Senator Dole has missed a very few Honor Flights and always makes up for his absences with “multi-tasking.” Today (and this has happened before) a woman walked up to Senator Dole and asked him to take a phone call. It was classic Bob Dole. He got on the phone and chatted for a minute or two.   Later he was over “spinning wool” about woodwork with one of the veterans from Asheville who had a very interesting walking stick and then onto posing with Air Force trainees.  He then went on to confer with Senator Burr of North Carolina about the “Bailout”.  I didn’t hear a word.

Senator Burr is taking up Senator Dole’s place in the Senate as both a leading Republican and supporter of Veteran’s well-being and rights..  We missed Marion and Seth and certainly could have used them as the guardians and veterans surrounding the “photo op” were so thick I thought I was working at the White House!  “Stevie…lets polish our lenses and sharpen our elbows” was the daily cheerful advice from my buddy Charlie Tasnadi who I worked with me at the White House.