BOB DOLE : The Life that Brought Him There

Randal Wallace
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  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

 Randal Wallace Presents : Bob Dole The Life that Brought Him There We begin our second season on Bob Dole's life and career, by traveling back in time to the battlefield of Italy in World War 2. A story that will begin with Bob Dole gravely wounded on a battlefield in Italy, and end on the threshold of the 1996 Campaign for President. It is truly one of America's greatest stories.  Over the next three seasons we will tell his story and the story of the rise of the modern Republican Party. It will be the final story of National leadership for the generation of people who built the American Century. For all the attention a new generation of Republican leaders would garner, it was in fact, Bob Dole, so often in the shadow of the giants of his age, from Nixon to Reagan to Bush, and who would largely be forgotten in the coming era of Gingrich , Clinton, and the second George W. Bush, who actually led the Republican Party out of the political wilderness and back to power in both houses of Congress, even as his own efforts to win the Presidency would fall short.  In our second of three seasons, we will look back at Bob Dole's life from his tragic injury, to the eve of his Presidential Campaign in 1996. In these episodes, we will see one of the most remarkable stories of resilience, faith, and willpower,  in all of American history.   We invite you to come along with us on a wild ride through the high points and low moments of modern American History, in an effort to show the citizens of today that we are an amazing and resilient nation.  Our Podcasts are separated by individual Documentary style titles. --Season 1 : Bridging the Political Gap episodes 1 -11 --- Season 2 : Lessons in Leadership : --- The GIANTS of the Senate and Joe Biden episodes 14 - 16 ---- World War 2 Episodes 17 - 20 --- General MacArthur You're Fired Episodes 21 - 23 ---- A Celebration of the life of George Shultz episodes 26 - 28 ---- November 1963 : The end of the Age of Innocence episode 29 ---   Season 3 ----The Johnson Treatment episodes 32 - 39 ---- Upheaval 1968 episodes 40 - 50 ---- Season 4: Richard Nixon 1968 -1971 The Man Who Saved the Union episodes 51 -67 ----- Season 5 Richard Nixon 1972 The Foundation of Peace episodes 71 - 96 -----1973 Ten Days in January 97 - 100 -- Season 6 Richard Nixon 1973 : Enemies at the Gate 101 - 125 ---- Season 7 Richard Nixon 1974 Through the Fire 126 - 147 ---- Season 8 Richard Nixon 1974 - 1994 The Fall and the Re-Rise of Richard Nixon. 148 - 174 plus bonus materials --- Season 9 Gerald Ford Beyond Watergate 175 -190 -- Season 10 John Jenrette. & Jimmy Carter too  191 -  224 -- Season 11 George H.W. Bush : The Leadership Lessons 225 -  250 --- Season 12: Mayor Hirsch  253 - 259,  George H.W. Bush : The Sweep of History 260 - 285, Season 13 George H.W. Bush The Gulf War, The Coup, Clarence Thomas & the Cold War's End 286 - 318, Season 14 George H. W. Bush 1992 The Changing of the Guard 319 - 363  Season 15 Bob Dole 1993 - 1995 The Last Man Standing 364 - 402,  Special Season 16  The Great American Authors 403  -  419 , Season Seventeen Bob Dole The Life that Brought him there 420 -   (FAIR USE NOTICE : This presentation contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The use of this footage is for educational and historical commentary. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material.)

  1. 1D AGO · BONUS

    JESSIE JACKSON : A Tribute (Part 2 of 3) The 1984 Address to Democratic National Convention

    Send a text Today’s episode is a special rebroadcast and tribute — a return to one of the defining voices of modern American political history. In 1984, at the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, Reverend Jesse Jackson stepped onto the national stage not simply as a candidate, but as a movement leader. His campaign had galvanized millions — expanding the electorate, registering new voters, and bringing together what he called the Rainbow Coalition: Black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, young, old, urban, rural — Americans whose voices too often went unheard. Jackson’s speech that night was more than rhetoric. It was a moral argument about inclusion, economic justice, peace, and the unfinished promise of democracy. He spoke of common ground rather than division, of hope rather than cynicism. For many listeners then — and many historians now — it marked a turning point. It broadened the language of coalition politics and challenged the party, and the country, to imagine a larger “we.” In this tribute episode, we revisit that historic address — not as a relic, but as a living document of aspiration and courage. Here now, from the 1984 Democratic National Convention: Reverend Jesse Jackson. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    57 min

  2. 2D AGO · BONUS

    OPERATION EPIC FURY (SPECIAL EDITION) Israel, Iran, and The Lion's Roar....

    Send a text Welcome to a special edition of the program. Today we focus on what may prove to be one of the most consequential military operations of the 21st century — Operation Epic Fury — the coordinated action undertaken by the United States and Israel against the Iranian regime. President Donald J. Trump has described this operation as decisive and necessary — aimed at dismantling what he and his administration have long called the world’s leading state sponsor of terror and ending Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capability. Standing alongside him, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has framed the action as essential to Israel’s survival and to the broader security of the Middle East. Supporters of the operation see this as a historic turning point — the possible end of a regime they believe has destabilized the region for decades through proxy warfare, threats against Israel, suppression of its own people, and hostility toward the West. This episode includes editorial commentary from me, Randal Wallace. I want to be clear with our audience at the outset: I strongly support this operation and the leadership shown in carrying it out. Throughout this program, I will offer my analysis and perspective on why I believe this action was justified, necessary, and long overdue. At the same time, we will examine the strategic implications, the global reaction, and what the potential end of the Iranian regime could mean for the people of Iran, for Israel, for the United States, and for the future balance of power in the Middle East. This is a serious moment in history. The stakes are enormous. The consequences — geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian — will unfold in real time. Thank you for joining us for this important conversation. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    38 min

  3. 6D AGO

    Episode 429 BOB DOLE THE LIFE THAT BROUGHT HIM THERE (Part 10) WATERGATE

    Send a text Episode 429 – Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 10)  Watergate Part 10 takes listeners inside one of the most seismic political crises in American history — and does so through the eyes and voice of Bob Dole. As the Watergate complex break-in spiraled into a constitutional confrontation, Washington changed overnight. This episode weaves together archival news coverage and oral history reflections to recreate how the scandal unfolded in real time — the investigations, the hearings, the shifting political ground, and the growing pressure on President Richard Nixon. At the center of it all is Dole’s perspective: what he believed as events developed, how he interpreted the mounting revelations, and how he navigated the political and personal stakes during a moment when party loyalty, institutional responsibility, and public trust were all colliding. Listeners will hear not only the immediacy of the crisis as it broke, but also Dole’s later reflections — shaped by decades of hindsight — on what Watergate meant for the presidency, for Congress, and for the country. His retrospective insights add depth and nuance, revealing how time can reshape understanding of even the most explosive events. Part 10 is both a historical reconstruction and a personal reckoning — a look at Watergate not just as a scandal, but as a defining test of leadership, loyalty, and constitutional order, told through the experience of a man who lived it from inside the Senate chamber. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    1h 14m

  4. FEB 23

    Episode 428 BOB DOLE THE LIFE THAT BROUGHT HIM THERE (Part 9) Out as RNC Chairman

    Send a text Episode 428 – Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 9)  Out as RNC Chairman Power in Washington can rise quickly — and shift just as fast. Part 9 explores the dramatic turning point when Bob Dole’s tenure as chairman of the Republican National Committee comes to an abrupt end and George H. W. Bush is brought in to take the helm. Through a series of revealing phone conversations, listeners are taken inside the political maneuvering at the highest levels of the Nixon White House. We hear the tone, strategy, and personal dynamics in calls between President Richard Nixon and Bush, as well as between Nixon and Dole, offering a rare window into how leadership decisions were made during one of the most volatile periods in modern political history. This episode examines not just the mechanics of Dole’s removal, but the broader political context surrounding it — a moment when the administration was increasingly consumed by the unfolding Watergate complex scandal. Ironically, stepping away from the RNC chairmanship may have distanced Dole from the day-to-day political machinery that would soon be engulfed in controversy. Part 9 captures the tension, loyalty, and hard political realities behind a pivotal transition — showing how a setback in the moment may have altered Dole’s long-term political trajectory and spared him deeper entanglement in one of the defining crises of the twentieth century. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    58 min

  5. FEB 20 · BONUS

    JESSIE JACKSON : A Tribute (Part 1 of 3) and a dedication to Robert Duval and E. Gordon Mooneyhan

    Send a text Welcome to a very special edition of the program. Today, we dedicate this episode to a man whose voice, vision, and moral urgency helped shape the American political and social landscape for more than half a century — Reverend Jesse Jackson. From the civil rights movement to the national political stage, Jackson’s journey is inseparable from the story of modern America. He stood at the crossroads of protest and policy, faith and activism, idealism and pragmatism. He spoke not only of justice, but of possibility — insisting that the circle of opportunity must always widen. In this tribute episode, we reflect on that remarkable life and legacy. You’ll hear a retrospective drawn from CNN and Chicago’s ABC News — revisiting the moments that defined a movement leader, presidential candidate, diplomat, and advocate for economic and racial justice. We’ll listen to a conversation with former Atlanta Mayor and Ambassador Andrew Young, offering personal insight into Jackson’s courage, convictions, and enduring influence. We’ll also revisit a powerful interview recorded the morning after Barack Obama was elected President of the United States — capturing Jackson’s emotion at a moment many saw as the realization of struggles decades in the making. From the 1980s, we bring you archival coverage of Jackson speaking at Duke University — where his words challenged audiences to think bigger about equality, responsibility, and shared destiny. And in a lighter but unforgettable cultural moment, we remember his beloved reading of Green Eggs and Ham — a reminder that leadership can inspire not only through speeches, but through humanity and joy. Finally, we’ll share a five-minute excerpt from his historic 1988 Democratic National Convention address — a speech that remains one of the most eloquent calls for unity and compassion in American political history. And we’re honored to announce that, on March 2nd and March 3rd, we will rebroadcast Reverend Jackson’s full 1984 and 1988 Democratic National Convention speeches. This episode is also dedicated to two individuals whose lives touched our worlds in different, meaningful ways. To Robert Duvall, an artist whose performances brought depth, dignity, and unforgettable humanity to the screen. And to Myrtle Beach author, activist, and amateur radio operator E. Gordon Mooneyhan, whom we lost this past year. Gordon was a man of boundless curiosity and creativity — a lover of writing, photography, trains, and ham radio. He authored the Railroad Dining Car Cookbooks, chronicled the lives of friends through his books, held a degree in business administration from Coastal Carolina University, and served his community with quiet dedication — as a member of Seaside Masonic Lodge #419, the Grand Strand Amateur Radio Club, and a volunteer at the Emergency Operations Center during times of crisis. Today’s program is offered in the spirit that connects all three of these lives — purpose, passion, and the belief that one person’s voice can make a difference. Thank you for joining us. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    58 min

  6. FEB 19

    Episode 427 BOB DOLE THE LIFE THAT BROUGHT HIM THERE (part 8) With Nixon's Help (B)

    Send a text Episode 427 – Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 8)  With Nixon’s Help (B) Part 8 follows Bob Dole deeper into the inner orbit of presidential politics as the Nixon years reshape both America’s place in the world and the future of the Republican Party. The episode begins with the historic opening to China, as President Richard Nixon makes his groundbreaking trip to Beijing — a geopolitical gamble that stunned the world and redefined Cold War diplomacy. We explore how moments like this elevated the stakes for Republicans in Washington and strengthened Dole’s role as a trusted political ally during a presidency operating on the global stage. At home, the administration’s controversial wage and price controls reveal the economic pressures of the era and the political balancing act required to defend them. Listeners hear how Dole, now an increasingly visible national figure, navigated these debates while helping maintain party unity. The episode also examines the landslide election of 1972 and Dole’s pivotal role as chairman of the Republican National Committee. As the party’s chief political strategist, Dole was at the center of messaging, organization, and turnout efforts that helped deliver one of the most decisive victories in presidential history. A highlight of the episode is an insider look at the political mood of the moment through a revealing conversation between Nixon and his advisor Harry Dent. Their exchange provides a candid assessment of the election results, party dynamics, and the direction of American politics at a moment of overwhelming Republican strength. “With Nixon’s Help (B)” captures Bob Dole at the intersection of global diplomacy, domestic economic turmoil, and high-stakes party leadership — a period when his influence expanded far beyond the Senate chamber and onto the national political stage. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    45 min

  7. FEB 16

    Episode 426 BOB DOLE THE LIFE THAT BROUGHT HIM THERE (Part 7) With Nixon's Help (A)

    Send a text Episode 426 – Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 7)  With Nixon’s Help (A) Part 7 explores a pivotal chapter in Bob Dole’s rise on the national stage — his growing alliance with Richard Nixon during one of the most turbulent periods in modern American history. As the Nixon administration grappled with the war in Vietnam, Dole emerged as a reliable and disciplined voice defending administration policy on Capitol Hill. This episode examines how Nixon’s stewardship of the conflict shaped Washington’s political climate and how Dole’s loyalty strengthened his standing within the party and at the White House. We also dive into the political firestorm surrounding the Pentagon Papers — the leak that intensified public distrust and sharpened partisan battles in Congress. Listeners will hear how Dole responded in real time to the crisis and what it revealed about his instincts as a political combatant and party loyalist. The episode further explores Dole’s connections to key Nixon figures, including Attorney General John Mitchell and senior advisor John Ehrlichman, offering insight into the broader political network surrounding the administration. Through these relationships, we see how Dole’s influence grew not just as a senator, but as a trusted ally during moments of national controversy. “With Nixon’s Help (A)” captures the intersection of war, scandal, loyalty, and ambition — and shows how Bob Dole’s alignment with a powerful president helped accelerate his path toward national leadership. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    1h 9m

  8. FEB 12

    Episode 425 BOB DOLE THE LIFE THAT BROUGHT HIM THERE (Part 6) Welcome to the United States Senate

    Send a text Bob Dole: The Life That Brought Him There (Part 6)  Welcome to the United States Senate What was the Senate really like when Bob Dole walked into it in 1968? Part 6 answers that question through the voices of the people who lived it. This episode moves beyond biography and into lived institutional memory, as a remarkable lineup of Senate insiders describe the culture, pace, and power structure of the United States Senate at the height of a turbulent political era. Listeners get a ground-level view of what it meant to be a freshman senator — where seniority ruled, relationships mattered, and influence had to be earned one conversation at a time. We hear from Dole’s longtime chief of staff Sheila Burke, along with former senators Bob Packwood, Thad Cochran, Howard Baker, and Daniel Inouye — a bipartisan group offering candid reflections on Dole’s early reputation, working style, and rapid rise. A central theme of the episode is Dole’s emergence as what colleagues came to call the “Sheriff of the Senate” — a sharp, disciplined defender of Richard Nixon who was never shy about taking on critics of the administration. Through these firsthand accounts, listeners hear how Dole blended loyalty, combativeness, and strategic instincts to carve out a distinct role in one of the world’s most powerful legislative bodies. Part 6 is an insider’s tour of a bygone Senate era — its personalities, its unwritten rules, and the political battleground where Bob Dole began transforming from a new arrival into a force within the chamber. Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/ Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts Thanks for listening!!

    53 min
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 Randal Wallace Presents : Bob Dole The Life that Brought Him There We begin our second season on Bob Dole's life and career, by traveling back in time to the battlefield of Italy in World War 2. A story that will begin with Bob Dole gravely wounded on a battlefield in Italy, and end on the threshold of the 1996 Campaign for President. It is truly one of America's greatest stories.  Over the next three seasons we will tell his story and the story of the rise of the modern Republican Party. It will be the final story of National leadership for the generation of people who built the American Century. For all the attention a new generation of Republican leaders would garner, it was in fact, Bob Dole, so often in the shadow of the giants of his age, from Nixon to Reagan to Bush, and who would largely be forgotten in the coming era of Gingrich , Clinton, and the second George W. Bush, who actually led the Republican Party out of the political wilderness and back to power in both houses of Congress, even as his own efforts to win the Presidency would fall short.  In our second of three seasons, we will look back at Bob Dole's life from his tragic injury, to the eve of his Presidential Campaign in 1996. In these episodes, we will see one of the most remarkable stories of resilience, faith, and willpower,  in all of American history.   We invite you to come along with us on a wild ride through the high points and low moments of modern American History, in an effort to show the citizens of today that we are an amazing and resilient nation.  Our Podcasts are separated by individual Documentary style titles. --Season 1 : Bridging the Political Gap episodes 1 -11 --- Season 2 : Lessons in Leadership : --- The GIANTS of the Senate and Joe Biden episodes 14 - 16 ---- World War 2 Episodes 17 - 20 --- General MacArthur You're Fired Episodes 21 - 23 ---- A Celebration of the life of George Shultz episodes 26 - 28 ---- November 1963 : The end of the Age of Innocence episode 29 ---   Season 3 ----The Johnson Treatment episodes 32 - 39 ---- Upheaval 1968 episodes 40 - 50 ---- Season 4: Richard Nixon 1968 -1971 The Man Who Saved the Union episodes 51 -67 ----- Season 5 Richard Nixon 1972 The Foundation of Peace episodes 71 - 96 -----1973 Ten Days in January 97 - 100 -- Season 6 Richard Nixon 1973 : Enemies at the Gate 101 - 125 ---- Season 7 Richard Nixon 1974 Through the Fire 126 - 147 ---- Season 8 Richard Nixon 1974 - 1994 The Fall and the Re-Rise of Richard Nixon. 148 - 174 plus bonus materials --- Season 9 Gerald Ford Beyond Watergate 175 -190 -- Season 10 John Jenrette. & Jimmy Carter too  191 -  224 -- Season 11 George H.W. Bush : The Leadership Lessons 225 -  250 --- Season 12: Mayor Hirsch  253 - 259,  George H.W. Bush : The Sweep of History 260 - 285, Season 13 George H.W. Bush The Gulf War, The Coup, Clarence Thomas & the Cold War's End 286 - 318, Season 14 George H. W. Bush 1992 The Changing of the Guard 319 - 363  Season 15 Bob Dole 1993 - 1995 The Last Man Standing 364 - 402,  Special Season 16  The Great American Authors 403  -  419 , Season Seventeen Bob Dole The Life that Brought him there 420 -   (FAIR USE NOTICE : This presentation contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The use of this footage is for educational and historical commentary. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material.)

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