Senator for Sale: An Unauthorized Biography of Senator Bob Dole
by By Hilton, Stanley G.
Category: Biography & Autobiography , Political

How much do we actually know about that most familiar of political figures, Senator Bob Dole? In this remarkable biography, Stanley Hilton paints a disturbing portrait. Using his personal experiences as an aide to the senator and his insights as a lawyer and teacher, Hilton offers a number of surprising revelations, including: Dole's brokering for power and catering to a host of special-interest groups (most notably, his becoming a major tobacco industry batboy); his numerous violations of election financing laws; the senator's career-long habit of flip-flopping on virtually every major national issue (including his positions on Israel, Saddam Hussein, and affirmative action); his role as the architect of the two largest tax hikes in U.S. history; and Dole's link with David Owen, a former top aide, who served time in a federal prison.In this chilling portrait, Hilton exposes Dole's colossal political money machine, which generates contributions amounting to almost $500,000 a week. Senator for Sale compares Senator Dole to his role model and hero Richard Nixon, and traces the senator's career from his origins in Kansas to Capitol Hill. Finally, while celebrating Dole's acknowledged wit and intelligence, Senator for Sale speculates on what a Dole presidency would be like.