WASHINGTON —

Bob Dole was being honored with a private service at Washington National Cathedral and a public one at the World War II Memorial on Friday, after lying in state at the U.S. Capitol, where President Joe Biden and top leaders from both parties saluted a “giant in our history."

A friend of Dole's from the decades both men spent in the Senate, Biden is set to speak at Friday's invitation-only cathedral ceremony, which will feature the late Kansas senator's family and close friends.

Dole's casket was then set to travel to the World War II Memorial on the National Mall for a public “celebration of life” featuring Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, actor Tom Hanks and the U.S. Army Band. Dole's wife, former North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, plans to lay a wreath in his honor.

Dole, who died Sunday at age 98, served nearly 36 years in Congress, more than a decade as GOP Senate leader and was his party's presidential nominee when he lost to Bill Clinton during the 1996 election. In February, he announced he'd been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

Besides his sharp, often sarcastic tongue, among Dole's best-known attributes were his pragmatic brand of politics and self-deprecating wit — representing the sense of common civility and compromise of a bygone era.

“As divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity — consensus — the only way,” Biden said Thursday. “We may follow his wisdom and his timeless truth and reach consensus on the basic fundamental principles we all agree on.”

Dole’s casket, draped with the American flag, sat under the Capitol dome. Biden said Dole “belongs here, in this place, this temple to liberty and temple to possibility.”

“He, too, was a giant of our history,” the president said.

Dole's body will later travel to Kansas, where weekend events include a public viewing at St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in his hometown of Russell. He will later be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

“No question, Bob Dole left this world a much better place because of his legacy of leadership and service," Mike Ford, chair of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the late President Ford's eldest son, said in a statement. "As we read the obituaries and see the responses to his passing, my family is struck by the genuine affection expressed across the political spectrum. His warmth, wit, and wisdom will be sorely missed.”

Ford selected Dole as his running mate while unsuccessfully seeking to hang on to the presidency in the 1976 election.

Thursday's Capitol service wasn’t open to the public, but political leaders and other guests were able to stop by, including Dan Quayle. The former vice president touched Dole's casket and said “Bye, buddy.”

Black draperies hung on doorways under the dome as Dole lay in state and the lectern was positioned in a way that the statue of another Kansas stateman, Dwight Eisenhower, would be seen in the background. Sen. Mitch McConnell, now the longest-serving Republican Senate leader, said Dole idolized Eisenhower, calling the former president and general a hero who embodied “the finest qualities of the American people.”

“We can say with certainty that Eisenhower isn’t the only Kansan who meets those standards,” McConnell said in a speech earlier this week.

McConnell had raised concerns that an event planner for the memorial service, Tim Unes, had been subpoenaed by the House committee investigating a mob's deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol over his role in planning that day for former President Donald Trump, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private conversation. Trump had urged his followers to head to the Capitol to fight the certification of Biden’s election victory.

Dole family spokesperson Steve Schwab said in a statement that Unes, a former Dole campaign staffer, had “volunteered his time to serve on the advance team for this week’s memorial events.” Schwab said Elizabeth Dole “was previously unaware” of Unes’ participation in the January attack and once he made her aware she “terminated his volunteer role."

Born a child of the Dust Bowl, Bob Dole suffered paralyzing and near-fatal wounds after being shot in World War II that sent him home with a severely damaged right arm that he could not use to shake hands. Instead, Dole held a pen in it and reached out with his left as a way to put greeters at ease.

He served as a Kansas state legislator before running for Congress in 1960, joining the House for eight years then going on to win the Senate seat. The 1996 race was Dole's third and final White House campaign.

Dole’s sense of humor was on display after losing to Clinton. McConnell recalled that when it was time for Dole’s remarks, he stood at the podium and began: “I, Robert J. Dole … do solemnly swear … oh, sorry, wrong speech!”

But that humor was rarely seen on the campaign trail, where it could have helped him win more votes. Instead, Dole was seen as a GOP “hatchet man,” a mentee of Richard Nixon and chairman of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate era.

Still, it was during Dole’s long Senate career that he grew to see the value of reaching across the aisle to Democrats and secured his more lasting achievements — most notably the Americans with Disabilities Act that to this day ensures a level of accessibility as a civil right.

WASHINGTON —

Bob Dole will lie in state Thursday at the U.S. Capitol, as the president and others gather to pay tribute to an “American giant” who served the country in war and in politics with pragmatism, self-deprecating wit and a bygone era's sense of common civility.

President Joe Biden is expected to offer remarks at the morning ceremony with invited guests and congressional leaders in the Capitol Rotunda for the former Republican senator and presidential contender. Dole, who served nearly 36 years in Congress, died Sunday at the age of 98.

“For those like me who had the honor of calling him a friend, Bob Dole was an American giant,” President Joe Biden said in a Wednesday speech in Kansas City, Mo.

Biden, a Democrat, called Dole, a Republican, “a man of extraordinary courage, both physical and moral courage. A war hero, who sacrificed beyond measure. Who nearly gave his life for our country in World War II. Among the greatest of the great generation.”

The service will be the first of several in Washington commemorating Dole’s life and legacy. Thursday’s event at the Capitol and Friday's funeral at the Washington National Cathedral are closed to the public. But Dole's funeral will be livestreamed Friday at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, and his motorcade is are expected to stop by later at an event with actor Tom Hanks honoring his life and military service before the casket travels to his Kansas hometown and the state capital.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Dole was a “patriot from the start” and an “exemplary person to serve with in Congress.”

“He served at a time when there was mutual respect, even though disagreement on many issues, across the aisle, across the Capitol,” Pelosi said Wednesday. “I found him to be a man of his word. Everybody did.”

Black draperies hung on doorways under the Capitol dome in preparation for the service. A lectern was positioned in way that the statue of another Kansas stateman, Dwight Eisenhower, will likely be seen in the background behind the day's speakers.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, now the longest-serving Republican Senate leader, said Dole idolized Eisenhower, calling the former president and general a hero who embodied “the finest qualities of the American people.”

“We can say with certainty that Eisenhower isn’t the only Kansan who meets those standards,” McConnell said in a speech earlier this week.

Born a child of the Dust Bowl in Russell, Kan., Dole suffered paralyzing and near-fatal wounds after being shot in World War II that sent him home with a severely damaged right arm that he could not use to shake hands. Instead, Dole held a pen in it and reached out with his left as a way to put greeters at ease.

After earning a law degree, he worked as county attorney and served as a Kansas state legislator before running for Congress in 1960, joining the House for eight years then going on to win the Senate seat. He was the GOP's presidential nominee in 1996, his third and final campaign for president — a race he never won.

Dole’s quick wit was on display after losing the presidential contest to incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton, who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom days before the 1997 inauguration.

McConnell said when it was time for Dole’s remarks, he stood at the podium and began: “I, Robert J. Dole … so solemnly swear … oh, sorry, wrong speech!”

But that humor was rarely seen on the campaign trail or in his public pronouncements, where it could have helped him win more votes.

Instead, Dole was seen as a GOP “hatchet man,” a mentee of Richard Nixon and chairman of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate era. He went on to become the sharp-tongued vice presidential running mate to Gerald Ford, another lost race.

But it was Dole's long career in the Senate where he grew to see the value of reaching across the aisle to Democrats and secured his more lasting achievements — most notably the Americans with Disabilities Act that to this day ensures a level of accessibility as a civil right.

At times, Dole bucked his own party, particularly on a landmark tax bill, and helped create the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday.

The former senator announced in February 2021 a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. Biden visited Dole at his home at the Watergate complex.

U.S. dignitaries and military veterans are mourning former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, a World War II veteran and former Republican presidential candidate who served in Congress for 36 years. Dole, who had stage 4 lung cancer, died Sunday at age 98, according to his wife, Elizabeth.___ "Bob was an American statesman like few in our history. A war hero and among the greatest of the Greatest Generation. And to me, he was also a friend whom I could look to for trusted guidance, or a humorous line at just the right moment to settle frayed nerves. I will miss my friend. But I am grateful for the times we shared, and for the friendship Jill and I and our family have built with Liddy and the entire Dole family. ... He had an unerring sense of integrity and honor. May God bless him, and may our nation draw upon his legacy of decency, dignity, good humor, and patriotism for all time." — President Joe Biden, who served with Dole in the Senate.___"Laura and I are saddened by the passing of a great patriot, Senator Bob Dole. This good man represented the finest of American values. He defended them in uniform during World War II. He advanced them in the United States Senate. And he lived them out as a father, husband, and friend. Our entire family benefitted from that friendship, including my father. I will always remember Bob's salute to my late dad at the Capitol, and now we Bushes salute Bob and give thanks for his life of principled service." — Former President George W. Bush, speaking of Dole's tribute to former President George H.W. Bush.___"Bob Dole was an American war hero and true patriot for our Nation. He served the Great State of Kansas with honor and the Republican Party was made stronger by his service. Our Nation mourns his passing, and our prayers are with Elizabeth and his wonderful family." — Former President Donald Trump.___"Senator Bob Dole was a war hero, a political leader, and a statesman — with a career and demeanor harkening back to a day when members of the Greatest Generation abided by a certain code, putting country over party. Our thoughts are with Elizabeth and the Dole family." — Former President Barack Obama.___"Bob Dole dedicated his entire life to serving the American people, from his heroism in World War II to the 35 years he spent in Congress. After all he gave in the war, he didn't have to give more. But he did. His example should inspire people today and for generations to come." — Former President Bill Clinton.___"Whatever their politics, anyone who saw Bob Dole in action had to admire his character and his profound patriotism. Those of us who were lucky to know Bob well ourselves admired him even more. A bright light of patriotic good cheer burned all the way from Bob's teenage combat heroics through his whole career in Washington through the years since. It still shone brightly, undimmed, to his last days. Bob Dole lived the kind of full, rich, and deeply honorable American life that will be impossible for any tribute today to fully capture." — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.___"America has lost an iconic statesman and tireless veterans advocate. Bob Dole distinguished himself in combat long before becoming one of the most respected voices in Congress. His leadership and determination led to the construction and dedication of the National World War II Memorial. America is a better country as a result of this great patriot's service. The American Legion was proud to present Sen. Dole with our organization's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal in 1997. Our condolences to his wife, Elizabeth, his family and many friends." — American Legion National Commander Paul E. Dillard.___"Bob Dole was a giant of the Senate. I remember the large number of Republican and Democratic Senators gathering on the Floor to praise him when he stepped down from the Senate. Traveling with him, working with him and writing legislation with him are among my fondest memories of the Senate." — Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the longest-serving sitting senator.___"From the battlefield to the United States Senate, he served our county with great integrity. He was a man of his word. As Senate Majority Leader and presidential candidate, Senator Dole championed our men and women in uniform and the hidden heroes who care for them each day. ... From the Well of the House to the Floor of the Senate, from presidential candidate to elder statesman, he also never failed to raise his powerful voice on behalf of Americans living with disabilities. He was a force in enshrining essential protections into law with the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, and he served as an inspiration himself to millions. As we honor his life, let us resolve to live up to his challenge and carry on his mission." — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.___ "Over the last several years, I was fortunate to get to spend several Saturdays a year with Senator Dole. He made it his mission to greet fellow World War II veterans in Washington, D.C., when they came to visit the World War II Memorial, a memorial that Senator Dole helped make a reality. When Rhode Island veterans would come to Washington on Honor Flights, one of their true highlights was seeing Senator Dole. He was there to confer respect and honor upon others, and it was truly a privilege to be there at his side and see veterans and caregivers alike light up and connect with him. Senator Dole was both a great listener and storyteller and he always made sure our veterans knew: This is their memorial. It belongs to them." — Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.___"When I was at recovering at Walter Reed, Bob Dole was a patient too. He was 81 years old then, and he had his own private room, but he always did his rehab with the rest of us — cracking jokes and sharing stories about his Army days. I'll always remember how that proud Veteran from an earlier generation took the time — during some of the most difficult moments of my life — to interact with us younger Soldiers, helping us recover from both our physical and psychological wounds. ... He was a true statesman and model of the Greatest Generation who never failed to answer the call to serve." — Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who lost both her legs while serving in Iraq.___"Senator Dole was many things -- a war hero, a father, a husband, a public servant; and to Kansans, a man who embodied everything good and decent about Kansas and about America. ... He was a larger-than-life presence in our nation's politics and demonstrated a decency, a humility, and a civility that should serve as a model for those of us in public life." — Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kan.___"As a public servant, private citizen, and true patriot, Senator Bob Dole showed total dedication to the American experiment and its deepest ideals, answering liberty's call at every turn. A combat hero, champion for those with disabilities, congressional leader from Kansas, and presidential candidate, Dole served this nation for 79 years. He lived a life of heroism and humor, courage and consequence, leadership and legacy that every American should strive for." — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Bob Dole, a Republican Party stalwart and presidential hopeful who espoused a brand of plain-spoken conservatism as one of Washington's most recognizable political figures throughout the latter half of the 20th century, died Sunday.

"Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep. At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years," according to a statement from his family.

He had announced in February that he was being treated for advanced lung cancer. President Joe Biden visited Dole shortly after learning of the diagnosis.

Dole, who was seriously wounded during World War II, had suffered a series of health ailments in previous years. In 1991, he received surgery for prostate cancer, received abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery in 2001, was hospitalized in 2005 after a fall in his home and was treated for a leg infection in 2009.

Dole is survived by his wife, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, and daughter Robin Dole.

Arriving in Washington at the dawn of the Kennedy administration, Dole would serve for 27 years as a U.S. senator from Kansas, including two stints as the Senate majority leader, though he might be best known for his unsuccessful run as the Republican presidential nominee against Bill Clinton in 1996, his third attempt at the White House. He also served as President Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976 after Nelson Rockefeller declined to stay on as vice president.

Early in his Senate career, he was labeled a "hatchet man" by his critics and drew national attention for his vehement defense of President Richard Nixon throughout the Watergate scandal. He considered Nixon a friend and a mentor — later eulogizing Nixon at his funeral in 1994 as the "most durable public figure of our time." In a notable departure from his sour public image, he choked up at the end of his remarks.

But in taking up the mantle of GOP leader in the Senate, Dole's reputation became that of a whip smart lawmaker and a tough negotiator willing to work across the aisle with Democrats on issues such as Social Security reform, the Americans with Disabilities Act and landmark nutrition legislation.

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"By all rights, he and I should have had a lousy relationship," former Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle, who was the Senate's top Democrat during Dole's second stint as majority leader, said in a 2000 speech. "The fact that we did not was due to Bob Dole — to his civility, to his pragmatism, to his quick wit and self-effacing humor, and to his love of this country and to this United States Senate. His sense of fairness and decency is a standard for which everyone in public life should aim."

In his book "What It Takes" about the 1988 election, journalist Richard Ben Cramer described Dole as a Senate leader who was always ready with a joke and a greeting and was "never more cheerful, more at peace, than he was in the wee hours, when a deal was going down and he was waiting for someone to crack, while he drank a milkshake and told old stories in the Senate dining room."

Three-time presidential hopeful

In 1996, he resigned from the Senate as the chamber's then-longest serving GOP leader to focus on running for the White House, quipping it was either "the White House or home." He entered the race as the front-runner and fended off an early challenge from his right from Pat Buchanan to secure the nomination, then selected former congressman and supply-side economics champion Jack Kemp as his running mate.

But he lost the election handily to incumbent President Bill Clinton, who at the time was riding a strong economy and drew a contrast between his image as a Baby Boomer and the 73-year-old Dole, who was portrayed as old and out of touch.

It was the last of Dole's bids for the White House. His first, in 1980, gained little traction, but his second, in 1988, initially provided a strong challenge to eventual nominee George H.W. Bush after Dole won the Iowa caucuses. The race between the two men eventually turned nasty, culminating with Dole testily telling Bush in a live television moment on the night he lost the New Hampshire primary, "Stop lying about my record."

The rivalry between the two men would fade over time; in 2018, when Bush laid in state at the Capitol Rotunda, Dole was helped to his feet from his wheelchair to salute his one-time opponent.

Despite never winning election as either president or vice president, Dole's long career on the national stage and as a leader of the Republican establishment is abundantly clear in one piece of party history: 14 GOP presidential tickets from 1952 to 2004 (all of them except for 1964) included either Dole, Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush or George W. Bush.

Dole also had a notably warm personal relationship with Clinton, who told the audience at their first presidential debate, "You can probably tell we like each other."

A few months after his loss to Clinton, Dole would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his service in World War II and Congress from his former rival and flashed his sense of humor.

"I, Robert J. Dole, do solemnly swear ..." he quipped during the ceremony, pretending to take the oath of office. "Sorry, wrong speech. But I had a dream that I would be here this week, receiving something from the president, but I thought it would be the front door key."

Clinton and Dole later co-chaired a scholarship fund that initially raised over $100 million for families of those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks and subsequently teamed up for a weekly debate segment on CBS News' "60 Minutes."

He also demonstrated his ability to take a joke when he appeared on "Saturday Night Live" in 1996 following his loss alongside Norm MacDonald, who had mercilessly lampooned him during the election.

As he put it to NBC in 2005, humor is needed in Washington "to break the tension sometimes and you can do it with just -- without offending anybody."

War hero and legislator

Dole was born on July 22, 1923, in the small town of Russell, Kansas, and grew up during the years of the Great Depression. At the age of 19, while a student-athlete at the University of Kansas studying to become a doctor, Dole enlisted in the Army in 1942 following America's entry into World War II and was called up to active duty the following year, he wrote in his memoir "One Soldier's Story." Sent to fight in Italy in 1945, Dole was seriously wounded while trying to carry a fellow soldier to safety. He spent 39 grueling months in and out of hospitals, recuperating from his near fatal injuries, which left his right arm permanently disabled and his left arm minimally functional. Dole received the Purple Heart twice and two Bronze Stars with an oak leaf cluster for his service in World War II.

His injuries changed the trajectory of his life, leading him to pursue a law degree and a career in politics. He served a term in the Kansas House of Representatives and later for eight years as Russell County prosecutor. Dole was elected to the U.S. House to represent Kansas in Washington in 1960, serving four terms before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1968.

Beyond his career in Washington, Dole advocated for the nation's veterans throughout his career, including serving as co-chair of a 2007 presidential commission that investigated Walter Reed Medical Center. After leaving public office, he served as the National Chairman of the World War II Memorial Campaign, helping to raise millions to construct the first memorial dedicated to all World War II veterans. In his 90s — as one of the longest-living and most prominent members of the Greatest Generation — he spent his Saturdays greeting his fellow veterans as they visited the memorial in Washington after it opened to the public in 2004.

In January 2018, Dole became the eighth US senator to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress. Dole was the only former Republican nominee to support Donald Trump's candidacy in the 2016 election, and Trump recognized his service to his country at the medal ceremony.

"In hearing (Dole's) story they will truly learn what it means to be a great American," Trump said at the medal ceremony. "Bob, that is the legacy that you have left our nation and it will outlive us all."

Dole was one of the key Republicans to say plainly after the 2020 election that Biden had won. In a July 2021 interview with USA Today, Dole said that while he is still "a Trumper," he was "sort of Trumped out."