The Jury’s Still Out On Bob Dole

Nobody in Washington can remember the last time somebody of Bob Dole’s stature gave away power without the threat of death, impeachment or prison.

Most Washingtonians spend their whole lives scheming to acquire richly paneled offices and chauffeured sedans. They cannot understand why anybody would surrender luxury to run around the country in casual wear, addressing Rotarians and attending county fairs.

Yet, the Senate majority leader, in the twilight of a long career, has discovered that the world beyond the Beltway offers not only new life but also redemption.

He showed up in Chicago last Thursday without a tie, which is a dramatic departure considering the fact he wore one last year while exercising on a treadmill.

He read his speech from a TelePrompTer, an innovation that enabled him to make eye contact with something other than his shoes, and he delivered an address polished by writers who know how to accentuate the poignant moments in the man’s tough life.

The New Bob Dole has begun surprising friends and frustrating foes, just as leaders do. Most folks in Washington figured Dole would stay hunkered down in his Capitol office throughout a losing presidential campaign and then cap off his career with four final years as majority leader.

But when he walked away from his Senate seat, he dashed those expectations. He said: No more Mr. Bland Guy. Like Vince Lombardi, he evidently believes winning is the only thing.

The Kansas Republican says he’ll leave the Senate by June 11, but count on his departure by Memorial Day. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., wants Dole’s office, and Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., can’t wait to replace Lott as Republican whip. People adjust more quickly to promotions than demotions, and the new guys want their new offices.

More importantly, Republican contributors want Dole out of Washington. Haley Barbour, chairman of the Republican National Committee, notes that contributions to the party increased by a factor of 10 just after Dole’s announcement - to $2,000 per hour per operator in phone solicitations, mostly from folks who give $100 or less.

Says Barbour: “This move has galvanized the party. People are excited - as excited as I’ve seen in a long time.”

And that’s saying something. President Clinton has proved to be the most gifted fund-raiser both parties ever have had. Democrats may be raking in bucks, but the president has inspired a flood of donations to the GOP as well. One party insider says the Republicans never have hauled in so much loot before.

When the party asks contributors why they sent their cash, donors emphasize misgivings about Clinton’s character. The top 16 reasons for opposing Clinton are purely personal; the first policy difference occupies No. 17 on the list.

Dole proved his potential as a fund-raiser when he walked away from his old haunts. The only thing many conservatives wanted was evidence that he would run a serious campaign.

Democrats denigrate Dole’s dramatic departure as proof of desperation, and they’re right: The majority leader finally figured out that he couldn’t run for president and do his Senate job, so he chose the campaign.

A parliamentarian, by the very nature of his job, cannot behave like a president. He cannot stake out bold positions and draw lines; he always must keep a card up his sleeve. He gets paid to cut deals, and he spends his days treading water in mind-numbing arcana: rules of order, procedural dreck, an amendment here and a conference report there.

Otto Bismarck was right: One ought never watch the production of laws or sausages, and as long as Bob Dole stayed in the Senate, he could do nothing more than grind the pork and stuff it in canisters.

Now, Dole faces a peculiar dilemma: Although he has lived in the public spotlight for 36 years, nobody knows much about him. We have his voting record and his wisecracks, but we do not have evidence of a whole man - somebody who has passions, loves, fears and tears.

Gregarious Alan Simpson, the departing GOP senator from Wyoming, said after Dole’s announcement that the hood is off the falcon. While Dole has generated enough excitement to attract people’s interest now, he still hasn’t offered up enough substance to earn loyalty and support.

So now comes the big question: Does this aging career politician have enough energy, vision and vitality to snatch the Oval Office from Bill Clinton? Can he shock the Establishment with bold ideas about taxes, government reform and social issues? Is his falcon a bird of prey - or a car model that was sent to the junk heap long ago?

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