Richard Nixon Funeral (4): Bob Dole's Eulogy

-Part 4 (of 13)-

U.S. President Richard Nixon's funeral service from April 1994 (complete).

In this segment, Senate Minority Leader (and later presidential candidate) Bob Dole, whom Nixon while president had appointed chairman of the Republican National Committee, emotionally gives his eulogy of his former colleague and mentor. (Nixon's son-in-law's father, John Eisenhower, the son of Nixon's former running mate, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, can be seen (looking a great deal like his famous father) in the audience in this clip.)

Reporters Ted Koppel, Barbara Walters, and Jim Wooten periodically comment on the ceremonies and on Nixon throughout the funeral. Historian Stephen Ambrose joins them on occasion. The five then living presidents and first ladies (Gerald and Betty Ford, Jimmy and Roselynn Carter, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, George and Barbara Bush, and Bill and Hillary Clinton), as well as President Nixon's family members (his daughters Julie Nixon Eisenhower and Tricia Nixon Cox and his sons-in-law and grandchildren), can be seen frequently during the ceremonies.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• President
• Richard
• Nixon
• funeral
• ceremony
• death
• presidential
• senator
• Bob
• Dole
• Elizabeth
• John
• Eisenhower
• David
• emotional

[oniforo]

You sir, are a narrow minded want wit Who knows nothing about Richard Nixon, other than what you learned from Hollywood. Richard Nixon was a good man, he was a loving father, a loving grandfather, and loving husband, He got us out of Viet Nam, Opened Relations with China, and pushed peace with Russia. He made a mistake, and I think its time to forgive him. Dick Nixon is not in hell, because God does not see politics, he sees people. and Richard Milhouse Nixon WAS good people.

[javery303]

I still remember this, the whole "holy shit, Dole cried a lil bit." It was actually pretty touching to see a guy, weathered by decades of politics to be brought to tears only in the last couple words of his speech over Nixon.

It makes you think.

[AlbertCheng81]

@itpduder

I thought it was President Eisenhower who stabbed his mentor General George Marshall in the back when Senator McCarthy and Senator Jenner denounced Marshall as a traitor during the 1952 American Presidential Election by not defending his former boss. Ike also abandoned his commitment to defend the Philippines in 1939 so he could advance his career in Washington (which indeed turned out to be a great career move). So no, I am not a fan of Eisenhower's unfortunately.

[1990osu]

I agree that Hollywood has demonized Richard Nixon. When you watch "Nixon" and "Frost versus Nixon" it's as if they didn't bother to read his letters, or talk to his family, or anything.

In reality, Richard Nixon was a very warm and kind man- not a monster.

[hk86023]

They're BOTH scum.

[carovski]

thompson on dole's eulogy- ... uttered such a shameless, self-serving eulogy that even he burst into tears at the end of it.

[emoviebuff87]

I don't care what anyone says about Nixon, I look up to him!!!

[sean2015]

@MIKESOWELL Yes. Nixon's one flaw was his lust for power, however to his credit he overcame lust for money and material wealth. I should add that Pat Nixon also waived her Secret Service protection at around the same time as her husband. They did this to save the taxpayers money. I am not shy about speaking to Richard Nixon's personal strengths unpopular though it may be to do this, as many people (as racer500gp points out) objectively dismiss him as a criminal.

[MIKESOWELL]

I think that this was also Spiro Agnew's last public appearance. He died in 1996.

[MIKESOWELL]

@FrsBigeasy Bob Dole was the last Republican who ran for the presidency that I supported. 1996 was the last presidential election in which I was a Republican. I was 16 and could not vote, but I was enthusiastic for his ticket. I could not stand Clinton. I thought he was a liar and a phony. But what turned me away from the party was the political witch hunt that occurred with the impeachment hearings. I found that circus extremely partisan and smacked of Watergate in reverse.

[MIKESOWELL]

@racer500gp You met him? I wish that I had that honor. I was 13 years old when he died. I was devastated, because I had just months earlier began researching him.

[MIKESOWELL]

@sean2015 He also didn't charge for his speeches and gave his thoughts on any issue freely. He had disdain for the future presidents who charged a fee for their speeches.