NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Bob Dole, a former Republican Kansas senator and 1996 presidential nominee, died at the age of 98, his family announced Sunday.
"Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep. At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years," the statement read.
President Joe Biden said in a statement, "Bob was an American statesman like few in our history. A war hero and among the greatest of the Greatest Generation. And to me, he was also a friend whom I could look to for trusted guidance, or a humorous line at just the right moment to settle frayed nerves. I will miss my friend. But I am grateful for the times we shared, and for the friendship Jill and I and our family have built with Liddy and the entire Dole family."
Dole, who announced in February that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, served 27 years in the Senate, twice as Senate Majority Leader, and as a congressman from 1961 to 1969.
He ran for president three times, in 1980 and 1988, last losing to former President Bill Clinton, who sought reelection in 1996.
Clinton tweeted Sunday, "Bob Dole dedicated his entire life to serving the American people, from his heroism in World War II to the 35 years he spent in Congress. After all he gave in the war, he didn’t have to give more. But he did. His example should inspire people today and for generations to come."
Dole, who was seriously wounded during World War II, was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1997, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2018 for his service as a "soldier, legislator and statesman."
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