be worked through. certainly, you who are leaders here at the universe -- at the university, have to know that that is needed and it takes time, patience and dedication that i do not think many are willing to give in congress today. i am very disappointed to say that in the congress. it is easy to say now that i am not there. [applause] could you mention a couple of leaders that you really admire? former senator dole: me? [laughter] howardsenator dole: baker, as i said earlier, i learned a lot from howard. because of the way he dealt with people. i don't care what ever you do, if you are not surrounded by , you have far in your life to go. i think when nancy and i were , we had as many democratic friends as we did republican friends. i would go over on the democratic side and sit down with one of the democrat that we would not talk politics, we would talk about wherever they were from and where i was from, our families. i do not think that is totally think there have been 40 bills at least in the senate which were bipartisan. i think it is starting to come back a little, not as much as it should, but i think there is the recognition. at least that has been my experience of 36 years in congress, some say that was too long and others thought i should run again. those two people are gone. [laughter] former senator dole: nancy and i, i want to get back to nancy kassebaum was always the most popular politician in kansas. i was 30 or 40 points behind. former senator kassebaum: you always exaggerate. [laughter] former senator dole: no, it's true. .ancy had a way about her she was certainly willing to engage people. if you are going to be good at anything, you have to learn to listen. people have problems, and you have some politicians who are haven'tng through town .earned anything yourself we had town meetings where people could come to town meetings, and we would speak, then we would take questions. people would say bob i have a little problem. i was a good, i'll give it to nancy as soon as i get back. [laughter] itmer senator dole: i think is improving, a little bit. former senator kassebaum: let me ask you bob. in our day there, we had not set up an e-mail system yet either. time for me to leave when they said they would e-mail all of the senators. i do not have one yet, that is true. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: but think of everybody that tweets today, that is how people get to hear things. , thatt goes out instantly is how donald trump got where he is. he tweets everybody. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: that's why i -- former senator dole: that's why i started tweeting in 1992. there would be a tweet today about me and you. former senator kassebaum: who is going to tweak that, are you? bill: they will do it for sure out of the dole institute. [laughter] during the 1988 and 1996 campaigns, i remember being in senator dole's office a lot or it i would always run into senator kassebaum. i always enjoyed that because some of your colleagues were not to staff ofable presidential campaign. senator kassebaum was always eat a light. you guys worked together very closely. could you talk about some of the things you worked together on? former senator kassebaum: i will give you one example. the americans for disability act, because this is the 50th anniversary year? oh gosh. .hat was very controversial it went through finance committee, a winter the committee i was on. several different committee said jurisdictions for different part of that bill. , and i majority leader would have to say today, i saw him call people into the office, all of the chairman, all of the members of that committee that were intricately involved in that legislation, and i do not have worked if it had not been for bob as a majority leader. he called us all together, people would argue upper down. down.or you tell a story of someone who is getting a bad time to everybody, didn't you tell them to get up and leave? former senator dole: no, there was a republican and we had a conference and i was trying to .et votes you cannot win unless you have votes, and he was very contrary. pal,hought i was a big zir so i said to you want to be the leader? if you do, let's have a vote right now. come up, we will have the conference vote. he sat down and i did not hear much from him afterwards. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: but , of is an example i think one issue that i know where there was a lot of controversy, not controversy but people were concerned about an aspect of the bill. it just that kind of leadership as majority leader, and his dedication to it to make it work. former senator dole: that is one that i worked with ted kennedy. former senator kassebaum: that is true. former senator dole: if you want to work with kennedy, you have to be prepared. he always had an excellent staff. my view is, you are never better than your staff. that is true at ku, or anywhere else. if you have a good staff, you will get the credit and they will do a lot of the work. ,artin luther king holiday bill thurman was chairman of the committee and i remember we took bobbill up and he said would you watch this for me for a while? kennedy was on his side, i did not see thurman for three days. worked out the martin luther king holiday bill, the republicans do not get much credit for. nancy and i i think have a perfect civil rights record. i do not understand people that do not see each of us as americans are regardless of ethnic city, background, or .hatever it was really a great experience, and it would not have happened without a lot of the people in this room, and the same with nancy. .hose who supported us you cannot win unless you have , ande in every county douglas county is a tough one. [laughter] former senator dole: working for you. people who voted for me in douglas county are still alive. [laughter] former senator dole: we have protection for them. [laughter] --mer senator dole: they are they are all my friends. i will just keep working on it. senator, would you take a moment to describe one or two pieces of legislation that you were especially proud of being involved in. former senator kassebaum: i allk one was working almost of my 18 years on trying to get -- liabilityon protection for commercial aviation. -- whenilling a smaller out of business at the time, and certainly being from kansas beach and cessna, they were really struggling. that is a potent lobby of lawyers who really had trouble wanting to limit, in any way liability. of, i think aton times we get carried away and that people can see what is in the road in their way. the most trivial thing in the aviation industry, commercial aviation industry at that time under.lly worked, and worked, and worked. this was in the commerce committee, and i was on the committee. you had to be connected with the aviation industry in the commerce committee. i went on there when i was first .elect it -- elected it was a real pleasure to finally see working across the aisle with a lot of people, finally getting that legislation passed. it did provide give and take, but some ability to help the way toy feel there was a be better addressed. i worked a lot on health care issues. at one of them was hillary clinton's first health care bill . you workedtor dole: for her? dider senator kassebaum: i not work with her, that was when she was first lady. she had a big health care bill, similar, somewhat to the affordable care act. we had two full weeks of hearings. i learned more about health care through those hearings, and that is an example of what is missing today. , a lot of all on cnn give-and-take about what was involved. i remembered meeting with her ate, one-on-one with staff her office over at the white house. she did not see any need to she -- my concerns, but there were a lot of difficulties in that bill. tooknk the thing that was from that was maybe a better understanding of what the problems were, the difficulties of trying to address them in such a major way. it never got out of our committee. bob you do not have to deal with it on the floor. that, ithings like guess one thing i have to see because i chaired the african subcommittee for many years. it breaks my heart to see some of the advances there that were made that seem to not hold up. thing that i was pleased with, working with sanctions, which on a whole i am not a supporter of sanctions, but sanctions with south africa and trying to bring them into apartheid and worked with the house. i know president reagan had a problem with that, and i have to say it bob, i'm sure you would have been with us, but that is an example where as a leader you have no choice but to represent the person's point of view on that issue. we did override president -- president reagan's veto. -- i think it symbolize that we cared about africa. things like that. both of you, senator dole you attended ku before the war, and senator kassebaum you graduated from ku. share some of your memories about ku. yes sir, you can start. former senator kassebaum: -- former senator dole: i buried my transcript. [laughter] former senator dole: it will never be open while i'm alive. . [laughter] i was senator dole: when here, war broke out. everyone was volunteer for the air force, armory or whatever. , and weo have a party had several parties almost every night. [laughter] former senator dole: we did not really feel like going to class. well on logicoo and things like that. i still cannot do too well. former senator kassebaum: you miss having to take western civics. how many here remember western civ? former senator dole: nancy forgot to mention she did a lot in rule health care and mental .ealth care you can feel the room with things that nancy have been involved in. somer senator kassebaum: things we do not bring that. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: you asked what i was glad i worked on, well. former senator dole: don't mess with that amendment. anyways, we can look now and hope that we did things that .ere helpful to people of course, i came from the farm part of kansas and farmers were wonderful. i do not care which party, they were wonderful people. very closehad a race. the day before the election, i got in an airplane and went all over western kansas. votes came in, it was western kansas who carried the -- for me by 14,000 points 14,000 votes. my opponents, some of you may and abortionbill became a big issue and that came -- campaign. that ithe first state became an issue, and all of the press came out. it was in the new york times and all of those tv people, and we strange people on each side of that issue. wereof my supporters carrying fetuses around and hr -- in a jar. that bothered me for several years. about three years ago i called bill roy. i said bill, this is bob dole and i have been wanting to call not had theave courage because i wanted to ask you if there was anything that i did in our campaign that i did personally that was offensive to you? hethought for a minute and said i cannot think of a thing. , and it want any enemies am 93 so i will be around another 10 or 20 years. [laughter] former senator dole: and nancy is only a child. [laughter] former senator dole: so she will be around 30 years. here?le robinson in he is senator kassebaum: here standing up to the right. former senator dole: he just celebrated his 100th birthday. [applause] former senator dole: he still works everyday raising angus .attle i called him on his birthday, the key he probably could not and it see, or whatever sounded like he was about 45 or 50. he told me what he did every day , and i said you are in inspiration, and he is. here he is today. is your daughter with you? yes, she is there. i wanted to recognize him we are living longer, there is more technology, , butvements in health care he told me he was in great health. he probably has not seen a doctor. [laughter] bill: senator kassebaum do you want to share some of your ku experiences and what you remember about ku. former senator kassebaum: dean smith and i were back here, oh gosh, i do not remove or how long ago that was. maybe about six years ago. maybe it was longer than that. dean was a year ahead of me in high school and ku. we were -- here to help for the bob nash center. we were asked to reminisce, both of us were trying to think. where the dynamite, and most of the places i knew are no longer. i would say, one thing i was glad, martha peterson was here as dean of women. , new goal was put in place there were two women storms at that time. suggestion was, the freshman girls lived for a year in the dorms before they could pledge in a sorority. i thought that was a good idea. so i volunteered to be a counselor. so my junior and part of my senior year i was a counselor. i decided that those girls probably knew more than i did. i had very hard for me, no authority to say no you cannot hide that bottle under your bed. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: i do not know how good of a counselor i was, but that is one thing that i enjoyed a lot doing. this senior year i went back to the sorority so that i could graduate with some of my friends , but most of them were getting married before they graduated. .t was a different time i really enjoyed the experience that i had been. it was fun to reminisce, but i think you are race some of the things you don't want to remember, as you say burying your transcripts. did well,ber that i but i quizzed out of math and did not have to take it in those days. thank goodness, or i would have had to bury my transcripts. [laughter] former senator dole: nancy made all a's here. former senator kassebaum: no i didn't. former senator dole: what did b?u get one this was before world war ii, i knew once i came back if i can ease my hands, i had to use my head or it i decided to go to -- my head. , decided to go to law school made all a's and one b because i learned. i grew up in the army and understood, you are not handed anything, you have to work for it just like everybody. you make your contributions. every day you help somebody, maybe you make a phone call to some relative you have not talked with, or somebody that is in the hospital. the little things are really important. i have to tell the story about president reagan. my wife elizabeth, who was also a senator from north carolina for one term. she and ronald reagan, i think at the time was secretary of transportation. they just happen to be alone in , and elizabeth said mr. president how do you get all of this done? how do you handle all of the stress? well, there is someone up there helping me everyday. he was a man of faith, and he understood that if god has a us, which he does, and he believed it and practiced it. i listen to jolo alstyne -- joel and he is very positive about what we can do, and about what will happen and not worry about finances or health. "i willite song is , i think it ise" a spiritual song and i know that somebody is walking with me. i wish he would fix my knee. [laughter] bill: both of you have referenced today how things were when you are in the senate and how you enjoyed having friends, and working across the aisle. why do you think things have gotten so polarized and difficult in congress today? former senator kassebaum: do you want to go first? [laughter] former senator kassebaum: i yield to my leader. former senator dole: i think it is getting a little better. and i watch congress pretty someday i might get a chime in. as i said earlier, in the senate , they have already past 40 bipartisan pieces of legislation, which indicated to turnat it was starting to and the leaders were working together. the press always says the congress is not doing anything, so we do not know if we listen to tv and radio, maybe they are right, maybe all politicians are stupid. i never met but one or two, they were borderline. [laughter] the peopletor dole: i worked with, and the people nancy worked with were just good people. they were men and women that were elected to serve the people , not serve themselves, or have come ton agenda, but to washington because they were , anded as a representative that means you want to represent the people. i think nancy and i learned that along the way. my parents did not have much money but they were great parents, and they taught us hard work and discipline. it means a lot. i know in this audience, you are all good parents. i worry about young people, and what it will be like in 10 years . as bad as it is now, what is it in new hampshire, the heroine and hundreds of death of young people. -- new hampshire is a small state. we need some leadership to get more young people interested in public service. it does not have to be in federal service, but public things than other hanging out. they are now bringing colorado fog into western kansas. i do not think that is a good idea. i could be wrong, i have been wrong plenty of times, but i always landed on nancy. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: i guess i would just add, i think it is important to always think .ositive about the events it seems to me we are really, significantly in major changes that are taking place around the world. are so much more interconnected today. youy evening on the news hear some new place about something. i feel strongly that it is so important today to know history, to understand what happens in the unintended consequences of actions we might take in decisions. i think here at home, trying to understand the unrest that has boiled up in the campaign for donald trump, or for bernie there was a great deal from the youth who feel they are not getting the attention. somewhere, we all i think have major responsibilities in our communities, or how we talk about these issues so that we can work through some of what will be needed ahead. right init does start our communities, whether you are willing to serve on the school board, which is probably more difficult than being a senator. your county commission, your is whereislators, that it needs to start and began. reallyto say, i really, am terribly disappointed in my own republican party with the leadership that donald trump has given us. i do not like the language he has given us, i am sorry bob. [applause] irmer senator kassebaum: respect you as a former nominee feeling you lent support for that party, my party, not that party. but i cannot help but say it does not help us to come together in a thoughtful way of respect, of understanding what government is really all about. i have a hard time when i hear him speak, and beating of him giving a state of the union thinking of him giving a state of the union speech. occurring,or changes not only within our own country and you cannot just say b will build a wall and keep everybody 25 millionill hire people when i am elected, but let's talk about it. what is changing and what is happening, not sell and talk about somebody and call them names. i feel it does not serve the country well. sorry, that is my speech. [applause] former senator kassebaum: i could not get into it, because to me i am more sad than mad. i thinkenator dole: nancy is undecided on the presidential phrase. [laughter] former senator dole: i have talked to donald trump and told ,im to tone down his rhetoric and to start talking about policy. people want to know what you are going to do. if you were to listen to all these debates, they never mention congress. they will not do anything unless ory get it through congress, do it by executive order, which i do not think will happen. former senator kassebaum: well he might. he might decide that is the way to do it. former senator dole: i do not know about donald. former senator kassebaum: you talk to him, do you think you'll listen? [laughter] former senator kassebaum: you have might to get to try and -- you have my ticket to try and talk to him. former senator dole: i am old enough to be his father. i tell him that i lost in 1996, but i do not remember -- i always thought bill clinton was my opponent not my enemy. you have to approach it that way . it has gotten all a lot of so a lot of people will stay home election day, which i do not think contributes much. i have been a republican all of my life, and my party has been , and people in kansas have given me many opportunities. i went to the convention in -- i did notd at know mrs. trump was going to introduce me. former senator kassebaum: i'm glad she did, and you should have been introduced. you were there representing the veterans as well. that was very important at that convention. former senator dole: plus, there were a lot of kansans there and i got to meet them all. im not running for anything, and less something pops up. [laughter] i think i need to reassert control appear -- up here. [laughter] quite a fewe members of our student advisory board here. i want all of them to stand right now and be recognized. there you go, excellent. [applause] bill: you can say the word. former senator dole: i have 20 members in my family, i lost my sisters and brother, but their others, there are 20 here and they came from colorado, oklahoma and all over the state of kansas. to all the fans, they are all in there somewhere. [applause] former senator dole: they are right up front. they are an example of hard-working, middle-class americans, never been in trouble , i am very proud of everyone of them. sometimes it is tough to get a job and to make enough money for your families, but they have never given up and they persevered. i wanted to be sure we had a crowd until i invited them. [laughter] bill: i will do the same thing, senator kassebaum has some family. i will ask them to stand. former senator kassebaum: it is not that big. one is a student here though. [applause] bill: two of her granddaughters are attending k you. probably making all a's. what would you tell the students who are here today about the importance of being involved in public service? former senator kassebaum: you go first. -- former senator dole: you go first. former senator kassebaum: i think we both would share the same sentiment. it can be fun to volunteer, it is a way to meet a lot of people if you go door to door. i have still done it. have gone toago i the door and they say, what are you doing here? i was doing it for me. it was terribly important, and one way or another, i think just the students who are helping who -- i had a daughter who graduated from college and went to nicaragua to coach for a soccer team. , young nicaragua town women who had to do well in education. group andgo volunteering. it was something she gained a lot from. on ins not continued either soccer or education at this point, but is still looking for a job. i think for everybody, it is inortant to be a participant one way or another. there was always something one can do. maybe it is just reading to children at the library. former senator dole: or reading your e-mails. [laughter] --mer senator kassebaum: former senator dole: nancy and i talk on the phone a lot. we talk about everything, politics. former senator kassebaum: to see how her friends in our age group are getting along. former senator dole: and some are getting [indiscernible] . i do a lot of work for veterans, animals, disabled, volunteer. every saturday a go to the world war ii memorial, i have the doing it for five years because that is the day that they fly the old guys, well they are not .eally that old, 90 something they have what you call on her flight. hopefully your grandfather or dad if they are eligible, it does not cost them a dime. it is a very emotional flight for these men and women when .hey walk into that memorial think about what they did as a service, and in the there is a lot of kleenex being used. it is not because they are sad, it is because they are emotional. was 100 and one years old -- 100 when years old, he had his world war ii uniform on and he was walking around like he was about 50, i said to him can i ask you your age. 101, and i said why are you doing all these things so well and he said i don't know i just take care of myself. i drink a cosmo now and then. [laughter] former senator dole: he is an inspiration. a lot of people were inspiration. there are probably 100 people in that are, or more lazy, and the rest are inspirational. where is barbara? former senator kassebaum: he is in the back. irmer senator dole: nancy and , and we love to work with the people here it sometimes we just cannot agree or cannot help them. our policy was, when we got a kansasfrom somebody in had a social security or whatever problem, you sent them a letter immediately saying we are going to work on the problem but it may take us a while we just want to let you know that we received your letter. that means a lot. that is like a walking billboard when they tell their neighbors and their friends that nancy kassebaum does these things. and she does. we do not have any secrets on what to do maybe it is just a greatwe are just from state where the people are friendly. and all of my political career, i have only had three people who .efused to shake hands with me i have been around all over remember in and i colby, kansas we had a controversy and had a town meeting and a lot of people showed up. right on the front row were for farmers, tough looking guys, and they all had little caps on. dole.p's said, dump i put them down is undecided. [laughter] you cannottor dole: if -- ifraged everybody agreed with you a -- it would be a dull life. you need to hear the other side. this is really the states woman right here. she is so shy. [applause] bill: i have one final question, then we will have a few minutes for a few questions from the audience. senator dole, you started to talk a little bit about senator kassebaum, but this'll be my last question. tell us how she brought up health with her leadership? former senator kassebaum: you know he will not be critical. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: we all had some criticism one way or another. former senator dole: i do not remember you getting any, i had a lot. was liked by everyone, the that does not mean there was not disagreements when people disagreed with her from time to time. but as a person, which is very important, she had to respect, i do not think you had any enemies, did you? former senator kassebaum: well i am keeping it a secret. it is just like your transcripts, i will not tell. former senator dole: she did not have any. [laughter] former senator dole: the only senator i can never get close to, was a lady named barbara boxer. former senator kassebaum: she was on the other side of the aisle. former senator dole: i know, but i would say hello barbara and she would just write -- walk right on by. i would try to be friendly and i do not think she liked me. [laughter] former senator dole: she is leaving the senate this year. it will be another democrat for california. former senator kassebaum: you never know. this isenator dole: probably the most popular senator we had when i was there, in both parties. [applause] former senator kassebaum: well that is very nice. former senator dole: no, it is true. old men do not lie. senator kassebaum, i think the last time you were here, you were here with senator baker. he received the leadership prize , and i think mostly everyone here knows we give out the dole leadership prize once every year. president clinton has received it, president bush received it, hhs secretary donna shillelagh received it for him force service -- for air force service. wounded warrior proceeded. this is a little bit of a surprise, but the recipient of the 2016 dole leadership is senator nancy kassebaum. [applause] former senator kassebaum: how cool. did you know that? [applause] former senator kassebaum: thank you very much, it is a real honor. -- is a net. as it what else that you want on there, it says robert j dole. [laughter] and mine is down at the bottom. i am right there. dole leadership prize. former senator dole: i can only see the first row. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: it is a great honor and i am really touched, thank you very much. we all reach a certain age when everything does look better, right? welcome. are very we will take a few questions and answers. i will try to work as many as i can in. hold up your hand and one of our students with a microphone will find you. please make one very brief question. >> senator dole and senator kassebaum, i was wondering if you could talk about foreign and the challenges of the united states and what you think the united states should relations.th foreign especially with the threat of isis, and things like that. i did notator dole: hear it. bill: the question was to get idea on foreign relations, specifically isis. if yousenator kassebaum: were donald trump, there would not be any doubt that it would -- he would take care of it the on it.he gets his hand we are making some advances, and we are working with a coalition. that, again, this is where the unintended consequences need to be thought through. syria right now is so divided, so divided, and the divisions within the divisions. there is a thought, there are is the freedom fighters, heart of the freedom fighters are al qaeda and you have multiple problems of trying to resolve. it is not easy to say we are just going to -- we better be careful to send in troops. i believe it was general powell -- and weif you go in cannot alone solve syria or you ork or afghanistan -- iraq afghanistan. i think it is the arab world against the persian world going centuries.h we need to be there, we need to provide the leadership, and perfect -- perhaps we have not been as strong in expressing that. that is my view, it is not much help, but i do think it is a major issue for us. it couldll of us wish be resolved easily, but probably not. former senator dole: now, repeat the question. question was how important foreign affairs are, especially the topic in the middle east. former senator kassebaum: isis. my view is,or dole: foreign affairs, next to jobs and the economy are the most important. we have trouble all over the , and we cannot be the world's policeman, but we have to protect our interests. we cannot be anti-muslim, we cannot say we are going to deport 11 million people back to where they came from, it will not happen. ,ongress would not approve it nor with a approve the money. i disagree with my hero, trump. [laughter] former senator dole: plus on a few other issues. i think once -- one thing trump could do is work with congress. all you does, is negotiate and work with people. that is important. i have never criticized obama, or my buddy joe biden, i figured there are plenty of people out to criticize them. i think obama is a very fine man and he has done what he thinks i should do as president, but could have given him some advice , it might not have been worth anything. he never really got to know the congress. i doubt if he knows 30 house members. he gets a high bill or hi joe, or whatever. may know all -- he of the democratic senators, but i do not think so. how are you going to get things done, or restarted if you do not you andple that trust listen?nds and will if eisenhower or reagan were ,resident, or fdr for example but when he was pregnant -- president, if congress did not vote would he proposed, he would make a radio address and the letters would come piling up from people saying why are not -- why are you not voting with eisenhower? he was just that popular, and he is my hero. we are trying to build a memorial in this great america after 71 years. there is not a single memorial in the nation's capital for free andr who kept us ,estroyed hitler's in europe and as i said earlier ended the war in korea and was a good bipartisan president. leadership,rong boots on the ground, who want anybody to be shot or killed, no one. a lot of this loan will stuff that is taking place wolf stuff that is taking place, and people coming in with the refugees that are terrorists, then we have a problem. they say that the fbi is investigating cases in every state, which i assume in kansas, somebody out here is taking a , wichita,iversity's johnson county, or whatever people gather and get big crowds . foreign policy, we have got to get back to the point where the people respect the united states . i do not mean we have to take the lead and everything, but we have to be able to get our to come to the party. whether it is the you and where we pay 82% or something like .hat we do not have that much money, we are $20 trillion in debt. some of you who have young children, somebody will get stuck. buy are saying by silver -- silver, i do not understand it, but nancy is right. she knows everything. [laughter] former senator kassebaum: i was -- i would just say regarding syria, i am sure president obama must regret he ever true a redline. let that be a lesson to all of twicet you have to think because we should have realized they violated that and use the weapons. on the other hand, without others going in with us, we cannot go in and take over syria and run syria. i think it is the strength of diplomacy, backed by the strength of our conventions that -- convictions that can help. .n. is trying to get through to aleppo, and somebody has to say this has to get through. who will it be? former senator dole: i do not want to filibuster, but george and i are both losers. friends to try and help feed starving young people in africa. too.ew was helping kind of delegated, young girls to second-class citizens and they did not get to attend schools. i think we were feeding about 20 million, and there are millions more that do not have anything bad.t, it it was we cannot do everything in the , and i believe we always do our share, or more. some of these countries pledge they will do this and that and nothing ever happens. foreign policy is a big issue, i think it will be discussed extensively in the first debate. i do not think trump will insult anybody that night. [laughter] former senator dole: unless it's me, he might insult me because i have been telling him to grow up. i only have time for one last question. somebody who has one. we have one back here, very good. dole, i would like to ask you if you could recall how you felt, or what you felt when president ford called to to be his vice presidential running mate? former senator dole: john connolly was in a room right down from me and elizabeth, all of the press was hanging around his room because the word was that connolly would be the vp choice. i got a call early that morning abc,bob clark who was with and we were friends, he said bob you will be asked by president ford to be his running mate. said, it is a bit surprising that i was available. [laughter] former senator dole: pretty soon , and there was president ford. he said would you mind coming over to my hotel, i would like to talk with you about being my running mate. i think he said, we do not need a comedian. [laughter] former senator dole: i thought to myself, that is the best thing that could happen to congress. anyways, i went over to see president ford, we had a great visit, we had been great friends. they made him the republican leader in the house. he felt kindly towards kansas. that was a very close election. that was 2000 votes. you want to be the nice guy and want someone to be your neighbor , you would want jerry ford. he had knowledge and he was not one of the elitist. he did not have a lot of money, and he was one of those people like everybody in congress. democrats, when they were going to nominate him, they said we will only approve representative ford. that was pretty good bipartisanship. anyways, nancy new president ford as well -- knows president ford as well as i do. .e came to kansas ,nyway, i know we are finished ,e talk so much in the senate it is hard to stop when we get a chance. [laughter] former senator dole: we do not get many chances anymore. i want to thank you again for all of your help, support over the years. if you are against me, that is learned when you get out of politics your numbers go up. [laughter] people say,or dole: well, he was not such a bad guy after all. in nancy's case, nobody opposes her. , oh, senator kassebaum, she is popular. that other guy named dole is just hanging around. thanks again and bill, thank you. congratulations nancy. former senator kassebaum: it has been a real honor and wonderful to see some friends here that i have not seen for a while. i think you bob, this is an honor that i will put right up there by the window so i can look at the cattle and look at this honor. [laughter] [applause] are watchingu american history tv. 48 hours every weekend on c-span3. follow us on twitter at c-span history for information on our schedule and to keep up with the latest his three news. history news. announcer: road to the white house rerun brings you archival coverage. this weekend from 1984, the second and final presidential debate between ronald reagan and his democratic challenger, former vice president walter mondale. here's a preview. i want to raise an issue that i think has been lurking out is a nationalit security term. recall that president kennedy had to go for days on end with very little's sleep during the cuban missile crisis. is there any doubt in your mind that you would be able to function in such circumstances? >> not at all, i want you to know that i would also make not -- not make age an issue. extend, for political purposes my opponent youth and inexperience. [laughter] [applause] >> if i still have time, i might that it was seneca or cicero that said, if it were not for the elders correcting the mistakes of the younger, there would be no stakes. i would like to catch that one before it goes over. i will go on to another question. theuncer: you can watch entire debate at 10:00 a.m. eastern time on sunday. that is on road to the white house rewind. american history tv, only on c-span3. supreme court justice clarence -- 25 years ago on october 15, 1991. a judge on the u.s. court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit. he was nominated by president george hwb. as a statement he made at his home in alexandria, virginia following the u.s. confirmation by a vote of 52 to 48. [applause] justice thomas: my wife and i came out to say a few words. tost of all, i would like say that i am thankful, we are thankful that the process is over. that it has finally come to a conclusion after three and a .alf months we look forward, i look forward, while -- my wife, my son, my family, getting back to our life and the things that we normally do in our daily lives, which is far different than being a nominee. process, ashis difficult as it has been, we all have learned the importance of faith,our lives, of our our family, friends, neighbors, and of love. think that no matter how difficult, or how painful the process has been, there -- this is the time for healing and our country. that we have to put these things behind us, that we have to go forward, and that we have to begin to look for ways to solve problems that i think became apparent through this process, and have certainly been apparent in our country for some time. this is more time for healing, not a time for anger or animosity. again, i would like to thank all who have liked me. all who have prayed for me, those who i knew, those who i did not know. all of those people who sent cards, letters, flowers, candy , butll sorts of things most of all those who sent support. i would like to think them, i would like to think my neighbors, my friends. i guess, in so many ways, as i say to my wife so many times, i would like to thank america. i would like to think this country for the theme it stands for -- the things that it stands for and our ideals. i would like to think that in my life, and our lives that we can uphold those ideals. i would like to make it unequivocally clear that the process, and especially the last painful week that i give god able to standng here today. i give god thanks for our ability to feel safe, to feel and i givefeel -- god thanks that the senate approve me in this process. thank you also much. [applause] >> when will you be sworn in search? say,ce thomas: let me just i will not answer any questions, but i will answer that one. i have not thought about that. we have thought about bringing this process to a conclusion. i was not presumptuous enough to plan that far ahead. thank you all so much. >> we love you. [applause] announcer: visit us online at .org/history to learn more about the thomas clarence confirmation. you can visit our library for the full senate debate. this is american history tv on c-span3. announcer: every four years the presidential candidates turn from politics to humor at the alfred e smith memorial foundation dinner to raise money for charities and new york's historic waldorf-astoria hotel. banquete traveled the circuit for years and i have never understood the logistics of dinners like this and how the absence of one individual can cause for three of us to not have seats. mr. vice president i am glad to see you here tonight. you have said many times in this campaign that you want to give america back to the little guy. [laughter] >> mr. vice president, i am batman. [laughter] man. that [laughter] >> al, your great-grandfather was my favorite kind of governor . the kind who ran for president andthe kind who ran for presidet and lost. al, you are right. a campaign can require a lot of wardrobe changes. blue jeans in the morning, suits for a fundraiser, a sport coat for dinner. it is nice to relax and where what we wear around the house. watch the out smith memorial foundation dinner with hillary clinton and donald trump, thursday night at 9:00 eastern on c-span and c-span.org. listen with the c-span radio app. on lectures and history, professor gunther peck teaches a class on america's refugee policy during the cold war. he describes how people fleeing communist countries like cuba