Senator for Sale: An Unauthorized Biography of Senator Bob Dole

A former aide to the Kansas senator presents a highly critical account of Dole's path to Capitol Hill and exposes the big money interests behind his power there

Hilton, former Senate counsel and aide to Dole in 1979-80, has written a book so vitriolic that it will shock even Dole's foes. Dole suffered an arm wound during WWII, and because of the poor army medical treatment he also lost a kidney during his rehabilitation. He recovered, finished college and earned a law degree while a member of the Kansas legislature. Elected to Congress in 1960 and to the Senate in 1968, he became chairman of the Republican National Committee during Watergate and was known as Nixon's "hatchet man." As the Republican vice presidential candidate in 1976, he helped seal President Ford's defeat by waging a disastrous campaign ("I went for the jugular-my own," admitted Dole). After losing inept campaigns for the presidential nomination in both 1980 and 1988, Dole settled into the job of senate Republican leader. The author alleges shakedowns of lobbyists and numerous shady financial dealings; scrutinizes what he claims are Dole's overly friendly relationships with corporations; accuses the senator of "cozying up to Saddam Hussein" before the Gulf War and slashing U.S. aid to Israel when organized American Jewry failed to contribute to his presidential run in 1988. If Dole's reputation for meanness is warranted, Hilton seems to have gotten a little too close to his subject. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Hilton, a former aide to Senator Dole, leaves no stone unturned in this timely, thorough biography of the man who would be president. His narrative of the senator's life makes for interesting reading; the hardships of Dole's Depression-era childhood, the anguish of a World War II stint, during which he received an injury that left him with a withered right arm and little use of his left, his aggressive, explosive political history, and two unsuccessful bids for the presidency are topics covered here that will have appeal to general readers as well as political buffs. Hilton not only captures Dole's biographical background, but he also discusses Dole's penchant for accepting financial gifts and his indecisiveness and inability to take a firm stand on any issue, generally riding the tide of popular opinion on such issues as affirmative action, welfare, and taxes. While these charges aren't particularly surprising (public sentiment holds that most politicians are equally guilty), Hilton's portrayal of Dole's ruthlessness, lust for power, and intolerance of opposition is darkly foreboding. Hilton also draws parallels between Dole and Richard Nixon (Dole's political idol) and provides a thought-provoking look at what a Dole presidency would be like. Kathleen Hughes