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JUDY WOODRUFF: President Biden
and a large number of political
leaders from both parties gathered

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today to honor the late Senate
Majority Leader Bob Dole at
his funeral in Washington, D.C.

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Amna Nawaz has our report.

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AMNA NAWAZ: The late Bob Dole arrived at
the Washington National Cathedral today,

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his casket draped in the flag he had
honored as a soldier and statesman.

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The first tribute delivered by his former
Senate colleague President Joe Biden:

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JOE BIDEN, President of the
United States: He came into
the arena with certain guiding

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principles that began with devotion
to country, to fair play, to
decency, to dignity, to honor,

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to literally attempting
to find the common good.

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AMNA NAWAZ: Those principles, Biden said,
led Dole to deep concern in his final days

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about threats to American democracy.

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JOE BIDEN: And this soldier reminded
us -- and I quote -- "Too many
of us have sacrificed too much

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in defending freedom from
foreign adversaries to allow
our democracy to crumble

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in a state -- under a state of infighting
that grows more unacceptable day by day."

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AMNA NAWAZ: Biden hailed Dole as
a man of integrity and quick wit,

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on display when Dole was asked
why he bucked his party casting
the deciding vote to save Amtrak:

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JOE BIDEN: He said, it's the best
way to get Joe Biden the hell out

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of here at night, so he's
not here in the morning.

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(LAUGHTER)
JOE BIDEN: Excuse my language.

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AMNA NAWAZ: Fellow Kansan Pat Roberts,

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who followed Dole in the Senate,
today recalled the deep connection
he kept to his home state.

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FMR. SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R-KS): Whether
we were in Topeka, Abilene, Wichita,

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or Dodge City, I saw Bob Dole connect
with Kansans always on a personal level.

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AMNA NAWAZ: Roberts too
remembered Dole's renowned humor,

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often deployed to break
down political walls.

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FMR. SEN. PAT ROBERTS: It was embedded
in his nature to deliver that punchline

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deadpan, knowing, waiting for the
room to light up, which it always did,

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For the barriers to come down, letting
the air out of the partisan balloons.

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AMNA NAWAZ: Former Senate
Majority Leader Tom Daschle,
a Democrat who served opposite

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then-leader Dole, spoke of a
bond born across party lines
that only strengthened with time.

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FMR. SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD): I have
always thought that life has no blessing

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like that of a good friend.
And to know Bob was to know
the truth of that statement.

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AMNA NAWAZ: The final tribute,

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from Dole's daughter,
Robin, who saw firsthand her
father's lifetime of service.

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ROBIN DOLE, Daughter of Bob
Dole: He set a personal goal

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to help at least one person
every day of his life.

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Then, he said: "I'm not sure I
have been able to meet my goal."

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I said: "Dad, you have got to be kidding.

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Some days, you help one person, and
other days you help 40,000 people."

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I will miss him so much. I think I
will still talk to him every night.

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I love you, dad. I promise,
you will never walk alone.

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AMNA NAWAZ: After the cathedral
service, Dole was brought to
the World War II Memorial.

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Actor Tom Hanks, who starred in the 1998
World War II film "Saving Private Ryan,"

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helped Dole to raise funds
for the memorial, but said the
senator was the driving force.

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TOM HANKS, Actor: He pushed the
idea. He corralled the votes. He
made the phone calls. He enlisted

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allies. This memorial stands in this
rightful site because Bob Dole remembered.

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AMNA NAWAZ: Dole's military service and
sacrifice were front and center in remarks

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from Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs General Mark Milley. Dole
nearly died as a 21-year-old,

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shot by a Nazi machine gun. He was
later awarded two Purple Hearts.

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GEN. MARK MILLEY, Chairman, Joint Chiefs
of Staff: He continually raised his hand,

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mangled as it was, to support and defend
the Constitution of the United States of

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America. We are all better off for
the service of Senator Bob Dole.

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AMNA NAWAZ: Former Senator and
Secretary Elizabeth Dole honored
her husband through deeds today,

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not words, carefully laying
a wreath in his memory.

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The late Senator Dole will now return
to Kansas for home state tributes,

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before being laid to rest at
Arlington National Cemetery.

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For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Amna Nawaz.