NPR News

Former Sen. Bob Dole lies in state at the Capitol as his colleagues pay tribute

By Brian Naylor,

Marco Storel

Published December 9, 2021 at 4:08 PM EST

Arrival of the casket of former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole to the U.S. Capitol. Dole will lie in state until Friday's departure to a funeral service at National Cathedral.

Former senator and congressman Bob Dole is lying in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, in the building where he served more than three decades as a lawmaker from Kansas.

At a ceremony Thursday morning, President Biden, who served with Dole for 25 years in the Senate, remembered his former colleague as a great friend, as "a giant of our history" and a hero of democracy.

Dole died Dec. 5 at the age of 98.

A joint services military honor guard carries the casket containing the remains of the late Sen. Bob Dole into the U.S. Capitol where he will lie in state on December 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Following the casket are Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley; Dole's wife, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole; and daughter, Robin.

With his widow, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and his daughter Robin looking on, Biden praised Dole for putting principle over party, saying the only way forward for democracy is through unity and consensus.

"May we follow his wisdom and his timeless truth," Biden said.

Congressional leaders also praised Dole. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called him the last of the greatest generation to run for president — something he did, unsuccessfully, three times. He said Dole, severely wounded in World War II, "spent decades carrying fellow veterans and Americans with disabilities on his shoulders."

Former Sen. Elizabeth Dole rests her head on the casket of her husband and former Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building, where lays in state, on Dec. 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Dole "a champion of those whose lives were marked by struggle."

Dole will lie in state through the day. A funeral service for him takes place Friday at the Washington National Cathedral. There will also be a ceremony at the World War II Memorial in Washington, and then Dole's remains will be flown to his home state of Kansas for ceremonies there.

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden pay their respects at the casket of former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS) as he lies in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. The former Senate Majority Leader and Republican presidential nominee, will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda all day before being taken to the National Cathedral for a funeral service.

The casket of former Sen. Bob Dole arrives in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building, where he will lie in state, on Capitol Hill on Dec. 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C. He ran for president three times and became the Republican nominee for president in 1996.

Betty Meyer, former secretary for Sen. Dole, pays her respects. The casket will remain at the Capitol until Friday's departure to the funeral service at National Cathedral.

Robin Dole, center, is escorted into a ceremony for her late father, former Sen. Bob Dole at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

A mourner holds a program showing former Sen. Bob Dole, prior to a congressional ceremony to honor Dole, in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Dec. 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C. The former Senate Majority Leader and GOP presidential nominee, will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday before being taken to the National Cathedral for a funeral service on Friday.

President Joe Biden greets former Sen. Elizabeth Dole as they gather to pay their respects to former Sen. Bob Dole as he lies in state at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

From left, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi pay their respects as former Republican Senator from Kansas Bob Dole, lies in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2021.

A visitor pays their respects in front of the casket of former Sen. Bob Dole in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol

Democratic Sen. of Illinois Tammy Duckworth pays her respects in front of former Sen. Bob Dole, in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

Arrival of the casket of former Sen. Bob Dole to the U.S. Capitol. Dole will lie in state until tomorrow's departure to the funeral service at National Cathedral.

The casket of former Sen. Bob Dole arrives in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, where he will lie in state, on Dec. 9, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

In the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, the casket of former Sen. Bob Dole lies in state as people walk through to pay their respects.