and nancy kasser balm, representing kansas in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s discuss their experiences in government and the state of congress today. this 80-minute conversation is hosted by the bob dole institute of politics at the university of kansas. it's moderated by the institute's director, bill lacy. >> hello and welcome to the robert j. bowl institute of politics. my name is kooed christiansen and i'm from the student advisory board which is the official student organization fs dole institute. some people know this but when senator dole first agreed have his congressional records kept here at university of kansas he stressed the importance of involving students within the mission of the dole institute. i am pleased to report that 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 kick-off event and attended our first meeting. as a student advisory board we participate in many activity at and beyond the dole institute including event planning, discussion topics and community involvement. on behalf of the student advisory board i have the distinct honor of welcoming senator bowl and senator kass enbalm to the institute. senator dole has been a long time of mine. senator tole has been happy to meet me and his office in d.c. or say hello on weekend when at the world war ii memorial. i haven't met senator kass balm before today but i'm happy to meet her and welcome here to the dole institute. they are not only giants of the senate but are examples of the best that our country has to offer. now before we begin, i'd like to remind to you turn off your cell phones. additionally, if you need hearing assistance at any time throughout the program please alert a staff member or student volunteer. during the question and answer period, please raise your hand, wait for a microphone and ask one brief question. now it is my great pleasure to introduce the associate director of the dole institute to the podium, welcome barbara ballard. thank you. >> thank you, cody. thank you very, very much. good evening and i will say welcome to the dole institute of politics and today's program. giants of the senate with senators bob dole and nancy castle balm. today's interview will be conducted by the director of the dole institute, bill lacy. there's not enough time to recognize the many special guests and donors in our audience today. thank you all for joining us and thank you for your support of the dole institute. today's guests are both giants of kansas politics and own a combined 53 years of service in the united states congress. hailing from russell, kansas, senator bob dole, world war ii 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 was elected senate majority leader in 1985 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 castle balm was born in topeka, kansas. she won election to the u.s. senate in 1978 and was the only woman in the 100-member senate upon her arrival late that year. she was the prominent member of many senate committees including serving as senior member of the foreign relations committee and becoming the first woman to chair a major senate committee when she headed labor and human resources. she represented the state of kansas for nearly two decades. and the senate. under senator dole, and senator castle balm kansas was in good hands. ladies and gentlemen, it's an absolute pleasure for me to welcome the former united states senators, robert dole and nancy castle balm. give them a warm welcome. [ applause ] well can be senators dole, kassebaum, thank you for being with us today. and welcome back to both of you to the dole institute. it's great to have you. do we have everybody's mike on? everybody good? >> they all got a mike? >> yes. ook, senator kassebaum, say something. >> hello. >> okay, very good. >> let's start, senator kassebaum, with a question for you. could you tell us, you came up in a very famous political family. can you tell us about your upbringing, education and what led to you a career in public service? >> well, i never dreamed i would be running for the united states senator, to start with, or running for office. i grew up in topeka and spent a lot of time hiking over to the carr river. at that period of time when ways growing up, everybody feared polo. and my parents believed it wasn't a good idea to swim in chlorinated water. it was all right to swim in the call river. and walking the railroad tracks. no, i had a good time campaigning in those days you could tack up posters everywhere. now you can't do that. but that was great fun going around tacking up campaign posters, and for other candidates when i was growing up. i will just tell you one thing i remember, the wilke roosevelt in 1940. my neighbor and i thought it would be great if we string dandy lions together and we didn't have remany neighbors. and put it across the road and we would yell, wilke or roosevelt. that way we could decide how the election would come out. i was eight years old. that's my beginning. >> now it's either -- what's the other one, clinton. >> did you say trump? >> bump, trump. >> i know what you said. >> senator, tell us about that first senate race you had in 1978. >> now, there were a lot of republicans in the primary. i think seven of us all total. and i was very fortunate to have gone to ku where i could call on people that i knew in the county. i got in late. but if they were helping someone else they would suggest maybe someone else i could see that might want to help with the campaign. and i also had four children in kansas city. so i was able to use both schools as helpers in the campaign. in those days, bob the same as with you, you know, great volunteers. i could not have won without volunteers. who day after day volunteered time. >> so it was enjoyable and it was, you know, it was a close race. but that's how i won with good volunteers all the time. >> you won because you deserve it. >> well, bob, you paved the way. >> senator dole, what were your feelings when senator kassebaum was elect end you knew she would be one of your colleagues in the senate? >> i was very happy. we had a great relationship. we were proud to be traditional kansas republican conservatives, which means we understood to get things done, you have ds and you have rs, but nancy and i also had friends. on both sides. [ applause ] >> when you develop a trust, when you get to know someone, regardless of party, and when you trust each other, you can talk to each other about how can we work this out, how can we settle this so we can pass this bill. and nancy did a better job of that than i did. but i learned a lot from her and i learned a lot from howard baker. he was my mentor. and majority in 198 will 1, reagan swept us into the majority and in the senate and house and russell long from louisiana had been chairman of the finance committee for 17 years. and suddenly i was chairman of the finance committee. and i remember once they called the roll and he -- they always say the last one, mr. chairman. and he said, mr. chairman and russell long voted. so i thought i was chairman but russell -- he was a wonderful guy, too. and he had the right attitude. he knew we were sent there to do a job, not to call each other names. and all that. and i want to thank the chancellor and for all the help they can get and the dole institute and which i think is an asset to ku. and [ applause ] >> senator kassebaum you were one of the first women to be elected to the senate in your right and you were the first to a major committee. can you talk about the challenges you face as a woman going into the senate with having only had i think one trailblazer and kind of how that might be different than challenges that women in public service face today. >> well, i think there are different challenges for both men and women, as bob touched on. but i always said i was elected to be a senator, not just a senator for women. i thought it was important to be able to show that we are all there addressing many ways the same issue and if i spent a lot of time worrying about whether i was being taken seriously, i would be wasting a lot of my time. so you could worry. there's a senate strict senate dining room. then there is a democrat table and republican table. i must have been there half a year before i went through that door. maybe you took me, bob. it wasn't that i was afraid to go, i just wasn't sure i wanted to bother. they would tell me dirty jokes, you know. alan simpson, senator simpson said he today clear his jokes through his wife. so i think i'd have to say, bill, that the problems now are different but they're significant. and for both of us, the worry is that people aren't willing to work across the aisle. and you don't spend the time as injury committee chairman and a lot of strength lies in those committee chairmen. as finance chairman, you add tremendous power there but you always worked with the whole committee and it was the chairman who really exercised that initiative that i think today, but when i chaired, what, now it is called the help committee, which i think is a silly name, don't you, but it was the old labor committee and handles health issuees. but ted kennedy was either major or minor leader. and we worked back and forth together. and i had people say, how can you work with ted kennedy? well, you can. you can when you care about the issues and he did health care. so it isn't easy. but i think today, what is really the concern, is that people don't have trust or respect. and even respect for those who might disagree with you all the time. there has to be something that you feel is important in that respect. and we're really lacking it today and i think that's why so many people say i'm just so tired of all this yelling and shouting and we just may not vote. and that's unfortunate too. >> that's very unfortunate. >> that's a longer answer than you wanted. but it leads me to what i think is a real issue today. and maybe trying to understand why there is such discontent in the public. why people feel someone is paying any attention. nothing is getting done. but i can tell you when bob was leader and we worked 18 -- we were in the senate 18 years together. but bob was leader for six of those years. >> ten. >> no, when i was there. >> oh, excuse me. i thought i was leader even after i left. >> maybe it was. you took over in 1984. and i didn't leave until '96 of. that's right. you still were. then howard was leader. for four years. but i saw you both really work with your committee chairman and you made sure you pointed out with russell long that you were working together. and i think that's what we need to instill again. >> too kind of follow up, i would like to ask both of you, and i would like to start with you,kassebaum, name a couple or three leaders that you worked with that you really admire. >> well, bob. no, and that's true. you mean in the-doctor. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.- doctor. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.doctor. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.octor. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.ctor. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.tor. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.or. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.r. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard.. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard. >> and howard. >> and howard, yes, of course, and howard. howard, however, after i married him, i said i would never call him leader again. but he also had a rule that i couldn't believe and i might share with you, because i grew up, we always talked at the dinner table about public affairs and what was going on. dad loved to talk about the local gossip in the state affairs. as well as national. and of course it was he who did most of the talking. but we all sat around the table and we exchanged. so howard came to visit with the family in 1996 right at the time of the democrat convention. and so we were all arguing about that and pretty soon one of the boys said, so howard, what do you think about the convention? and he said, oh, you know, it's my rule we don't talk politics or religion at the dinner table. i said, well, what do you talk about? so but name two. and i have really -- i have to say that i think i worked with a lot of colleagues and some i agreed with and some i didn't. but i think we all had a fairly convenal time at that period of time. >> all the time. >> trent lott followed you, didn't he, after you stepped down in '96. trent lott? >> yeah. i thought i was going to be president. >> well, i know. we all did. >> too late for a recount. >> anyway, you know, i tell you who i miss and disagreed with some is president reagan. you know, you can -- i've been in the room with him when he was trying to talk about something that we didn't agree with. on. but he always managed to find some way to end the conversation in an upbeat way. >> that's right. >> and i really miss that today. i really miss that sense of energy, of enthusiasm, and hope that things can be worked through. and certainly, you who are leaders here at the university have to know that isn't easy. and it takes a time of patience and dedication that i don't think many are willing to give in congress today, bob. i really don't. and i'm very disappointed to tell you the truth, in the congress. >> senator dole? >> it's easy to say now that i'm not there. [ applause ] >> senator dole, can you mention a couple of leaders that you really admire? >> me. no, howard baker, as i said earlier, i learned a loot from howard.t from howard. because of the way he dealt with people. you need friends. i don't care what private, public, whatever you do, if you're not surrounded by friends, you know, as far as you would like to go. i think when nancy and i were there, we had as many democratic friends as republican friends. and i would go over on the democratic side and sit down with one of the democrats and we wouldn't talk politics. we would talk about wherever they were from and wherever i was from and our families. and i don't think that's totally gone. i think there have been 40 bills at least in the senate passed were bipartisan. so i think it is starting to come back a little. not as much as it should. but i think there is a recognition. at least it's been my experience in 36 years in congress. some said that was too long. and others thought i should run again. but anyway, those two people are gone. [ laughter ] but nancy and i, i want to get back to, nancy kassebaum, always the most popular politician in kansas. and i was 30, 40 points behind. >> you always exaggerate. >> no, it's true and should have been true. because nancy had her way about her. and she certainly is willing to engage people. and if you're going to be good in anything, you have to learn to listen. people have problems. and you have some politicians going through town. and you haven't learned anything yourself, showing up, so we had town meetings where people come to town meetings. and we would speak and then we would take questions and people say, bob, got a little problem. i said, good, i'll give it to nancy as soon as i get back. i don't know, i think it's improving. a little bit. >> you know, let me ask you, bob, in our day there, we hadn't set up an e-mail system yet even. i knew that was time for me to leave when they said they were going to e-mail all of the senators together. >> you don't have one yet. >> i don't have one yet, that's true. but think of everybody that tweets today. that's how people hear things. and it just goes out instantly, that how donald trump got where he is. he tweets with everybody. >> that's how i started tweeting at 92. in fact, there will be a tweet today by me and you. >> is that right? who is going to tweet that? are you? >> we'll do it for sure out of the dole institute, university of kansas. you better believe it. so we will get you covered. during the campaigns, i remember being in senator dole's office a lot. and i would always run into senator kassebaum. i always enjoyed that because some of your colleagues were not always agreeable to staff of presidential campaign. but senator kassebaum was always a delight. but you guys worked together very closely. i'm curious if you could talk about some of the things you worked together on. >> well i'll give you one example. the americans for disabilities act. this is the 50th anniversary year? is it that long? gosh. but you know, that was very controversial. it went through finance committee. went through the committee i was on. and several different committees had urgs for different parts of that bill. but bob was majority leader. and i would have to say today, i saw him call people into the office all the chairman, all the members of that committee that were involved in that and i don't think it would be in existence as it is today if it had not been for bob as majority leader. he called us all together. people would argue up or down. you tell a story, and i don't know if it was on this issue, of someone giving a bad time to everybody. and didn't you tell them to get up and leave? >> no, there was a guy, a republican, and we had a conference. and i was trying to get votes. you know, you can't win unless you have votes. and he was very contrary. he thought i was a big liberal or something. so i said, do you want to be the leader? if you do, let's have a vote right now. you come up and we'll have the conference vote. and he sat down and i didn't hear much from him afterwards. but that's an example i think of one issue i know that there was a lot of controversy. not controversy, but people were concerned about one aspect or another of that bill. and it took that kind of leadership as majority lead earn his dedication to it to make it work. >> that's one that i worked with ted kennedy. >> that's true. >> if you want to work with kennedy, you better be prepared. he always had an excellent staff. and my view is, you're never better than your staff. and that's true at ku or anywhere else. you have a good staff, you know, you're going to get the credit but they're going to do a lot of the work. martin luther king, holiday bi, senator therman was chair of the committee. i took the bill up and he said, bob, would you watch this for me for a while. and ted kennedy was on the side. and i didn't see therman for three days. so ted and i worked out the martin luther king, jr. holiday bill. holiday bill. holiday bill. holiday bill.holiday bill. holiday bill. something republicans don't get much credit for. but voting rights, i think nancy and i had perfect civil rights records. i don't understand people that don't see it as an american. regardless of our ethnicities, background or color or whatever. and and i don't know, it was really a great experience and it wouldn't have happened without a lot of people in this room the same with nancy. you supported us. and if you didn't, well, it's okay. you can't win if you don't have people in every county. and douglas county is a tough one. working for you. and both people who voted for me and in douglas county are still alive. we have protection for them. >> they're all here today. this is the group. >> all my friends. so we got people working on it. >> senator kassebaum, would you take a moment to describe one or two pieces of legislation that you were especially proud of being involved in. >> well, i think one was working almost all of my 18 years there on trying to get some protection and liability protection for commercial aviation. it was killing smaller -- piper went out of business at the time. and certainly being from kansas, beech and cessna were really struggling and it's a potent lobby of lawyers who really had trouble wanting to limit in any way liability. but it was a question of, i think, at times we get carried away and you almost feel that people could sue, sue the hat that was in the robe in their way. the most trivial things, and aviation industry, commercial aviation industry at that time, was really -- worked and worked and worked. and this is in the commerce committee at the time. and i was on the committee. you had to be connected with the aviation industry and the commerce committee went on there when i was first elected. and it was a real pleasure to finally see working across the aisle with a lot of people, finally getting that legislation passed. and it did provide, give and take. but some ability to help the industry feel there was a way that could be better addressed. and that was one that well, you know, you do. i worked a lot on health care issues. some -- one of them was hillary clinton's first health care bill. >> you worked with her? >> well, i didn't work with her. that's when she was first lady. >> oh excuse me, yes. >> remember? and she had a big health care bill, similar some what, to the affordable care act. but we had two full weeks of hearings. i learned more about health care through those hearings. and that's again an example of what's missing today. those were all on cnn. a lot of give and take about what was involved. i remembered meeting with her once one on one with staff. at her office over at the white house. and she didn't see any need to address my concerns but there were a lot of difficulties in that bill. and i think the thing that was good from that was maybe a better understanding of what the problems were, the difficulties of trying to address them is such a maplor way. so it nef got out of our committee. you didn't have to deal with it on the floor. >> no. >> i think things like that. i chaired the african subcommittee for many years. it breaks my heart to see some of the advances there that were made that seemed to have not hold up. i would say that i was pleased with work on sanctions. as a whole, i'm not a strong supporter of sanctions. but sanctions against south africa to try and bring it in to a part-time and work with the house and i know president reagan had a problem with that and i have to say, bob, i'm sure would you have been with us but that's an example where as leader you had no choice but to represent the president's point of view on that issue. but we did override president reagan's veto. and it was not that onerous a sa sanction bill, but i think it symbolized we cae cared about africa. >> senator dole, you attended ku before the war. and senator kassebaum, you graduated from ku. share some of your memories about ku. >> me? >> both of you. says, you can start. >> well, they buried my transcript. never to be opened while i'm alive. you know, when i was here, war broke out. e everybody was volunteering for the navy, air force, whatever. they were all our friend so we had to have a party. we had farewell parties almost every night. so we really didn't feel like going to class the next morning. so i didn't do too well on logic and things like that. still couldn't do too well. but anyway -- >> you missed having to take western civ. >> yeah. >> how many here remember western civ? >> nancy forgot to mention she did a lot of work in rural health care. and mental heal mg care. and you owe, you could, as i said yesterday at a meeting, you could fill the room with things that nancy's been involved with. >> should i bring up arms control. some things we don't bring up, you know. you asked what i was glad i worked on. well -- >> don't mess with that amendment. >> that's right. no, we don't want to. anyway, we can look back on it now and hope we did good things for people. and i came from a farm part of kansas. and farmers were wonderful. i don't care which party. they're wonderful people. and are 19. 4 at a very close race, and date before the election, i got in an airplane and went all over western kansas. and when the votes came in, it was western kansas who carried the day for me by 14,000 points. and 14,000 votes. and some may remember bill roy. and abortion became a big issue in that campaign. not because we wanted it. but it was a first state that became an issue and all of the press came out or the new york times and all those tv people and you know, we had some, well strange people on each side of that issue. some of my supporters were carrying fetuses around in jars. make you sick almost. so that bothered me for several years and about three years ago, i called bill roy, and i said, bill, there is bob dole. i've been wanting to call you but i just haven't had the courage because i wanted to ask you, is anything i did in our campaign that i did first to that was the fancy akita and he said, i can't think of a thing. i don't want any enemies, and i'm 93, so i'm going to be around another 10, 20 years. and nancy's only a child. so shell be around po years. 30 years. and your dad lived to be 100, right? >> yeah, he did. >> is merrill robinson in hera ? >> right here. >> he just celebrated his 100th birthday. [ applause ] >> and i still works everyday raising angus cattle. and i called him on his birthday, i think he probably can't hear or see or whatever. and sounded like he is about 25, 50. and told me what he did everyday. i said, you're an inspiration. and he is. and here he is today. is your daughter with you? >> yes. yes, she's there. >> with his daughter. and i want her to recognize him. we are living longer. there's more technology. improvements in health care. but he told me he was in great health. so he probably hasn't seen a doctor. >> okay. senator kassebaum, you want to share some of your ku experiences? what you remember about ku? >> well, dean smith and i were back here, oh, my gosh, i don't know how long that was, about six years ago, eight years ago. oh longer than that. oh, yeah. anyway, dean was a year ahead of me in both high school and at ku. we were here to help raise money for the bob nash center here and we were asked to reminisce. we were thinking, the dynamite and you know, most of the places i know are longer. >> tv. >> that's right. let's say though that one thing i was glad martha peterson was here as dean of women and a new goal was put in place to, there were two women's dorms, that corbin and north college and the new suggestion was that freshman girls live for a year in the dorm before they could pledge in a sorority. and i thought that was a good idea. and so i volunteered to be a counsellor. so my junior and part of my senior year i was a counselor and i decided those girls probably knew more than i did. it was very hard for me. i had no authority to say, no you can't hide that bottle under your bed. so i don't know how good a counsellor i waor i was. but that's one thing i enjoyed doing. senior year i went back to sorority so i could graduate with some of my friend, but most of them were getting married before they graduated. so it was a different time. but i enjoyed that experience that i had then. it was fun to reminisce. i think you erase some of the things you don't want to remember. as you say, burying your transcript. i do remember western civ because i did well. but i quizzed out of math and i didn't have to take it in those days, thank goodness. or i would have had to bury my transcript. >> nancy made all a's here. >> no, i didn't. >> did you get one b? >> i'm not going to tell you. >> will, this is before world war ii. once i came back from world war ii, i knew if i couldn't use my hands, i had to use my head. so i decided to go to law school in wash barn. i went to wash burn law school, made all as and one b. because i learned, i grew up in the army and understood you're not handed anything. you've got to work for it. just like everybody in this audience does everyday. and you make a contribution. everyday you help somebody. make you make a phone call to some relatives you haven't talked with or someone isn't in the hospital. little things and really are important. i have to tell the story about president reagan. my wife, elizabeth, who was also a senator from north carolina, one term, but anyway, she and ronald reagan, i think at the time she was secretary of transportation, and they just happened to be alone in the oval offi office. and elizabeth said, mr. president, how do you get all this done. how do you handle all the stress? and he said, well, there's someone up there helping me everyday. so he was a man of faith. and he understood that god has a plan for us, as he does. and he believed it. and practiced it. so you know, i listened to joel osteen and he is always very positive about what we can do and not to worry about things that happen, whether it is relationship or financial or health. that somebody's -- and my favorite song is "i'll never walk alone." and i think it's a spiritual song. because i know someone is walking with me. and you know, i wish he would fix my knees. [ laughter ] >> both of you have referenced today how things were when you were in the senate and how you enjoyed having friends and working across the aisle. why do you think things have gotten so polarized and so difficult in congress today? >> do you want to go first? i yield to my leader. equal time. >> well, i think it is getting a little better. and i watch congress pretty closely. hoping some day i might get a client and maybe they want to know about congress. but as i said earlier in the senate there year, and this has been several months, and they passed 40 bipartisan pieces of legislation. which indicated to me me that it was starting to turn and the leaders were working together and press always says congress isn't doing anything. so you know, we don't know. if we listen to tv and radio, maybe they're right. maybe politicians are stupid. i met one or two. and they were border line. people i worked with and people nancy worked with just good people. they were men and women that were elected to serve the people. not serve themselves. or have their own agenda. but to come to washington because they were elected as a representative. that means you want to represent the people. and i think nancy and i learned that along the way. my parents didn't have much money. but they were great parent, and they taught us hard work and discipline. and it means a lot. i mean, parenting is the key. and i know in this audience, they're all good parents. and i worry about young people and what it's going to be like in ten years. as bad as it is now. what is it in new hampshire, nancy, heroin is responsible for hundreds of deaths of young people. new hampshire. small state. so we need some leadership to get more young people interested in public service. it doesn't have to be in federal service, but public service and other things and hanging out and now bringing colorado pot into western kansas. and i don't think that's a good idea. i could be wrong. i've been wrong many times. but i always blamed it on nancy. >> bill, i guess i would just add, i think it is always important to just think positive about the events. it seems to me we are really significantly in major changes that are taking place around the world. as well as here. and we are so much more inner connected today. so every evening on the news, you hear some new place about something and what -- i feel strongly that it's so important today to know history, to understand what happens in the unintended consequences of actions we might taken a decisions. and i think that here at home, trying to understand the unrest that has boiled up in the campaign for donald trump or for bernie sanders where there was a great deal of support from the youth that feel they're not getting the attention. somewhere we all, i think, have major responsibilities in our communities for how we talk about these issues. so we can work through some of what will be needed ahead. and a lot of it does start right in our community. whether you're willing to serve on the school board, which is probably more difficult than being a senator. or communities, your county commission, state legislatures, that's where it needs to start and begin. and i have to say, i really, really am terribly disappointed in >> i do not like the language he has given it. i'm sorry, bob. you lend support to the party. that's my party too, but not that party. i can't help but say it doesn't help us to come together in a hauteful way of respect of understanding what government is all about. i have a hard time when i hear him speak and thinking of him giving a state of the union speech. or addressing as commander in chief. and we have so many really major changes occurring. not only in our own country and businesses and industry but you can't just say we're going to build the wall and keep everybody out or i'm going to hire 25 million people when i'm elected. well let's talk about what has changed and what is happening and not shout and call somebody by name and it's escalating on both sides now and i feel it doesn't serve the country well. sorry, that's my speech. >> well. >> i shouldn't get into it but to me i'm more sad than mad. really. >> i think nancy's undecided on the president. and i don't -- i've talked to the trump people and i talked to donald. i told him to tone down his rhetoric and start talking about pollty. people want to know what you're going to do but if you listen to all of these debates they never mentioned congress. they're not going to do anything unless they get a true congress or do it by executive order. >> well he might feel he can. he might decide that's the way to do it. >> well, i don't know about donald. >> well, you talk to him. do you think he'll listen? >> well -- >> you have my ticket to try and talk to him. >> i talk to him and i figure i'm old enough to be his father and tell him that i lost in '96 but i always thought bill clinton was my opponent and not my enemy. you have to approach it that way. i don't know. it's gotten all out of whack so a lot of people are going to stay home election day which i don't think contributes much. >> i agree. >> but no i have been a republican all my life and the party has been good to me and people in kansas have given me many opportunities so i went to the convention in cleveland. and i didn't know mrs. trump was going to introduce me. >> well she -- i'm glad she did and you should have been introduced. you were there representing the veterans too and that was very important at that convention. >> plus there was a lot of kansans there and i got to meet them all. i'm not running for anything unless something pops up. >> i think i need to reassert control up here. >> we have quite a few members of our stooud studeudent adviso here. it all of them to stand up and be recognized. there you go. [ applause ] >> you can. yes, sir. >> well, i have 20 members in my family. i have lost my sisters and brother. but they came from colorado and oklahoma and all over the state of kansas and i wonder if they would all stand. they're all in there somewhere. >> they're right up front. >> well, their example hard working middle class americans never been in trouble. i'm very proud of every one of them. and, you know, sometimes it's tough. to get a job and to make enough money for your family. but they have never given up and they persevered. >> i'm going to do the same thing. she has family here. i'll going to ask them to stand. >> it's not that big. >> please stand up. >> one is a student here though. >> yeah, right here. two daughters or granddaughters attending ku. >> yeah. >> probably making all as. i don't know. >> both senators, what would you tell the students that are here today about the importance of being involved in public service? >> well, no i think we both we shared the same sentiment. absolutely important everybody can and it can be fun to volunteer. it's a way to meet a lot of people if you go door to door. i've still done it every now and then and not too long ago. and door to door and said what are you doing here? and they were afraid i was doing it for me and it's terribly important. in one way or another just the students that are helping here, those who -- i had a daughter that graduated from college and went to nicaragua as a coach for a soccer team in a small town for young women believing that's a good way through that to do well and learn how in education and it was an ngo group and volunteer, but it was something that she gained a lot from in the year after she graduated from college. she has not continued on in either soccer or education at this point but still looking for a job. so -- but i think for everybody but there's always something. maybe it's just reading to children at the library. >> or reading your e-mails. >> well, nancy and i talk on the phone a lot and we talk about everything, politics but, you know we see -- >> see how our friends in our age group are getting along. >> some are getting along and every saturday i go to the world war ii memorial and oh, they're not really old, 90, but they is what they call honor flight and your grandfather or dad if he's eligible. it doesn't cost him a dial. there's a nurse on board. it's a very emotional plight for these men and women when they walk into that memorial and think about what they did as a young man and what they did in the service, there's a lot of kleenex used and not because they're sad but emotional. i met a guy that's 101 years old, he had his world war ii uniform on and he was walking around like he was about 50. and i said, could i ask you your age? and he said well i'm 101. and i said well how come you're doing all of these things so well? >> he said i don't know. i just take care of myself. but he's an inspiration, you know? a lot of people are inspirations that are not -- they're probably 100 people in this room or more except for lacy and then the rest are inspirational. where's barbara? >> somewhere. in the very back. >> but anyway, nancy and i love kansas and we love to work with the people. sometimes we just can't agree or can't help them. but our policy was when you got a letter from somebody in kansas with a social security or whatever problem you sent them a letter immediately saying we're going to work on the problem, it may take awhile so we want to let you know we received your letter. that means a lot. that's like a walking billboard when they tell their neighbors that nancy does these things and she does. so we don't have any secrets on what to do. maybe just because we're from such a great state where the people are friendly and in all my political career i only had three people that refused to shake hands with me. and i've been around all over every state. and i remember in kansas we had a farm bill controversy and town meeting and a lot of people showed up and right on the front row were four farmers and i put them down so you can't be discouraged. everybody agreed with it. you need to hear the other side and then she is so shy she won't -- >> i have one final question and then a few minutes for a few questions from the aud consequence and senator doyle you started to talk a little bit but this will be my last question. tell us how she was thought of in the united states. her leadership. >> well, you know he's not going to be critical. >> she might be surprised. >> i might be surprised but then he would not be telling the truth. we all had some criticism one way or another. >> i don't remember you getting any. i got a lot. >> kept it secret. >> well, nancy was liked by everyone. that doesn't mean there wasn't disagreements and people disagreed with her from time to time but as a person which is very important, she had the respect -- i don't think you had any enemies did you? >> well, i'm keeping it a secret. it's like your transcript. i'm not going to tell. >> oh, she didn't have any. the only senator i could never really get close to. i don't mean this in any other -- was a lady named barbara boxer from california. >> she was on the other side of the aisle. >> i know but i had a hot of friends on the other side of the aisle and i'd say hello barbara and she would walk right on by and i would try to be friendly and i don't think she liked me. but she's leading the senate. >> she is. >> but it will be another democrat from california. >> well, you never know. >> well this is probably the most popular senator we had when i was there in both parties. >> well that's very nice. nice of you to say. >> no, it's true. >> well the last time you were here you were here with senator baker and he received the double leadership prize and i think most everyone here knows that we give out the leadership prize once every year. president clinton has received it. president bush 41 received it. hhs secretary received it. the women's air force service pilot received it. wounded warriors foundation received it and this is a little bit of a surprise but the recipient of the 2016 doyle leadership award is senator nancy kassebaum. [ applause ] >> did you know that? >> yes. >> thank you. thank you. >> that's something else. >> well, that's enough, isn't it? what else do you want? it says robert jf.doyle. >> my eyes are shot. >> and mine is down at the bottom. right there. >> i can only see the first row. >> well it's a great honor and i'm very touched. we all reach a certain age when everything does look better. we all remember the best things. >> well we're going to take a few questions. i don't have a lot of time but i'll try to work as many as i can in. hold up your hand and one of our student with a microphone will find you. make one very brief question. >> the question was foreign relations, specifically isis. >> well, if you were donald trump there wouldn't be any doubt he's going to take care of it the minute he gets his hand on the throttle. we are making some advances and we're working with the coalition again this is where the unintended consequences need to be thought through. syria now is so divided and there's divisions within the division and as far as the freedom fighters there were al qaeda and you had multiple problems of trying to resolve and it isn't easy saying we're just going to -- we better be careful sending in troops. i tend to believe that. it was general powell that said if you go in you'll own it. and we can't alone solve syria. or iraq. or afghanistan. >> we need to be there and provide the leadership and we have not been as strong expressing that. that's my view and it's not much help but i do think it's a major issue for us. all of us wish it could be resolved easily but probably not. >> now repeat the question. >> the question was to get your thoughts on foreign affairs and how important it was to us today and especially with our problems in the middle east. with isis. >> yeah. well, my view is foreign affairs next to jobs and the economy are the most important and we have trouble all over the world and we cabot be the world's policemen but we have to protect our interest and you can't be antimuslim. we can't deport 11 million people back to where they came from. it's not going to happen. congress would not approve it. >> plus on a few other issues but when i compare it to that, you know, one thing trump could do is work with congress because that's all he has done all his life is negotiate and work with people. and that's important. i never criticized obama or my buddy joe biden. plenty of people are out to criticize them. i think obama is a very fine man and he has done what he thinks he should do as president but i think i could have given him some advice that might not have opinion worth anything. he never really got to know the congress. i doubt if he knows 30 house members where he can say hi bill or hi joe or whatever. i don't know he may know all the democratic senators but i don't think so. so how are you going to get things done if you don't have people that trust you and will list listen. >> but when ike was president he was so popular, if congress, you know, didn't vote what he proposed he would make a radio address and the letters that compiling up from people saying why aren't you with eisenhower? and he's just that popular and we're trying to build a memorial over 71 years and there's not a single memorial for eisenhower that kept us free and destroyed hitler and europe and ended the war and one of the good bipartisan presidents so we need strong leadership. boots on the ground. who wants anyone to be shot or killed? no one. but if we find a lot of this loan wolf stuff is taking place or people coming in with some of the refugees or terrorists, then we have a problem and they say the fbi is investigating cases in every state which i assume kansas or somebody out here is taking a look at universities, wichita, topeka. johnson county or whatever where people gather and hit big crowds. so foreign policy we have to get back to the point where the people respect the united states and we have to be able to get our allies to come to the party. whether it's 82% or something like that. we don't have that much money. we're $23 trillion in debt. suddenly you have young children. somebody is going to essentially get stuck. so they're saying buy silver. i don't understand it all. nancy is right and you were on foreign relations so she knows everything. >> no, i don't. i would just add though rega regarding syria particularly i'm sure that president obama must regret he ever drew a red line. let that approximate a lesson to all of us that you have to think twice. you should have realized they had violated that and used chemical weapons on the other hand without others going in with us we can't go in and take over syria and run syria. and i think the strength of diplomacy backed by the strength of our convictions that can help in the u.s. i would agree. somebody ought to stand up and say this is going through. now who will it be? it should be the un. >> well, i don't want a filibuster but george and i are both losers. but we became great friends to try to help feed starving young people in africa and nancy was helping too. women were delawar dell delegat. wrung girls were second class citizens and they didn't just attend school. we were feeding 20 million and millions more don't have anything to eat. and it's sad. now we can't do everything in the world and i believe we always do our share and more. some of these countries pledge they're going to do this or that and nothing ever happened but foreign policy is a big issue that will be discussed i think extensively in the first debate. when is that? 26th? >> soon. >> and i don't think trump is going to insult anybody that night. >> we hope. >> unless it's me. he might insult me because i've been telling him to grow up. >> i only have time for one last question. we got one back here? okay. very good. >> senator doyle i'd like to ask you if you could recall how you felt or what you felt when president ford called you to be his vice presidential running mate. >> well, john connolly was in a room right down from me and elizabeth and all the press was hanging around his room because the word was connolly was going to be a vp choice. i got a call from bob at abc and he said -- and we were friends. he said bob you're going to be asked by president ford to be his running mate and i said, gee, mitt, a bit surprising. i mean, i was available. and pretty soon the phone range and it was president ford and he said would you mind coming over to my hotel? i'd like to talk with you about being my running mate. i think he said we don't need a comedian and i thought to myself that's the best thing that could happen to congress. but anyway, i went over to see president ford and we had a great visit and we have been great friends and three kansans made him the republican leader in the house. that was a very close election. 11,000 votes. and if you want to be a nice guy and want someone to be your neighbor you would want jerry ford. no agenda. he wasn't one of the elitists. he didn't have a lot of money and again he was just one of those people liked by everybody in congress. democrats when they were going to nominate him, the democratic leader said we will only approve representative ford. so that was pretty good bipartisanship. anyway, nancy knew president ford as good as i did. he came to kansas it's hard to stop when we get a chance. we don't get many chances. >> that's true. >> but i want to thank you again for all of your help and support over the years. and if you were against me, fine because i have learned when you get out of politics your numbers go up. people say well he wasn't such a bad guy after all. and in nancy's case nobody opposed her. so oh, she is popular. and this other guy named doyle he is just hanging around so thanks again and bill thank you. >> congratulations nancy. >> i thank you. it's been a real honor and wonderful to see some friends here that have it for awhile and i thank you bob. this is an honor i will put right up there and look at this honor. >> coming up tuesday night american history tv in primetime continues featuring one of the founding fathers alexander hamilton including a discussion on the sold out musical hamilton. that's at 8:00 p.m. tuesday here on cspan 3. our live coverage of start races continues on cspan. at 7:00 p.m. eastern and then wednesday night at 10:00 a florida-u.s. senate at the bait between incumbent republican senator marco rubio and patrick murphy and the candidates for u.s. senate in new hampshire face-off thursday. republican senator and democratic governor maggie hassen debate at 8:00 p.m. eastern also on cspan. >> washington journal live every day with news and policy issues that effect you. we're focussing on presidential battleground states leading up to election day and mupg tuesday morning it's iowa. chief political reporter for the demoines register will talk about why iowa is a battleground state and then first vice chair will discuss the political layout of iowa and hillary clinton's chances of winning the state and conservative talk radio host will talk about donald trump's chances of winning iowa. be sure to watch cspan's washington journal. join the discussion. >> i'm sarah elliott. i'm the curator at the u.s. house of representatives. >> and we wanted to talk today about the history of african american representation in the 20th century and we have a lot of artifacts and a lot of history to cover and the last african american to be elected in the 19th century leaves in 1901 and then it's a long time before another african american comes into the house and we have a couple of really rare artifacts from the 1920s and 30s but before i launch into them tell us about how he got into congress. >> there's a long period. almost three decades after he leaves congress where there's no african americans either in the house or the senate and that has everything to do with the books and the way that that changes over time is there's a critical thing