Although Americans are eager to bring U.S. troops home, pulling out of Iraq now would be a disaster, former Senate Majority Leader and presidential candidate Robert Dole said in a speech at Bender Arena Saturday.
"If I have learned one thing in the last 60 years, it is that freedom is fragile and it must be protected by every generation," Dole said. "This is a chain of sacrifice that predates Lexington and Concord."
Dole, 83, spoke to an audience of students and families as part of the Kennedy Political Union's Family and Alumni Weekend. The former Republican senator from Kansas opened his speech with a humorous anecdote, citing the last time he spoke at AU.
"The last time I spoke at American University was in 2000, and I see a few students here today that I recognize," Dole said.
Dole spoke about his recent trip to Europe with fellow former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South Dakota.
"[In Europe] I saw animosity everywhere, not towards the American people but toward the Office of the President, all because of the Iraq War," Dole said.
Before addressing the crowd, Senator Dole spoke privately to ATV and The Eagle about his predictions for the future.
Dole also shared his thoughts on the possibility of Senator Rick Santorum overcoming his 18-point deficit to be re-elected next year and on indicted Republican Congressional leader Tom Delay.
"A year before the 1996 election, polls showed me beating president Clinton by 11 points," Dole said. "By 2006, President Bush will bounce back, and Rick Santorum has a good chance to be re-elected and for the Republicans to maintain control of Congress."
Regarding Delay's conspiracy and campaign finance violation indictments, Dole called Travis County Prosecutor Ronnie Earle "partisan," and accused him of charging Delay with a "statute that doesn't exist."
Dole also told The Eagle that current Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is ripe for the sort of change that Dole himself made between the 1970s and 1990s, transforming from "an attack dog for the GOP into a bipartisan statesman."
Dole talked to students and parents about his involvement in the planning of the World War II Memorial, saying seeing it completed is something he is "most proud of."
Dole also discussed his life after politics, including his commercials for Viagra and Pepsi.
"What do you do when [the voters] put you out of work?" Dole asked. "You file for unemployment, do a few commercials with Britney Spears ... I got called a strange old man for that Pepsi commercial, but I wasn't the one barking - the dog was barking!"
Since failing to unseat President Clinton in 1996, Dole has retired from politics, and has written three books. The first two, "Great Political Wit: Laughing (Almost) All the Way to the White House," and "Great Presidential Wit: I Wish I Was in the Book," are compilations of political anecdotes. Senator Dole's newest book is entitled "One Soldier's Story: A Memoir," and is a look at his time in the army during the Second World War.
After a 20-minute question and answer session following his speech, Dole gave advice for students interested in getting involved in politics.
"Do an internship for a Democrat or a Republican," Dole said. "Get involved in a campaign, or better yet, run your own campaign. You'll meet a lot of nice people. Not all of them will want to vote for you, but you'll see that we all have the best interests of America at heart"
