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Season Eighteen of our continuing series on the life and career of Bob Dole takes us into one of the most dramatic and consequential years in modern American politics: 1995.

At the beginning of the year, Republicans appeared to be at the height of their power. Fresh off the Republican Revolution of 1994, Bob Dole stood as the overwhelming favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, and many believed the White House was within reach.

By the end of the year, however, the political landscape had changed dramatically.

In this special season preview, we look ahead to the major stories that will define our upcoming episodes, including:

• Bob Dole's long-awaited announcement for President of the United States
 • The tragic Oklahoma City bombing and its political aftermath
 • The stunning fall of Bob Packwood and its impact on the Senate
 • The crowded Republican presidential field challenging Dole's path to the nomination
 • Colin Powell and his brief flirtation with a presidential campaign that captivated the nation
 • The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the shockwaves it sent through the world and the Middle East peace process
 • The growing crisis in Bosnia and the difficult decisions facing American leaders
 • The two federal government shutdowns that would redefine the relationship between Congress and the White House

At the center of it all stands Bob Dole — Senate Majority Leader, Republican standard-bearer, and a man attempting to navigate a rapidly changing political environment while pursuing the presidency he had sought for decades.

Meanwhile, President Bill Clinton begins one of the most remarkable political recoveries in modern history. Written off by many after the 1994 elections, Clinton would spend 1995 rebuilding his presidency and setting the stage for a comeback that few saw coming.

This season is a story of ambition, tragedy, triumph, political warfare, and unexpected turns.

A year that changed Washington.

A year that reshaped two presidencies.

And a year that would determine the course of the 1996 election.

Welcome to Season Eighteen.

Bob Dole: 1995 — Clinton's Comeback.

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A discussion about the things coming up across the Wallace Podcast Network and an update on all three of the books we have coming out soon. 

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Episode 458 — Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 39)

A Bonus Show: A Couple of Stories by Bob Dole

As our journey through the life and career of Bob Dole continues, we take a brief detour from the main narrative to share a collection of fascinating stories that simply deserved to be heard.

Over the course of researching this series, we encountered a number of memorable moments from Dole’s oral history interviews that, while not essential to the chronological story, offered unique insights into his experiences, personality, and remarkable career. Rather than leave them on the cutting room floor, we’ve gathered them together for this special bonus episode.

We begin with reflections on Dole’s life and legacy from Karl Rove, recorded during FOX News coverage of Dole’s funeral, providing context for how his colleagues and admirers remembered him after his passing.

From there, Dole takes center stage, telling stories in his own words, including:

• His meeting with Saddam Hussein and the impressions he took away from the encounter
 • His experiences meeting Daniel Ortega during a turbulent period in Central American politics
 • A fascinating story involving Slobodan Milošević during the conflicts that reshaped the Balkans
 • His work with Daniel Patrick Moynihan in the effort to preserve and strengthen Social Security

These stories highlight a side of Bob Dole that often gets overlooked — the diplomat, the negotiator, the observer of world events, and the Senate dealmaker who built relationships across party lines and around the globe.

Some are humorous.

Some are revealing.

And all of them provide a deeper appreciation for a man whose public career spanned some of the most consequential decades of the twentieth century.

Not every story fits neatly into history’s timeline.

But sometimes the stories left over are among the most interesting of all.

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Episode 457 – BOB DOLE: The Life That Brought Him There, Part 38
The Bush Years (1989–1992) (C): The ADA, the 1990 Budget Deal, and the End of the Bush Administration (Season Finale)

As the George H. W. Bush years draw to a close, Senator Bob Dole finds himself at the center of some of the most consequential legislative battles of his career.

In this season finale, we examine three defining chapters of the Bush Administration and Dole's role in shaping them.

First, we look at the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, landmark legislation that transformed opportunities for millions of Americans. For Bob Dole, a wounded World War II veteran who spent years overcoming the challenges of disability himself, the issue was deeply personal. We explore how Dole worked across party lines to help move the legislation through Congress and why the ADA became one of the proudest achievements of his public life.

Next, we turn to the bitter struggle over the 1990 budget agreement. Facing mounting deficits and economic uncertainty, President Bush entered negotiations with congressional leaders that culminated in a controversial bipartisan deal. The agreement broke Bush's famous "Read My Lips: No New Taxes" pledge, triggering outrage among conservatives and creating divisions within the Republican Party that would linger for years. We examine Dole's difficult position as Senate Republican Leader and his efforts to navigate the competing demands of governing, party loyalty, and fiscal responsibility.

Finally, we trace the final years of the Bush presidency, from the triumph of victory in the Gulf War to a slowing economy, rising political challenges, and the turbulent 1992 election. As President Bush's popularity declined and Governor Bill Clinton emerged as a formidable challenger, Bob Dole increasingly found himself looking toward the future—and toward the possibility of his own presidential campaign.

This episode closes the story of Bob Dole's journey from war hero to Senate Republican Leader and one of the most influential figures in Washington during the Bush years. Along the way, we have witnessed the experiences, struggles, triumphs, and setbacks that shaped the man who would soon become the Republican Party's standard-bearer.

Next season, the story continues with BOB DOLE: 1995 – Clinton's Comeback, as America enters a new political era marked by divided government, the Republican Revolution, and the opening chapters of Bob Dole's final quest for the presidency.

The life that brought him there is complete. The campaign that will define his legacy is about to begin.

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Episode 456 – BOB DOLE: The Life That Brought Him There, Part 37
The Bush Years (1989–1992) (B): The Tower Nomination (2) – The Fight!!

The battle lines are drawn.

What began as what appeared to be a routine confirmation for former Texas Senator John Tower to become Secretary of Defense quickly exploded into one of the most bitter and contentious nomination fights in modern Senate history.

In this episode, we follow the escalating political war that engulfed the Senate as allegations concerning Tower's personal conduct, drinking habits, and relationships with defense contractors dominated headlines across America. Democrats questioned whether Tower possessed the judgment necessary to lead the Pentagon, while Republicans argued that an accomplished public servant was being subjected to rumor, innuendo, and character assassination.

At the center of the fight stood Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole. A longtime colleague and friend of Tower, Dole emerged as one of the nomination's most forceful defenders. As the controversy intensified, Dole worked behind the scenes and on the Senate floor to rally Republican support, challenge the accusations against Tower, and defend what he believed was the constitutional responsibility of the Senate to judge a nominee fairly.

The confirmation battle soon became about far more than John Tower. It became a struggle over partisanship, personal character, the advice and consent role of the Senate, and the future relationship between Congress and the newly inaugurated Bush Administration.

Through committee hearings, floor speeches, media scrutiny, and intense political maneuvering, we examine how the nomination transformed from a personnel decision into a national political showdown. Along the way, we hear from the senators who fought for Tower, those who opposed him, and the leaders who understood that the outcome would set a precedent reaching far beyond a single nomination.

This is the fight—the bruising Senate battle that tested friendships, challenged political loyalties, and became one of the defining confirmation struggles of the late twentieth century.

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Episode 455 – BOB DOLE: The Life That Brought Him There, Part 36
The Bush Years (A): The Tower Nomination (1) – Who Is John Tower?

With the election of President George H. W. Bush in 1988, a new Republican administration arrived in Washington, but one of its first major battles would become one of the most controversial cabinet confirmation fights in modern American history.

Before we can understand the nomination battle itself, we must first understand the man at its center: former Texas Senator John Tower.

In this episode, we examine Tower's remarkable rise from a young Texas history professor to the first Republican elected to the United States Senate from Texas since Reconstruction. We follow his twenty-four-year Senate career, his emergence as one of the Republican Party's leading voices on national defense, and his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he became one of the nation's foremost authorities on military affairs.

We also explore Tower's relationship with fellow Republican leaders, including Senator Bob Dole, President Ronald Reagan, and Vice President-turned-President George H. W. Bush. Along the way, we examine his role in Cold War defense policy, arms control negotiations, and the Iran-Contra investigation that further elevated his national profile.

By January 1989, Tower appeared to be the obvious choice to become Secretary of Defense. Few Americans possessed his depth of experience in military affairs, and his confirmation seemed almost certain. Yet within weeks, allegations concerning his personal conduct, drinking, and ties to defense contractors would ignite a political firestorm that would divide the Senate and place longtime allies like Bob Dole in a difficult position.

This is the story of the man before the battle—a look at the life and career that brought John Tower to the center of one of the most dramatic confirmation fights in Senate history.

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Episode 454 — Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 35)

Bush vs. Dole: The 1988 Campaign (B) — The New Hampshire Primary

In Episode 454 of our continuing series on the life and career of Bob Dole, we turn to one of the most decisive moments of the 1988 Republican presidential race: the battle for New Hampshire.

Fresh off his victory in the Iowa Caucuses, Bob Dole appeared to have the momentum. For the first time in his long political career, the Republican nomination seemed within reach. The press was talking about a Dole surge, and supporters believed Iowa might be the breakthrough he had spent years pursuing.

But standing in his path was Vice President George H. W. Bush, whose campaign suddenly found itself fighting for survival.

The New Hampshire Primary would become the turning point.

This episode examines:

• The aftermath of Dole's Iowa victory
 • Bush's determination to stop Dole's momentum
 • The media battles that shaped public perception of the race
 • The campaign strategies employed by both candidates
 • The famous and often tense exchanges that became hallmarks of the New Hampshire contest
 • How one primary helped determine the future nominee of the Republican Party

The campaign was more than a contest between two candidates. It was a clash of styles, personalities, and political identities within the Republican Party.

Dole brought decades of legislative experience, sharp wit, and a reputation as one of Washington's most effective leaders.

Bush brought the prestige of the vice presidency, the legacy of the Reagan administration, and a national campaign organization determined to regain control of the race.

As the candidates crisscrossed New Hampshire, every speech, debate, television appearance, and campaign stop carried enormous significance.

For Bob Dole, New Hampshire represented an opportunity to transform momentum into inevitability.

For George Bush, it was a chance to save his campaign.

Only one would leave with the advantage.

And the outcome would reshape the course of the 1988 Republican presidential nomination battle.

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BOB PACKWOOD (1932–2026): A Look Back

Special Edition — Plus a Preview of Our Upcoming Bob Packwood Series

This special edition of our podcast is dedicated to the life and legacy of Bob Packwood, who passed away this weekend at the age of 94.

For nearly three decades, Packwood was one of the most influential, controversial, and consequential members of the United States Senate. A senator who often defied easy ideological labels, he played a major role in shaping tax policy, budget negotiations, health care debates, environmental legislation, and some of the most significant legislative battles of the late twentieth century.

In this episode, we look back on Packwood's remarkable life and career through obituary coverage, historical reflections, and an assessment of his impact on the Senate and the nation.

Like many influential public figures, Packwood's legacy is a complicated one. His legislative accomplishments and political skill are inseparable from the controversies that ultimately ended his Senate career. This episode seeks to examine the full story of the man, his achievements, his flaws, and the lasting impact he left on American politics.

Adding a bittersweet dimension to this tribute is the fact that our production team had just completed a comprehensive 14-part series on Bob Packwood's life and career before learning of his passing.

As a result, this special edition also serves as a preview of that upcoming series, giving listeners a glimpse into the topics we will explore in greater depth, including:

• Packwood's rise in Oregon politics
 • His years in the United States Senate
 • His role in major tax and budget legislation
 • His relationships with fellow senators, including Bob Dole
 • His influence on the changing Senate of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s
 • The controversies that brought his career to an end
 • His place in the larger story of American political history

For listeners who have enjoyed our long-form Senate and Bob Dole series, Packwood's story offers another fascinating look inside an institution that shaped modern America.

This episode is both a remembrance and a beginning.

A farewell to a senator whose influence stretched across generations.

And a preview of a series that will explore one of the most complex figures ever to serve in the United States Senate.

Bob Packwood. 1932–2026.

A life.
 A career.
 A complicated legacy.

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Episode 453 — Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 34)

Bush vs. Dole: The 1988 Republican Primary (A) — The Iowa Caucus Campaign

In Episode 453 of our continuing series on the life and career of Bob Dole, we begin our examination of one of the most important and hard-fought campaigns of his political life — the 1988 Republican presidential primary.

For years, Dole had risen through the ranks of American politics: Congressman, Senator, Vice Presidential nominee, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Senate Republican Leader. Now, with Ronald Reagan preparing to leave office, Dole saw what many believed would be his best opportunity to capture the Republican nomination for President.

Standing in his way was Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, the early favorite and heir apparent to much of the Reagan coalition.

This episode focuses on the opening battleground of the campaign — the Iowa Caucuses.

We explore:

• Why Iowa became so critical to Dole's strategy
 • The strengths and weaknesses of the Dole and Bush campaigns
 • The role of retail politics and grassroots organization in Iowa
 • The issues and themes shaping the Republican contest
 • The intense competition between two longtime Republican leaders

The Iowa campaign showcased two very different political styles. Dole relied on his legislative experience, sharp debating skills, and Midwestern roots, while Bush sought to build upon the popularity of the Reagan administration and his standing as Vice President.

As the candidates crisscrossed Iowa, the stakes could not have been higher. A strong showing could provide momentum toward the nomination. A poor performance could bring a campaign to a sudden halt.

This is the beginning of a rivalry that would shape the Republican Party's future — and one of the most fascinating presidential contests of the Reagan era.

The battle lines are drawn.

The caucuses are approaching.

And the road to the 1988 Republican nomination begins in Iowa.

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In this special edition episode, we turn our attention to one of the most accomplished public servants of her generation, Elizabeth Dole, as we revisit her 1990 Landon Lecture delivered at Kansas State University.

At the time serving as U.S. Secretary of Labor, Dole brought to the podium a wealth of experience gained through leadership roles in multiple presidential administrations. Her lecture explored the challenges and opportunities facing America at the dawn of a new decade, addressing issues of work, economic change, personal responsibility, public service, and the evolving role of government in American life.

Known for her intellect, poise, and commitment to public service, Dole offered thoughtful reflections on the values that strengthen communities and the importance of leadership in times of transition. Her remarks provide a fascinating snapshot of the political and economic landscape of 1990 while highlighting themes that remain relevant today.

Join us as we examine Elizabeth Dole’s message, the historical context surrounding her address, and the lasting significance of her contributions to American public life in this special presentation of the 1990 Landon Lecture.

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