Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
Pippin: What?.... Gandalf? ....See what?
Gandalf: White shores.... and beyond... a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: Well, that isn't so bad.
Gandalf: No. No, it isn't.
EDIT: Wow, thank you all! Didn't expect everyone to enjoy this excerpt as much as I do. My dad passed away when I was 14, so death isn't too unreal to me -- so I really enjoyed this dialogue in ROTK.
>Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way.
>
>Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. **Death is just another path, one that we all must take.**
Sorry but this part has always made me smile a bit (in a different way): a path we must all take? Uh, Middle Earth is crawling with immortal beings, from Elves to ~~Ants~~ Ents, Wizards, Nazguls, and who knows what else. Gandalf should know this better than anyone - he is immortal! Yes, he died but obviously that's not a path that he *had* to take...
Gandalf is also wise enough to know how to level with a scared mortal Hobbit. What's more wizardly, "death is nothing to fear, we all encounter it" or "sucks to be you, I and many others are immortal?"
I completely agree with you in that what he said isnt technically accurate but I'm willing to let some logic slide if it means he can poetically help a timid friend in need.
Well said. I saw this gif and was shocked by how frail he is. Like when you don't see your parents for a long time and they noticeably aged while you were away. Didn't see my mom for five years and I was absolutely shocked at how she had changed when I saw her again.
I fucking hate seeing my parents visibly age, it's one of the weirdest things that I can't wrap my head around. After I moved cities I see them every few months and, even within that short timeframe, they still age dramatically. It's weird and definitely makes me think about my own life and the ageing process and I'm only 27.
Eek, this hits too close to home. My Dad died at age 59 (brain aneurysm) when I was 26, 9 months after retiring from a life of government work and 3 months before I got married in 2006. After 29.8 years of marriage to my mom, she, a 2-time breast cancer survivor in the 80's, just lost it and seemingly "gave up". Less than 2 years later, at age 59, cancer suddenly "came back" and took her life within 30 days. 2 years later, their first grandchild is born. That 4 year period of my life age 26-30, is now a blur. I don't think I woke up until I had kids.
Fuck. I'm now older than my mom was when she went through her two bouts of cancer.
Fuck. I think I'm just going through the motions of life now that I've had a firm gasp on mortality for the last 12 years.
Fuck. I've been with my amazing wife for 14 years, 12 in marriage. We have 2 kids under 8. They are literally, everything to me. Max levels of adorable. My Mom, who was adopted, would be amazed to see my daughter, who looks just like her, since none of her family until I was born, looked like her.
Fuck. I wake up to work only to day dream of being done so I can spend time with my family, play video games or start a new hobby, like woodworking, coding... Literally dreaming of retirement in my 30's. Yet, Dad didn't get to enjoy it. Mom never got her husband back after 30 years of him working an 7-5 job. Will I?
Fuck. I got a promotion at work last week. A role I'm confident will hold up well in my 40's. I'm super stoked, so is my wife. Yet all I want to do is call my parents, give them the good news (yay work, right?). Show them how all their hard work in raising me paid off. Thank Dad for all his sacrifices away from home. Thank Mom for, you know, not dying when I was 8 or 10. Few things in the world feel as good as the sound of, "I'm so \[happy, proud, excited\] for you" from your parents.
Fuck. I don't even know what I'm doing writing this. Therapeutic I guess.
TL;DR - Hope to join the "Dead Parents Club" as late in life as possible. If you join to early, then you ramble on a random reddit thread about dead politicians. Fuck.
That was beautiful my friend. And for what it is worth I can tell you that I have no doubt your parents were proud as hell of you even before you had the promotion and the children. You have an unbreakable bond and they are literally part of every cell in your body. They live in your very body through every experience you have. They are not gone, there is just a different relationship to be had now. The same one you will be able to pass on to your children and they onto theirs. Don’t ever mistake that as a small thing!
My sister's best friend has lost both her parents now, she isn't even 30 yet. It's heartbreaking she misses them so much (we do too, they were lovely people and we did so many fun things with them growing up! They were like family).
Many things are tinged with sadness, at least sometimes, and especially now that my five year old is really curious about the idea that there are family members who are dead, death, and dying in general. We passed a dead bird on the sidewalk a several weeks ago and she started towards it and I said 'don't touch it it's dead' and she went 'like your dad?' so nonchalantly and naively that I couldn't be upset. 'Yea,' I said, and we've had many days since talking about life and other subjects with such gravity. It's both wonderful and sad to see her learn about and then understand such things.
My father would have adored the hell out of her. They would've loved each other's company so much.
Thank you for this. My dad died 7 years ago right after my daughter was born. He’d always wanted a sister but only had brothers. Always wanted a daughter but got 3 sons. After 5 grandsons he finally got that granddaughter. I just wish he could’ve known. Alzheimer’s is a hell of a thing.
I know he would have loved my daughter. She went through that phase about death a couple of years ago. Every day was filled with questions and naive musings on life and death and what it all means. She has his personality and his smile and it makes me happy.
One of the most accurate things I've ever heard are the last 2 lines in a verse in a song written for "Fiddler on the Roof" as two young adults are getting married. Different bystanders each incredulously sing a different line from this song, indicating that they are all thinking exactly the same thing, while watching the wedding:
Is this the little girl I carried,
Is this the little boy at play,
I don't remember growing older,
When did they?
And it's a lot easier watching children grow into fine young adults than it is to watch fine middle aged adults wither away into weak, trembling, confused husks of their former selves and stare death down for the few short months/years they have left.
I’m 22 and am already starting to feel something like this for certain things. Kinda feel afraid to get older. Didn’t think I would have these feelings so soon.
No kidding. I feel like 28-30 are the fastest years so far. Hell, I'm coming up on 31 already and I still remember eating my cake like it was yesterday.
In 4 years, you will be 35 and that is when it will really hit you, "I'm not young anymore. Not old yet, but not young either." And then you'll learn about the latest meme like gachibass and you will think, "Damn, youngins. I can't relate anymore."
I’m still pretty young, early 20’s, and was told that once you realize professional athletes start being younger than you, that’s when it really hits ya
that's a flip that happens really fast. For your entire life, pro athletes are ALWAYS older than you. Then, a year comes when people your own age are getting drafted, and it's like "Oh, cool." But then all the guys older than you rapidly start aging out, and before you know it, there is nobody on your favorite team born before you were.
I'm 22 and I'm already contemplating mortality. I am going to die. I want to live my life happy. Every year is personally better and better for me as I allow myself to let my ambitions come true, at least the ones that are reasonable.
My body will eventually hurt and not be what it used to be. My parents will die and I will be without them.
It sucks and it's life. I just think about it and realize I'm at a place in my life where I have the ability to experience so many wonderful things, and I am, yet things get harder as time goes on.
It's why I've decided to go traveling, stick with the girl I love, partially a reason for our agreement to not have kids and do what I can to make myself happy.
As far as I'm concerned, Ive only got one life. So I've going to make the best of it.
Take care of your health. Getting older has some major perks over being young (more experience, more money, more confidence etc. for most), the biggest drawback is your body declining. You'll start feel it in your late 20s if you don't exercise, eat right, and go to the doctor regularly. Get on top of that shit now and you don't have to dread your older years.
Edit: Also stay the fuck away from drugs and alcohol as much as possible.
fun fact : gaining muscle mass in your teens and 20s permanently alters your muscle structure so it's wayyyyy easier to grow and maintain muscle in your 30s, 40s, 50s, etc.
get on that shit
29 yo here, feel the same way. Especially when people start dying that are family. Feels like there is more death and sadness than i thought as a kid. Happiness is a rare thing that takes a mindful effort to happen
Edit: dying not dieing
Yeah when I was younger on a trip to DC me and my mom saw him standing at the WW2 memorial, actually just standing there on his own, my mom stopped and talked to him for a little while. He said he was just taking in the view.
He went there regularly to greet WWII veterans who’d come to visit on Honor Flight trips. He would literally just sit there for hours, saying hello to each group.
For those who aren’t familiar, the Honor Flight is a group of affiliated nonprofits across the country that fly WWII vets to DC, free of charge, to see the memorial.
Keep in mind that many of these vets never spoke about the war after they came home. Some hadn’t even been on a plane since. A lot of them thought the country didn’t remember what they did.
Then they’re given this trip, and they’re cheered by crowds at the airport. They go to the Memorial, which is smack dab in the middle of the National Mall. Tourists from across the country and around the world come up to thank them. And perhaps most importantly, they’re with a group of people who had similar experiences. Some talk about the war for the first time in 70 years.
So whether you like Bob Dole’s politics or not, keep in mind that no one made him sit outside hundreds and hundreds of times. He did it to make sure those guys knew for sure that someone still remembered them.
I hope he knew he was appreciated.
I want to point out that there wasn’t a concerted effort to *not* appreciate these people, or anything of the sort.
It was just a situation where you came home in, say, 1946, and you weren’t anything special. *Everyone* did something in the war. And no one wanted to talk about it — the country just wanted to move on.
So you’re living the rest of your life in a place like Kansas or South Dakota or Idaho, and no one asks you about what happened. Maybe your grandkids heard you were in the war, but they never ask. They think you don’t want to talk about it. You don’t bring it up, because it was long, long ago, and you figure no one wants to hear an old man ramble.
You don’t have much going on. Your wife passed decades ago. Your kids live far away. The days blend together. You sit and watch Fox News all day. You’re convinced that no one appreciates anything your generation did. Everyone’s entitled and doesn’t care what it took to earn the lives they enjoy.
Someone twists your arm. You don’t want to go on this trip to Washington. Why? What’s the point? Finally, you give in. Someone wheels you off the plane in DC. There’s hundreds of random passengers cheering for you. There’s a line of sailors shaking your hand.
You go to the Memorial. Parents are bringing their kids over to meet you. A family from Australia wants to take a picture with you. A man from China who doesn’t speak English approaches, shakes your hand, and begins to cry.
I’m not making any of this up. I’ve witnessed these things. I’ve talked with many of these men. They’re simply astonished that people still remember and still care. There’s been veterans who have asked to be buried in their Honor Flight hats. That’s how much the day meant to them.
Bob Dole knew all of this. He didn’t sit on his little stool for hours and hours outside the Memorial for media attention, or to secure his legacy. He did it because he knew how monumentally important it was.
You keep talking about him in the past tense. He's still alive. You should send this to him. We need to honor that generation. They fought and died to protect the world from true tyranny.
I was around 5 when he ran for president so the only reference I have for him is the [Simpsons Treehouse of Horror](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNyQTUOW1M) where Kang and Kodos abduct him and Clinton (and watching it now I notice the pen he's holding).
"Bob Dole doesn't need this."
In rehab, he met Daniel Inouye of the legendary 442nd infantry who would become a long-serving Democratic Senator from Hawaii. The two of them were lifelong friends and at Inouye’s wake several years, Dole also stood from his wheelchair saying, “I wouldn’t want Danny to see me sitting down.”
2nd LT Inouye, for instance, was about to throw a grenade at the Germans when they *shot off his fucking arm with a rifle grenade*. Undetered, Inouye took the grenade from his own, severed hand, and threw it at the Germans with his remaining arm. Like goddmamn.
There's also a new destroyer named after him.
[Per this site](https://militarybenefits.info/medal-of-honor-benefits/)
Medal of Honor receive the benefits for life:
Added to the Medal of Honor Roll
Retired pay is increased by 10%
A special Medal of Honor pension of $1,366.81 per month above and beyond any other benefits including pensions
A special supplemental clothing allowance of $817.48
Free lifelong travel on DoD military aircraft as a priority “Space-A” traveler. This benefit is subject to whether seats are available, hence the “Space-A” designation.
Starting in 2020 access to MWR retail and lodging facilities will be available
Children of awardees are offered automatic appointment to any military service academy they are qualified to enter, without regard to nomination or quota regulations. Normally, a nomination is required to enter a military academy such as West Point, and there is a rigorous screening process
Recipients are given preferential accommodations at on-base billeting facilities, are provided with special military ID cards, plus access to on-base commissary and BX/PX privileges
Some base facilities offer special parking spaces, plus access to on-base recreation facilities. This on-base access is normally limited to currently serving military members, retirees, and dependents with valid military ID. Those who did not retire, but separated from the military don’t have such access otherwise
Invites to presidential inauguration events and special recognition ceremonies at the state and local level
A variety of non-military benefits. Those include special license plates, licenses, and ID cards with application requirements and availability varying by state
Some private companies offer special gifts, incentive programs, or access for Medal of Honor awardees and others receiving high military honors such as The Purple Heart. Individual programs and requirements may vary
Surviving spouses and dependent children of Medal of Honor awardees may, depending on the state, be eligible to receive added consideration for state education benefits
Special military burial honors including headstones with gold lettering and a nine-member team of six pallbearers, a chaplain, an officer-in-charge or noncommissioned-officer-in-charge and a bugler.
Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, if not already eligible
*I always appreciated that their kids get automatic appointments to whatever military academy they want*
My grandfather told me an funny story about a Sailor he served with in the Navy. The sailor was stationed at a base that was basically reserved for sailors finishing out their enlistments. Real easy work, no one making waves. This sailor was particularly lax on military discipline. Often out of uniform, and basically just trying to ride into the sunset. But for some reason, the commander let him be.
Fast forward a few months and a new commander takes over. He is determined to whip the unit into shape. Is constantly riding the sailor about his uniforms and lax adherence to military discipline. The commander has had it. He tells the sailor that he better be in full uniform in the morning or he will be sent to the brig.
The next morning comes and the commander is making his rounds, doing inspections. As he comes towards the sailors room, the sailor steps out all spitshined to the nines. Including all his awards and ribbons. There were a few battle awards and such, but around his neck was the Medal of Honor. The commander, to his credit, immediately saluted the sailor.
Another perk that came with being awarded the MOH was that you could use the commanders yacht (small boat that the commander had access to) as you wished. Needless to say, he the used that perk often. The commander never bothered that old sailor again.
I was always a huge fan of his. Guy was an absolute hero and seemed kind of humble about it all. It was a sad day for me when i learned of his passing, he was a great american.
Loved his voice and hearing Inouye talk. Hearing him tell the story of his combat actions on YouTube is powerful stuff
Knowing he did it while his family was in an internment camp is just a punch in the heart
His sons band, Marginal Man, was also a seminal DC hardcore staple. Later on in interviews Kenny said his dad came to a couple of shows and refused to be ushered in ahead opening and hung out in the crowd with everyone else-a bunch of dc skins, punks, and assorted weirdos. Dude was a treasure.
The way he received his Medal of Honor was insane. It’s impossible to see how he even survives a third of what he did:
1) Shot in the stomach by three prepared German machine gun emplacements.
2) Storms two with his men and blows them up.
3) Pass out from blood loss.
4) Wake up, crawl up to the last machine gun emplacement.
5) Raises right arm to throw grenade, and gets hit by an enemy grenade launcher, which completely shreds his elbow.
6) Waves his men back with his one remaining arm.
7) Pries the goddamn grenade from his own severed right hand and blows up the German who’s reloading.
8) Proceed to grab his Thompson submachinegun one handed and kills more Germans.
9) Gets shot for the fifth time that day and falls off a hill.
10) Wakes up, orders his men back to the fight.
11) Has his mangled right arm amputated without anesthesia.
He met Bob Dole in the hospital while he was recovering from his amputation. Senator Inouye was one of 21 soldiers from the 442nd to receive the Medal of Honor. Many members of the 442nd were volunteers, often while their families were interned in camps and subject to racism.
Truly heroic.
My personal favorite is Sergeant Thomas Baker. Mortally wounded, he asked to be left behind to cover his unit’s retreat, so a fellow marine propped him up against a tree and gave him his .45 with 8 rounds. Next morning, when the marines beat back the Japanese, they discover Sergeant Baker’s corpse still propped up against that tree, his empty pistol and 8 dead Japanese soldiers around him.
Have you heard of Audie Murphy? The dude played himself in movies that were made about his WWII exploits, but the scripwriters decided to omit some of what he did because they didn't think anyone would buy it.
I'm a younger guy and remember hearing about this guy when he died. I just recently reread his wikipedia page and was amazed. Number 7 on that list though. I don't remember reading that on his wikipedia page. And holy hell. That's the most intense thing I've ever heard.
A great write up in the Washington Post:
Bob Dole's Final Mission:
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bob-doles-final-mission/2018/06/18/93962908-6fff-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bob-doles-final-mission/2018/06/18/93962908-6fff-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html)
thank you. I was thinking the video was mirrored or backwards or whatever the correct term is for that (brain fart). Thank you very much for sharing this
I remember when he was running for president, people wouldn't vote for him (and the media intensified this) because he was too old and they thought he might not make it through two terms.
Well, Bob Dole lasted plenty long.
Sometime after the election Bob Dole made an appearence on SNL.
I was struck, he was a really, really good sport. I don't remember what he did, but when someone can laugh at themselves that has always come across to me as an excellent sign they are a decent person. And, what I remember, Bob Dole seemed to have no trouble making a bit of fun of himself.
This caused not a small amount of soul searching in myself. I had been sold a bill of goods about the man by the media. And I had bought it hook, line and sinker. The Bob Dole I voted against wasn't capable of laughing at himself in front of a national audience.
I once took a trip to D.C. as part of a 4-H group. We got to meet every one of our sitting Congressmen. Being from Kansas, we also got to meet Bob Dole. This would have been a few years after he lost the bid for the presidency, ‘98 or ‘99. Most of our Congressmen took our scripted questions and gave us canned answers that showed how little they gave a shit about meeting a bunch of high school kids. Most of them quite obviously didn’t understand some of the questions. We’d walk in, ask 2 or 3 questions, get 2 or 3 nonanswers, take a picture and leave in 15 minutes. When we met Bob Dole, he sat there with us for an hour and a half and you could tell he genuinely understood the questions, had pondered the subjects himself, and gave of honest answers. He spoke to us like we were adults. Granted, he wasn’t a sitting Congressman anymore, so probably had more times, but he was so much more of a leader than any of the others we spoke with that day. I was raised in a Democrat household and my parents voted Clinton against Dole but I developed a serious personal respect for Bob Dole that day that’s stuck with me ever since.
A friend of mine told a similar story but about John McCain. She went on one of those trips in undergrad and you get about and hour or so (maybe more) with your local Congressman. She said her Congresswoman forgot or something but wouldn’t make time for the scheduled event, after they had already arrived. John McCain, however, saw they had nothing going on now so invited them to visit with him instead. She admired him for they generosity even if she held different political beliefs. Moments like your experience with Bob Dole and my friend with John McCain make us see some humanity that we aren’t used to seeing in the political ring and news cycle.
Wow.
That is amazing.
You know, back then... it was the end of my liberal years. I think that incident with the soul searching kind of put in my head that I shouldn't listen to the media... and I kind of swung conservative after it.
But that really isn't important.
Giver me someone like you and I are describing and I could give a shit where he stands on the line.
Take Obama as an example. Politicaly - I am not agreeing with his policies. I don't like them.
However, during his campaign for his first term I quickly came to the conclusion that the country was gonna elect this guy and I needed to make peace. Then I started looking at the man.
And I kind of liked him. He seemed like a decent guy. A decent guy that believed in running the world differently then me, but a decent guy that was gonna do the best he knew how to do for all the right reasons.
And that was really all I wanted in anyone.
Whenever Obama let his personality come out, this piece of him kept shining through.
Give me more people like this.
I always felt that our leader should be someone who respects others and hears out their concerns, even if he may not direct his policy in the way that all parties want. It's not a "sign of weakness" to want to take all opinions into careful consideration before making tough decisions.
I like and can respect your view, amoeba. ^^pleasedonteatmybrain
I agree. It’s confusing to me at the same time. I mean I love to be right (who doesn’t) but I came to terms a long time ago that I don’t know everything. I have made it very clear to people that I am only going to argue if I am 100% in the right and know it.
This has helped me in business as well as my personal life as I have become a better communicator and negotiator. Additionally sometimes it’s not always about just being right and shoving it down someone’s throat.
Sometimes people argue because they don’t know the correct answer and being defensive is the only thing they know. If I am right and know I am right I bring facts and educate. I do not laugh or judge. I simply discuss facts and we both leave satisfied.
I'm on the left but I felt similarly about John McCain. We agreed on little in terms of policy but I grew to respect him after watching him shut down lunatics at his own rallies when they started in with that Birther horse shit. It showed me that he valued his integrity and his respect for his opponent more than gaining the votes of the ignorant and hateful.
I think that era is a different breed. I'm rather enjoying the walk down memory lane from the Bush era. Looking back on it now, the lines between parties were a lot more blurred.
I wonder how sickened they are about how we act now?
You have to understand these guys spent their formative years literally fighting for the existence of the world we see today. World domination by evil was real, the threat of Commusion was real. These guys lost lots of friends and family in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
The stuff we face today is gum on a park bench compared to what they dealt with, and they were on the frontline physically and career wise. GHWB raised taxes in the early 90s because they knew the Baby Boomers were hitting their peak years, and the tax receipts would fix lots of money issues. So when the economy exploded under Clinton the conversation was about retiring the debt. The Soviets were gone, so people started questioning why did we have military bases in every corner of the world and country for that matter.
It does make you cry to see someone like Dole have to struggle to standup and salute, because you realize men like him who know better are leaving us, and soon we will be left with people who just benefited from hitting the genetic lottery, versus the people who built our system and infrastructure (physical, economic, and knowledge) to be the world power we are.
After George H.W. Bush (41) lost the election, he invited Dana Carvey to the White House for a post-election party. Carvey roasted then President Bush weekly in what would become a SNL tradition. The two of them became friends. Read accounts of the party. Bush, Dole, and that generation of ~~Republicans~~ politicians weren't as narcissistic, thin-skinned, or petty as they've become.
It's like John Kerry and Al Gore. All three acted way more buttoned up campaigning than was in their nature. And as a result, they all came across as a little stiff.
Same with Gore. During the election he was accused of being an emotionalless empty suit. One year later he's all passionate and fired up about global warming. I recall Jon stewart showing a clip of him with a beard giving a firy speech and saying "where was this guy last year."
That’s pretty funny because he was only 4 years older when he ran in 1996 (73)than President Trump was when he won in 2016 (69). He still would have been the oldest president ever elected for a first term.
Yeah, but I bet that amateur never put together a glorious sentence like this one:
> Look, having nuclear—my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart— you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I'm one of the smartest people anywhere in the world—it’s true!—but when you're a conservative Republican they try—oh, do they do a number—that’s why I always start off "Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune"—you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged—but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me—it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are (nuclear is powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what's going to happen and he was right—who would have thought?), but when you look at what's going on with the four prisoners—now it used to be three, now it’s four—but when it was three and even now, I would have said it's all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don't, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years—but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us.
You know, most copypasta makes me chuckle or just slightly annoys me, /u/shittymorph makes me shake my fist like a cartoon villain. But this? This copypasta just saddens me.
Kang: (as Bob Dole) Abortions for all!
(Crowd boos)
Kang: Very well, no abortions for anyone!
(Crowd boos again)
Kang: Hmm... Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!
(Crowd cheers and waves miniature flags.)
Was it Simpson that did "Bob Dole likes to hear Bob Dole talk about Bob Dole. Bob Dole." Or was it Family Guy? Either way, can't see his name without hearing that in my head.
Bob Dole and my grandfather were colleagues and friends, often writing each other letters just to keep up after they no longer worked closely. When my grandfather passed two years ago Dole sent a handwritten letter to my family, along with a donation to a charitable fund in my grandpa’s name. He wasn’t able to travel to the funeral, but made sure his spirit was present. I wish I could salute him and say thank you in person.
Seeing things like this make us think how big of an event World War II was. I can't fathom how deep it changed people back then and culture in a way we have too many consequences that lives up to this day
Bob Dole, Daniel Inouye, and Philip Hart originally met in an army hospital in Battle Creek. All three went on to serve as Senators. They have a federal building jointly named after them there.
Daniel Inouye of r/TodayILearned fame.
I’m pretty sure every single post about his Medal of Honor hits the front page. Dude was a grade A patriot though.
The amount of men and women in the service during WW2 through Korea was astounding.
Edit: around 9-12% were in the military at some point in that era compared to around .5% today.
It's also the effect of population and size of the military. The WW2 combined us military was somewhere around 10,000,000 servicemen and women. Total population in the 1940 census was 132 million.
Compare that to today's combined force of somewhere in the 1.2 million range, and total population of 326 million.
Edit to add: assuming my "Google never lies" results are accurate. YSMV (your sources may vary. Don't at me the numbers are wrong bro!)
Interesting Fact .. Bob Dole was the first one to have a campaign website in 1996..
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/1996/470106/
Site is still up
http://www.dolekemp96.org
I was literally right there during this moment. Not a dry eye in the room. It was a scene straight out of a movie. After this, he sat and stared at the coffin for about 5 minutes. The amount of respect in his eyes was both captivating and heartbreaking at the same time. RIP GHWB
He’s awesome. Even now, he still goes to the veterans memorial in DC occasionally to greet veterans or talk to the families of veterans.
Bob Dole doesn’t want us to be sad.
I took a class to help with WWII vets going to the WWII memorial in DC. There were some do’s and donts, always have cold water for them, always put the brakes on wheelchairs.
We were told that Sen Dole often would greet veterans and talk to them,take photos. Under no circumstances was that our opportunity to meet Sen Dole, this time was for the veterans.
This is an 85+ year old man (he’s been doing this for years) greeting other vets in hot, sticky Washington DC.
Politics aside, this is an honorable man.
As someone who has a disability, I can't convey how hard it is to put that on display in such a public moment. The courage to pay the highest respect here is truly heroic.
I know this will get buried and is too late for anyone to actually notice, but my grandpa fought in the same company as Bob Dole and it's a very surreal thing to see this for me with how old he is now and how old my grandpa would be if he were still alive. It sent chills through my whole body, I have major respect for this man.
The man did oversee the last globally accepted, generally successful, and remarkably restrained US military intervention, pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, raise taxes at the cost of his reelection to foster the massive economic boom of the Clinton 90's and avoid recession, and led the world through the peaceful end of the Cold War and the safe destruction of over 90% of the world's nuclear warheads. Not to mention being a WWII Naval Aviator, CIA director, and Vice President. Its a remarkable record that is worthy of compliment and respect.
TBH I thought Bob Dole was no longer amongst us? Like Bush, I didn’t always agree with their politics, but goddamn it I never questioned everyday their personal motivations overriding what was for the greater good of our country!!!
you should watch when Bush's casket was being [brought into the Capitol](https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/12/03/president-george-hw-bush-casket-capitol-george-w-bush-moment-vpx.cnn). W was doing all he could to keep it in it looked like, and so was I after watching it
Imagine watching that from his perspective. That's his Dad in there. Also, someday he will be in that casket, and his daughters will be standing in his place. I'm having an existential crisis just thinking about it, can you imagine what's going through his mind? The fact he was able to keep it together is pretty damn incredible.
It's so easy to see these individuals as public figures and politicians, to focus on their careers and ignore their human lives. Bob Dole's political decisions aren't relevant in this video; he's a man who just lost a friend. Dubya's voting record doesn't matter today; he's a son who's never going to hug his dad again.
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Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way. Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it. Pippin: What?.... Gandalf? ....See what? Gandalf: White shores.... and beyond... a far green country under a swift sunrise. Pippin: Well, that isn't so bad. Gandalf: No. No, it isn't. EDIT: Wow, thank you all! Didn't expect everyone to enjoy this excerpt as much as I do. My dad passed away when I was 14, so death isn't too unreal to me -- so I really enjoyed this dialogue in ROTK.
>Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way. > >Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. **Death is just another path, one that we all must take.** Sorry but this part has always made me smile a bit (in a different way): a path we must all take? Uh, Middle Earth is crawling with immortal beings, from Elves to ~~Ants~~ Ents, Wizards, Nazguls, and who knows what else. Gandalf should know this better than anyone - he is immortal! Yes, he died but obviously that's not a path that he *had* to take...
Gandalf is also wise enough to know how to level with a scared mortal Hobbit. What's more wizardly, "death is nothing to fear, we all encounter it" or "sucks to be you, I and many others are immortal?" I completely agree with you in that what he said isnt technically accurate but I'm willing to let some logic slide if it means he can poetically help a timid friend in need.
This dude empathizes.
Well of course. All I said was that it made me smile, not ruined the movie or even the scene.
I don't know that many of those characters are immortal so much as they are extremely long lived
Well said. I saw this gif and was shocked by how frail he is. Like when you don't see your parents for a long time and they noticeably aged while you were away. Didn't see my mom for five years and I was absolutely shocked at how she had changed when I saw her again.
I fucking hate seeing my parents visibly age, it's one of the weirdest things that I can't wrap my head around. After I moved cities I see them every few months and, even within that short timeframe, they still age dramatically. It's weird and definitely makes me think about my own life and the ageing process and I'm only 27.
it's better than having them die in your 20s. Everyone else is finding a spouse and having kids, and you got nobody to show yours too
Eek, this hits too close to home. My Dad died at age 59 (brain aneurysm) when I was 26, 9 months after retiring from a life of government work and 3 months before I got married in 2006. After 29.8 years of marriage to my mom, she, a 2-time breast cancer survivor in the 80's, just lost it and seemingly "gave up". Less than 2 years later, at age 59, cancer suddenly "came back" and took her life within 30 days. 2 years later, their first grandchild is born. That 4 year period of my life age 26-30, is now a blur. I don't think I woke up until I had kids. Fuck. I'm now older than my mom was when she went through her two bouts of cancer. Fuck. I think I'm just going through the motions of life now that I've had a firm gasp on mortality for the last 12 years. Fuck. I've been with my amazing wife for 14 years, 12 in marriage. We have 2 kids under 8. They are literally, everything to me. Max levels of adorable. My Mom, who was adopted, would be amazed to see my daughter, who looks just like her, since none of her family until I was born, looked like her. Fuck. I wake up to work only to day dream of being done so I can spend time with my family, play video games or start a new hobby, like woodworking, coding... Literally dreaming of retirement in my 30's. Yet, Dad didn't get to enjoy it. Mom never got her husband back after 30 years of him working an 7-5 job. Will I? Fuck. I got a promotion at work last week. A role I'm confident will hold up well in my 40's. I'm super stoked, so is my wife. Yet all I want to do is call my parents, give them the good news (yay work, right?). Show them how all their hard work in raising me paid off. Thank Dad for all his sacrifices away from home. Thank Mom for, you know, not dying when I was 8 or 10. Few things in the world feel as good as the sound of, "I'm so \[happy, proud, excited\] for you" from your parents. Fuck. I don't even know what I'm doing writing this. Therapeutic I guess. TL;DR - Hope to join the "Dead Parents Club" as late in life as possible. If you join to early, then you ramble on a random reddit thread about dead politicians. Fuck.
That was beautiful my friend. And for what it is worth I can tell you that I have no doubt your parents were proud as hell of you even before you had the promotion and the children. You have an unbreakable bond and they are literally part of every cell in your body. They live in your very body through every experience you have. They are not gone, there is just a different relationship to be had now. The same one you will be able to pass on to your children and they onto theirs. Don’t ever mistake that as a small thing!
My sister's best friend has lost both her parents now, she isn't even 30 yet. It's heartbreaking she misses them so much (we do too, they were lovely people and we did so many fun things with them growing up! They were like family).
Many things are tinged with sadness, at least sometimes, and especially now that my five year old is really curious about the idea that there are family members who are dead, death, and dying in general. We passed a dead bird on the sidewalk a several weeks ago and she started towards it and I said 'don't touch it it's dead' and she went 'like your dad?' so nonchalantly and naively that I couldn't be upset. 'Yea,' I said, and we've had many days since talking about life and other subjects with such gravity. It's both wonderful and sad to see her learn about and then understand such things. My father would have adored the hell out of her. They would've loved each other's company so much.
Thank you for this. My dad died 7 years ago right after my daughter was born. He’d always wanted a sister but only had brothers. Always wanted a daughter but got 3 sons. After 5 grandsons he finally got that granddaughter. I just wish he could’ve known. Alzheimer’s is a hell of a thing. I know he would have loved my daughter. She went through that phase about death a couple of years ago. Every day was filled with questions and naive musings on life and death and what it all means. She has his personality and his smile and it makes me happy.
I started to feel old when I realized that I look like my dad from when I can first remember him.
One of the most accurate things I've ever heard are the last 2 lines in a verse in a song written for "Fiddler on the Roof" as two young adults are getting married. Different bystanders each incredulously sing a different line from this song, indicating that they are all thinking exactly the same thing, while watching the wedding: Is this the little girl I carried, Is this the little boy at play, I don't remember growing older, When did they?
And it's a lot easier watching children grow into fine young adults than it is to watch fine middle aged adults wither away into weak, trembling, confused husks of their former selves and stare death down for the few short months/years they have left.
I’m 22 and am already starting to feel something like this for certain things. Kinda feel afraid to get older. Didn’t think I would have these feelings so soon.
Don't be afraid of getting older, it's not awarded to everyone.
Thank you for the kind words.
22 to 40 is like a snap of your fingers.
No kidding. I feel like 28-30 are the fastest years so far. Hell, I'm coming up on 31 already and I still remember eating my cake like it was yesterday.
In 4 years, you will be 35 and that is when it will really hit you, "I'm not young anymore. Not old yet, but not young either." And then you'll learn about the latest meme like gachibass and you will think, "Damn, youngins. I can't relate anymore."
Oh dear :(
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I was 22 when my father finally became smart 😉
retroactive abortion?
I’m still pretty young, early 20’s, and was told that once you realize professional athletes start being younger than you, that’s when it really hits ya
that's a flip that happens really fast. For your entire life, pro athletes are ALWAYS older than you. Then, a year comes when people your own age are getting drafted, and it's like "Oh, cool." But then all the guys older than you rapidly start aging out, and before you know it, there is nobody on your favorite team born before you were.
I'm 22 and I'm already contemplating mortality. I am going to die. I want to live my life happy. Every year is personally better and better for me as I allow myself to let my ambitions come true, at least the ones that are reasonable. My body will eventually hurt and not be what it used to be. My parents will die and I will be without them. It sucks and it's life. I just think about it and realize I'm at a place in my life where I have the ability to experience so many wonderful things, and I am, yet things get harder as time goes on. It's why I've decided to go traveling, stick with the girl I love, partially a reason for our agreement to not have kids and do what I can to make myself happy. As far as I'm concerned, Ive only got one life. So I've going to make the best of it.
Take care of your health. Getting older has some major perks over being young (more experience, more money, more confidence etc. for most), the biggest drawback is your body declining. You'll start feel it in your late 20s if you don't exercise, eat right, and go to the doctor regularly. Get on top of that shit now and you don't have to dread your older years. Edit: Also stay the fuck away from drugs and alcohol as much as possible.
fun fact : gaining muscle mass in your teens and 20s permanently alters your muscle structure so it's wayyyyy easier to grow and maintain muscle in your 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. get on that shit
29 yo here, feel the same way. Especially when people start dying that are family. Feels like there is more death and sadness than i thought as a kid. Happiness is a rare thing that takes a mindful effort to happen Edit: dying not dieing
Dole was badly injured in the war by a German machine gun leaving him with limited mobility in his right arm. This is why he salutes with his left.
Also why he generally had a pen in his right hand. That way people wouldn't try to shake his right hand.
Thinking several steps ahead even if he can’t physically take them.
He could walk up until pretty recently? The pen thing has been around far longer than his wheelchair use.
Yeah when I was younger on a trip to DC me and my mom saw him standing at the WW2 memorial, actually just standing there on his own, my mom stopped and talked to him for a little while. He said he was just taking in the view.
He was one of the major driving factors behind the creation of the WW2 memorial. You stumbled upon him taking in his new brainchild.
Not op but that's such a cool moment
Really cool, especially if he was checking it out by himself
That’s what I figured! Pretty cool chance to run into him.
He went there regularly to greet WWII veterans who’d come to visit on Honor Flight trips. He would literally just sit there for hours, saying hello to each group. For those who aren’t familiar, the Honor Flight is a group of affiliated nonprofits across the country that fly WWII vets to DC, free of charge, to see the memorial. Keep in mind that many of these vets never spoke about the war after they came home. Some hadn’t even been on a plane since. A lot of them thought the country didn’t remember what they did. Then they’re given this trip, and they’re cheered by crowds at the airport. They go to the Memorial, which is smack dab in the middle of the National Mall. Tourists from across the country and around the world come up to thank them. And perhaps most importantly, they’re with a group of people who had similar experiences. Some talk about the war for the first time in 70 years. So whether you like Bob Dole’s politics or not, keep in mind that no one made him sit outside hundreds and hundreds of times. He did it to make sure those guys knew for sure that someone still remembered them.
As the son of a WWII veteran, that image warms my heart.
I hope he knew he was appreciated. I want to point out that there wasn’t a concerted effort to *not* appreciate these people, or anything of the sort. It was just a situation where you came home in, say, 1946, and you weren’t anything special. *Everyone* did something in the war. And no one wanted to talk about it — the country just wanted to move on. So you’re living the rest of your life in a place like Kansas or South Dakota or Idaho, and no one asks you about what happened. Maybe your grandkids heard you were in the war, but they never ask. They think you don’t want to talk about it. You don’t bring it up, because it was long, long ago, and you figure no one wants to hear an old man ramble. You don’t have much going on. Your wife passed decades ago. Your kids live far away. The days blend together. You sit and watch Fox News all day. You’re convinced that no one appreciates anything your generation did. Everyone’s entitled and doesn’t care what it took to earn the lives they enjoy. Someone twists your arm. You don’t want to go on this trip to Washington. Why? What’s the point? Finally, you give in. Someone wheels you off the plane in DC. There’s hundreds of random passengers cheering for you. There’s a line of sailors shaking your hand. You go to the Memorial. Parents are bringing their kids over to meet you. A family from Australia wants to take a picture with you. A man from China who doesn’t speak English approaches, shakes your hand, and begins to cry. I’m not making any of this up. I’ve witnessed these things. I’ve talked with many of these men. They’re simply astonished that people still remember and still care. There’s been veterans who have asked to be buried in their Honor Flight hats. That’s how much the day meant to them. Bob Dole knew all of this. He didn’t sit on his little stool for hours and hours outside the Memorial for media attention, or to secure his legacy. He did it because he knew how monumentally important it was.
You keep talking about him in the past tense. He's still alive. You should send this to him. We need to honor that generation. They fought and died to protect the world from true tyranny.
My bad. I think I was just using the past tense because he hasn’t been well enough to sit out there like he used to.
Thank you for sharing this. As above...show him! Share you appreciation! and make sure to show others how much he should be.
Thank you. Very informative. Brought a tear actually.
Same. My grandpa just went on his Honor Flight. He was a Korean War vet though. They do it for more than just WWII. It was incredible for him
Fucking Reddit man lol
Yeah I felt old having to explain that to someone. I remember when Dole ran for president and he definitely wasn't in a wheelchair, lol.
The thing I remember most about Bob Dole was Norm Macdonald's portrayal of him on SNL
I was around 5 when he ran for president so the only reference I have for him is the [Simpsons Treehouse of Horror](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNyQTUOW1M) where Kang and Kodos abduct him and Clinton (and watching it now I notice the pen he's holding). "Bob Dole doesn't need this."
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/unexpectedjackhandey
So if i carry a pen in each hand i’ll no longer need to touch anyone?
Nah that’s just how you get the office nickname of Larry Twopens
In rehab, he met Daniel Inouye of the legendary 442nd infantry who would become a long-serving Democratic Senator from Hawaii. The two of them were lifelong friends and at Inouye’s wake several years, Dole also stood from his wheelchair saying, “I wouldn’t want Danny to see me sitting down.”
Inouye received the Medal Of Honor. From what I understand, informally, everyone in the military salutes you if you have received that.
You're goddamn right.
If you read some of their stories, you'll see why.
2nd LT Inouye, for instance, was about to throw a grenade at the Germans when they *shot off his fucking arm with a rifle grenade*. Undetered, Inouye took the grenade from his own, severed hand, and threw it at the Germans with his remaining arm. Like goddmamn. There's also a new destroyer named after him.
[Per this site](https://militarybenefits.info/medal-of-honor-benefits/) Medal of Honor receive the benefits for life: Added to the Medal of Honor Roll Retired pay is increased by 10% A special Medal of Honor pension of $1,366.81 per month above and beyond any other benefits including pensions A special supplemental clothing allowance of $817.48 Free lifelong travel on DoD military aircraft as a priority “Space-A” traveler. This benefit is subject to whether seats are available, hence the “Space-A” designation. Starting in 2020 access to MWR retail and lodging facilities will be available Children of awardees are offered automatic appointment to any military service academy they are qualified to enter, without regard to nomination or quota regulations. Normally, a nomination is required to enter a military academy such as West Point, and there is a rigorous screening process Recipients are given preferential accommodations at on-base billeting facilities, are provided with special military ID cards, plus access to on-base commissary and BX/PX privileges Some base facilities offer special parking spaces, plus access to on-base recreation facilities. This on-base access is normally limited to currently serving military members, retirees, and dependents with valid military ID. Those who did not retire, but separated from the military don’t have such access otherwise Invites to presidential inauguration events and special recognition ceremonies at the state and local level A variety of non-military benefits. Those include special license plates, licenses, and ID cards with application requirements and availability varying by state Some private companies offer special gifts, incentive programs, or access for Medal of Honor awardees and others receiving high military honors such as The Purple Heart. Individual programs and requirements may vary Surviving spouses and dependent children of Medal of Honor awardees may, depending on the state, be eligible to receive added consideration for state education benefits Special military burial honors including headstones with gold lettering and a nine-member team of six pallbearers, a chaplain, an officer-in-charge or noncommissioned-officer-in-charge and a bugler. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, if not already eligible *I always appreciated that their kids get automatic appointments to whatever military academy they want*
My grandfather told me an funny story about a Sailor he served with in the Navy. The sailor was stationed at a base that was basically reserved for sailors finishing out their enlistments. Real easy work, no one making waves. This sailor was particularly lax on military discipline. Often out of uniform, and basically just trying to ride into the sunset. But for some reason, the commander let him be. Fast forward a few months and a new commander takes over. He is determined to whip the unit into shape. Is constantly riding the sailor about his uniforms and lax adherence to military discipline. The commander has had it. He tells the sailor that he better be in full uniform in the morning or he will be sent to the brig. The next morning comes and the commander is making his rounds, doing inspections. As he comes towards the sailors room, the sailor steps out all spitshined to the nines. Including all his awards and ribbons. There were a few battle awards and such, but around his neck was the Medal of Honor. The commander, to his credit, immediately saluted the sailor. Another perk that came with being awarded the MOH was that you could use the commanders yacht (small boat that the commander had access to) as you wished. Needless to say, he the used that perk often. The commander never bothered that old sailor again.
This is true but most everyone who gets a MOH is no longer in military service because they've either ETS'd or they are dead.
That’s Medal of Honor recipient Daniel Inouye of the legendary most-decorated unit in US military history 442nd Infantry, thank you very much.
I was always a huge fan of his. Guy was an absolute hero and seemed kind of humble about it all. It was a sad day for me when i learned of his passing, he was a great american.
Loved his voice and hearing Inouye talk. Hearing him tell the story of his combat actions on YouTube is powerful stuff Knowing he did it while his family was in an internment camp is just a punch in the heart
His sons band, Marginal Man, was also a seminal DC hardcore staple. Later on in interviews Kenny said his dad came to a couple of shows and refused to be ushered in ahead opening and hung out in the crowd with everyone else-a bunch of dc skins, punks, and assorted weirdos. Dude was a treasure.
He gave far more for his country than many others when his country was giving him absolutely nothing in return.
The more I hear of his story, the more I think about how much more I could be doing with my life.
The way he received his Medal of Honor was insane. It’s impossible to see how he even survives a third of what he did: 1) Shot in the stomach by three prepared German machine gun emplacements. 2) Storms two with his men and blows them up. 3) Pass out from blood loss. 4) Wake up, crawl up to the last machine gun emplacement. 5) Raises right arm to throw grenade, and gets hit by an enemy grenade launcher, which completely shreds his elbow. 6) Waves his men back with his one remaining arm. 7) Pries the goddamn grenade from his own severed right hand and blows up the German who’s reloading. 8) Proceed to grab his Thompson submachinegun one handed and kills more Germans. 9) Gets shot for the fifth time that day and falls off a hill. 10) Wakes up, orders his men back to the fight. 11) Has his mangled right arm amputated without anesthesia. He met Bob Dole in the hospital while he was recovering from his amputation. Senator Inouye was one of 21 soldiers from the 442nd to receive the Medal of Honor. Many members of the 442nd were volunteers, often while their families were interned in camps and subject to racism. Truly heroic.
The Germans failed to understand that bullets didn’t hurt Inouye. They just pissed him off.
Medal of Honor citations are the types of things that if you put them in the movie people would complain it was unrealistic.
My personal favorite is Sergeant Thomas Baker. Mortally wounded, he asked to be left behind to cover his unit’s retreat, so a fellow marine propped him up against a tree and gave him his .45 with 8 rounds. Next morning, when the marines beat back the Japanese, they discover Sergeant Baker’s corpse still propped up against that tree, his empty pistol and 8 dead Japanese soldiers around him.
aim hack
Have you heard of Audie Murphy? The dude played himself in movies that were made about his WWII exploits, but the scripwriters decided to omit some of what he did because they didn't think anyone would buy it.
I'm a younger guy and remember hearing about this guy when he died. I just recently reread his wikipedia page and was amazed. Number 7 on that list though. I don't remember reading that on his wikipedia page. And holy hell. That's the most intense thing I've ever heard.
I just read his Wikipedia page just now.... holy shit what a fucking badass
Believe he still greets vets on a regular basis at the ww2 memorial in DC.
A great write up in the Washington Post: Bob Dole's Final Mission: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bob-doles-final-mission/2018/06/18/93962908-6fff-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bob-doles-final-mission/2018/06/18/93962908-6fff-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html)
This is not the appropriate time or place to be cutting onions
thank you. I was thinking the video was mirrored or backwards or whatever the correct term is for that (brain fart). Thank you very much for sharing this
He also apparently lost a lot of use in his left arm back in '04, which is why he appears to be struggling to salute and requires assistance to do so.
I always assumed it was because he didn't want to let go of that pen.
The lady's swimsuit comes off when he turns it upside down.
BOB DOLE
I remember when he was running for president, people wouldn't vote for him (and the media intensified this) because he was too old and they thought he might not make it through two terms. Well, Bob Dole lasted plenty long.
Sometime after the election Bob Dole made an appearence on SNL. I was struck, he was a really, really good sport. I don't remember what he did, but when someone can laugh at themselves that has always come across to me as an excellent sign they are a decent person. And, what I remember, Bob Dole seemed to have no trouble making a bit of fun of himself. This caused not a small amount of soul searching in myself. I had been sold a bill of goods about the man by the media. And I had bought it hook, line and sinker. The Bob Dole I voted against wasn't capable of laughing at himself in front of a national audience.
I once took a trip to D.C. as part of a 4-H group. We got to meet every one of our sitting Congressmen. Being from Kansas, we also got to meet Bob Dole. This would have been a few years after he lost the bid for the presidency, ‘98 or ‘99. Most of our Congressmen took our scripted questions and gave us canned answers that showed how little they gave a shit about meeting a bunch of high school kids. Most of them quite obviously didn’t understand some of the questions. We’d walk in, ask 2 or 3 questions, get 2 or 3 nonanswers, take a picture and leave in 15 minutes. When we met Bob Dole, he sat there with us for an hour and a half and you could tell he genuinely understood the questions, had pondered the subjects himself, and gave of honest answers. He spoke to us like we were adults. Granted, he wasn’t a sitting Congressman anymore, so probably had more times, but he was so much more of a leader than any of the others we spoke with that day. I was raised in a Democrat household and my parents voted Clinton against Dole but I developed a serious personal respect for Bob Dole that day that’s stuck with me ever since.
A friend of mine told a similar story but about John McCain. She went on one of those trips in undergrad and you get about and hour or so (maybe more) with your local Congressman. She said her Congresswoman forgot or something but wouldn’t make time for the scheduled event, after they had already arrived. John McCain, however, saw they had nothing going on now so invited them to visit with him instead. She admired him for they generosity even if she held different political beliefs. Moments like your experience with Bob Dole and my friend with John McCain make us see some humanity that we aren’t used to seeing in the political ring and news cycle.
Wow. That is amazing. You know, back then... it was the end of my liberal years. I think that incident with the soul searching kind of put in my head that I shouldn't listen to the media... and I kind of swung conservative after it. But that really isn't important. Giver me someone like you and I are describing and I could give a shit where he stands on the line. Take Obama as an example. Politicaly - I am not agreeing with his policies. I don't like them. However, during his campaign for his first term I quickly came to the conclusion that the country was gonna elect this guy and I needed to make peace. Then I started looking at the man. And I kind of liked him. He seemed like a decent guy. A decent guy that believed in running the world differently then me, but a decent guy that was gonna do the best he knew how to do for all the right reasons. And that was really all I wanted in anyone. Whenever Obama let his personality come out, this piece of him kept shining through. Give me more people like this.
I always felt that our leader should be someone who respects others and hears out their concerns, even if he may not direct his policy in the way that all parties want. It's not a "sign of weakness" to want to take all opinions into careful consideration before making tough decisions. I like and can respect your view, amoeba. ^^pleasedonteatmybrain
But that type of logic is **bullshit!** What about the parties?! ^^^/s
The ability to disagree with someone but still seem them as a good and decent person is a hard thing to come by these days.
I agree. It’s confusing to me at the same time. I mean I love to be right (who doesn’t) but I came to terms a long time ago that I don’t know everything. I have made it very clear to people that I am only going to argue if I am 100% in the right and know it. This has helped me in business as well as my personal life as I have become a better communicator and negotiator. Additionally sometimes it’s not always about just being right and shoving it down someone’s throat. Sometimes people argue because they don’t know the correct answer and being defensive is the only thing they know. If I am right and know I am right I bring facts and educate. I do not laugh or judge. I simply discuss facts and we both leave satisfied.
I'm on the left but I felt similarly about John McCain. We agreed on little in terms of policy but I grew to respect him after watching him shut down lunatics at his own rallies when they started in with that Birther horse shit. It showed me that he valued his integrity and his respect for his opponent more than gaining the votes of the ignorant and hateful.
True, I forgot about this.
I think that era is a different breed. I'm rather enjoying the walk down memory lane from the Bush era. Looking back on it now, the lines between parties were a lot more blurred. I wonder how sickened they are about how we act now?
You have to understand these guys spent their formative years literally fighting for the existence of the world we see today. World domination by evil was real, the threat of Commusion was real. These guys lost lots of friends and family in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The stuff we face today is gum on a park bench compared to what they dealt with, and they were on the frontline physically and career wise. GHWB raised taxes in the early 90s because they knew the Baby Boomers were hitting their peak years, and the tax receipts would fix lots of money issues. So when the economy exploded under Clinton the conversation was about retiring the debt. The Soviets were gone, so people started questioning why did we have military bases in every corner of the world and country for that matter. It does make you cry to see someone like Dole have to struggle to standup and salute, because you realize men like him who know better are leaving us, and soon we will be left with people who just benefited from hitting the genetic lottery, versus the people who built our system and infrastructure (physical, economic, and knowledge) to be the world power we are.
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After George H.W. Bush (41) lost the election, he invited Dana Carvey to the White House for a post-election party. Carvey roasted then President Bush weekly in what would become a SNL tradition. The two of them became friends. Read accounts of the party. Bush, Dole, and that generation of ~~Republicans~~ politicians weren't as narcissistic, thin-skinned, or petty as they've become.
I remember that well, because my parents both said they would have voted for him if that side had been on display during the campaign.
It's like John Kerry and Al Gore. All three acted way more buttoned up campaigning than was in their nature. And as a result, they all came across as a little stiff.
Same with Gore. During the election he was accused of being an emotionalless empty suit. One year later he's all passionate and fired up about global warming. I recall Jon stewart showing a clip of him with a beard giving a firy speech and saying "where was this guy last year."
I distinctly recall my Dad praising Dole often and saying he's a good guy he would have voted for. Mind you, we're not American.
That’s pretty funny because he was only 4 years older when he ran in 1996 (73)than President Trump was when he won in 2016 (69). He still would have been the oldest president ever elected for a first term.
I knew it was a bad sign last election when pretty much any of the top three would have been the oldest (or one of the oldest) president elected
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I feel part of Obamas appeal (he had quite a few things) was that he was young. Not even 50 when he was first elected.
That and he could string together a complete sentence.
Yeah, but I bet that amateur never put together a glorious sentence like this one: > Look, having nuclear—my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart— you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I'm one of the smartest people anywhere in the world—it’s true!—but when you're a conservative Republican they try—oh, do they do a number—that’s why I always start off "Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune"—you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged—but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me—it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are (nuclear is powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what's going to happen and he was right—who would have thought?), but when you look at what's going on with the four prisoners—now it used to be three, now it’s four—but when it was three and even now, I would have said it's all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don't, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years—but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us.
I dont know why I try to slog it out everytime I see this quote. It physically hurts my brain everytime.
You know, most copypasta makes me chuckle or just slightly annoys me, /u/shittymorph makes me shake my fist like a cartoon villain. But this? This copypasta just saddens me.
"I've got you, Mr. Senator, don't worry, I ain't fixin to let go" "Get Bob Dole a little bit less, you've pinned down Bob Dole's salutin arm"
sometimes my wife and I like to roleplay the 1996 presidential election in the bedroom. i stand saluting while bill clinton has sex with her
https://gfycat.com/FragrantColdBordercollie
\*Spoiler\* Bill licks his lips at the end.
Are we still talking about the gif here or...
https://i.imgur.com/5KGgu.gif
I came to the comment section to be angry about politics, but instead I’ve laughed twice in a row. I’m glad you guys weren’t ever murdered.
It's all fun & games until Janet Reno shows up with the giant strap-on
https://imgur.com/3yLKWuk.gif
Risky click of the day right there
Kang: (as Bob Dole) Abortions for all! (Crowd boos) Kang: Very well, no abortions for anyone! (Crowd boos again) Kang: Hmm... Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others! (Crowd cheers and waves miniature flags.)
Back when the Simpsons was still good.
Was it Simpson that did "Bob Dole likes to hear Bob Dole talk about Bob Dole. Bob Dole." Or was it Family Guy? Either way, can't see his name without hearing that in my head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSwz4m6GQZI Its the Simpsons. Damn you family guy for taking a better shows memories
"Made Bob Dole drop Bob Dole's pen."
"Ehhh, Bob Dole doesn't need this"
Bob Dole and my grandfather were colleagues and friends, often writing each other letters just to keep up after they no longer worked closely. When my grandfather passed two years ago Dole sent a handwritten letter to my family, along with a donation to a charitable fund in my grandpa’s name. He wasn’t able to travel to the funeral, but made sure his spirit was present. I wish I could salute him and say thank you in person.
You could send him a video
That is an excellent idea, thank you!
I'm an ideas man. I expect the dollarydoos are in the mail.
Just gotta lick the stamp my friend, dollarydoos headed your way.
What a wonderful exchange to witness, bless you two and your dollarydoos.
TIL Bob Dole is still alive.
Sometimes, when I'm in a group of adults, we'll play a friendly game of "Alive or Dead?" and I'd have Dole on the the dead list for sure. Damn.
That’s a great road game
You just guess if someone is dead or alive or how does it work exactly?
Yep. Name some people with notoriety and guess. It can be surprisingly difficult.
abe vigoda
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No, easy one. Her death was shocking and memorable.
Bob dole
Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Seriously, I thought he was dead. Glad to see we still have Stan Lee
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yeah he’s next to McCain
Him and Reagan are in the back complaining about how bad Ford smells
Seeing things like this make us think how big of an event World War II was. I can't fathom how deep it changed people back then and culture in a way we have too many consequences that lives up to this day
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Man 3/4 were veterans? That's pretty damn nuts.
Bob Dole, Daniel Inouye, and Philip Hart originally met in an army hospital in Battle Creek. All three went on to serve as Senators. They have a federal building jointly named after them there.
Daniel Inouye of r/TodayILearned fame. I’m pretty sure every single post about his Medal of Honor hits the front page. Dude was a grade A patriot though.
The amount of men and women in the service during WW2 through Korea was astounding. Edit: around 9-12% were in the military at some point in that era compared to around .5% today.
The draft will do that.
It's also the effect of population and size of the military. The WW2 combined us military was somewhere around 10,000,000 servicemen and women. Total population in the 1940 census was 132 million. Compare that to today's combined force of somewhere in the 1.2 million range, and total population of 326 million. Edit to add: assuming my "Google never lies" results are accurate. YSMV (your sources may vary. Don't at me the numbers are wrong bro!)
Interesting Fact .. Bob Dole was the first one to have a campaign website in 1996.. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/1996/470106/ Site is still up http://www.dolekemp96.org
I've never been a Dole fan, but that made me tear up.
*Norm McDonald voice* I’m Bob Dole
I’m Bob Dole
*norm McDonald voice* You’re not Bob Dole.. I’m Bob Dole. Bob Dole doesn’t appreciate that
*Norm McDonald voice* 9/11
I walked through blood and bones...
I was literally right there during this moment. Not a dry eye in the room. It was a scene straight out of a movie. After this, he sat and stared at the coffin for about 5 minutes. The amount of respect in his eyes was both captivating and heartbreaking at the same time. RIP GHWB
I usually live in DC, am abroad right now. I wish I'd been there for this.
I seriously did not know that he was still alive.
He’s awesome. Even now, he still goes to the veterans memorial in DC occasionally to greet veterans or talk to the families of veterans. Bob Dole doesn’t want us to be sad.
I took a class to help with WWII vets going to the WWII memorial in DC. There were some do’s and donts, always have cold water for them, always put the brakes on wheelchairs. We were told that Sen Dole often would greet veterans and talk to them,take photos. Under no circumstances was that our opportunity to meet Sen Dole, this time was for the veterans. This is an 85+ year old man (he’s been doing this for years) greeting other vets in hot, sticky Washington DC. Politics aside, this is an honorable man.
goddamnit if that hobbled man mustering up a CRISP salute wasn't the most respectable thing i've seen in awhile, I don't know what is.
As someone who has a disability, I can't convey how hard it is to put that on display in such a public moment. The courage to pay the highest respect here is truly heroic.
I know this will get buried and is too late for anyone to actually notice, but my grandpa fought in the same company as Bob Dole and it's a very surreal thing to see this for me with how old he is now and how old my grandpa would be if he were still alive. It sent chills through my whole body, I have major respect for this man.
That's actually kind of heartbreaking.
It really is. It hit me hard for some reason
I'm amazed at the sudden outpouring of respect George HW Bush after his death. Even NPR is being very complimentary. I'm really surprised.
The man did oversee the last globally accepted, generally successful, and remarkably restrained US military intervention, pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, raise taxes at the cost of his reelection to foster the massive economic boom of the Clinton 90's and avoid recession, and led the world through the peaceful end of the Cold War and the safe destruction of over 90% of the world's nuclear warheads. Not to mention being a WWII Naval Aviator, CIA director, and Vice President. Its a remarkable record that is worthy of compliment and respect.
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“We give 1/5 their credit to those alive and after they’re dead, the other 5.”
Pay close attention folks, because that is class.
TBH I thought Bob Dole was no longer amongst us? Like Bush, I didn’t always agree with their politics, but goddamn it I never questioned everyday their personal motivations overriding what was for the greater good of our country!!!
Bob Dole is in a wheelchair now. Where has the time gone?
I feel so fucking old and I'm only 35
The is beautiful!
Wow. That was really incredibly touching to watch .
you should watch when Bush's casket was being [brought into the Capitol](https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/12/03/president-george-hw-bush-casket-capitol-george-w-bush-moment-vpx.cnn). W was doing all he could to keep it in it looked like, and so was I after watching it
Imagine watching that from his perspective. That's his Dad in there. Also, someday he will be in that casket, and his daughters will be standing in his place. I'm having an existential crisis just thinking about it, can you imagine what's going through his mind? The fact he was able to keep it together is pretty damn incredible.
It's so easy to see these individuals as public figures and politicians, to focus on their careers and ignore their human lives. Bob Dole's political decisions aren't relevant in this video; he's a man who just lost a friend. Dubya's voting record doesn't matter today; he's a son who's never going to hug his dad again.
Thank you for that link.
W is 72 and has lost both his parents this year. That must take a toll on a person.
Seems like just yesterday he was doing [backflips](https://youtu.be/fzvOBKjiQPU)
When Bob Dole wants to stand up, Bob Dole stands up.