Elizabeth Dole '08

Watch Elizabeth Dole’s latest video blog.

Over the last few months, a few people in North Carolina have asked about the petty attacks my opponent has leveled against me during this campaign. The thing they mention most often has been the consistent focus on my husband Bob.

As you all know, my dear husband is not only the former Senator and Republican Leader from the state of Kansas, but also a cancer survivor and WWII hero. To say that I am proud of my husband’s many accomplishments and service to his country would be an incredible understatement.

Since Bob’s service in the Senate he’s worked with President Clinton on funding for scholarships for the families of 9/11 victims and raised money for historically black Bennett College in Greensboro. He’s teamed with George McGovern to feed the hungry throughout the world, spearheaded the effort to raise money for the WWII Memorial on the Mall in Washington and served with Donna Shalala on the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors. He has truly touched the lives of the many thousands of Veterans with whom he visits in hospitals throughout the country.

This week an article titled “Hagan hits Dole for husband’s background” said “U.S. Senate candidate Kay Hagan is mocking her opponent’s background, telling incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole to go back to her husband’s state.”

The article also described local campaign parties where Hagan supporters will decorate ruby red slippers in a reference to “The Wizard of Oz” and Bob’s home state of Kansas.

But the attack against Bob that has troubled me the most came from her press release of April 25th. It attacked me for giving a floor speech commemorating my husband’s service. The Hagan campaign release claimed I was “interrupting consideration of the transportation bill to make a floor speech commemorating her husband’s first floor speech 39 years before.”

The Senate was in a period of “morning business” which allows Senators to speak about various issues and topics. My speech commemorating Bob’s service and the service of all veterans was on the anniversary of Bob’s injuries sustained on the battlefield during WWII. Bob spent 39 months in hospitals undergoing eight surgeries and rehabilitation, but lost the use of his right arm.

There was an important reason to commemorate Bob’s so called maiden speech, because it highlights the struggle of a group that Bob joined that fateful day, April 14, 1945, called Americans with Disabilities. The fact that he chose to talk about it is important. It was an opportunity for all of those in the U.S. Senate to think about disabilities and how they affect all Americans, not just people who undergo the kind of daily struggle that Bob faces. A day that a candidate for the Senate would want to mute a voice highlighting the struggle of these Americans is a sad one. As your Senator, I plan to take every opportunity to do what Bob did, which is to make certain that voice is heard.

An early encounter with my late mother best describes my husband and his experience. One morning he left his bedroom and went down to the kitchen in Salisbury where my mother was fixing breakfast. He had a towel draped over his shoulder.

“Mrs. Hanford,” he said, “I think you should see my problem.”Bob, that’s not a problem, it’s a badge of honor,” mother replied.

I believe the voters of North Carolina will be better served if my opponent spent her time and resources on the challenges we face as a state and nation – rather than launching personal attacks at a man who has served this nation so honorably.

Elizabeth

This week I am airing the first television commercial of my campaign for re-election to the United States Senate. You can see the ad here.

As the number of illegal aliens in North Carolina increased, I began to hear very troubling accounts from many constituents and law enforcement officials. Illegal aliens were committing crimes, often repeatedly, such as drunk driving and drug and gang related felonies that have harmed and even killed North Carolinians. I knew this was an aspect of the illegal immigration issue that needed to be tackled urgently. I also knew that our state’s law enforcement officials needed the tools to effectively send the message that North Carolina means business when it comes to the enforcement of our laws.

So I traveled throughout North Carolina from the mountains to the coast meeting with sheriffs to discuss what challenges they faced and how we might provide them with additional assistance in the form of tools to identify, apprehend and deport criminal illegal aliens. We agreed on an approach of a partnership between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. The result is the first and only statewide immigration enforcement plan of its kind in the country. This is the focus of my first commercial that will air across North Carolina.

Folks, it’s important to remember that campaigns are about choices between two individuals, and there will be a vigorous debate about my record of combating illegal immigration and that of my opponent, Kay Hagan. Mrs. Hagan has alternatively opposed, criticized and even called for aspects of my plan to be “replaced.” But here is the truth, North Carolina needed a clear way to deal with illegal aliens that are committing crimes against people and property. These criminals are not going to stop committing crimes while Washington works out its political differences. So I didn’t wait on Washington leadership – Democrat or Republican - and got to work to help find a solution for North Carolina – to help make our streets and communities safer. I think North Carolinians will appreciate that – even if Mrs. Hagan is evidently struggling with the issue.

It’s clear to me that just like the pro-amnesty crowd in Washington D.C., Mrs. Hagan just doesn’t get it when it comes to the enforcement of our immigration laws.

That’s why I need your continued support to help us defend our message in this campaign. My opponent has come out in opposition to my plan to identify, apprehend and deport illegal aliens who have committed crimes in North Carolina. This is a major difference between us. I know that I am on the right side of common sense and the good people of North Carolina on this issue, and we will defend my plan and win the debate on this issue.

Please enjoy a sneak peak of my first television advertisement and let me know what you think.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Elizabeth

The people of North Carolina elected me to the United States Senate in 2002 and I consider each day that I work on your behalf a true privilege.

North Carolina - and the nation - face many difficult challenges. Some of the most complex of those challenges - such as energy policy that is clean and independent of foreign oil, protecting our nation from terror, strengthening our economy in a competitive world market and securing our borders from massive illegal immigration will require carefully crafted solutions. How our nation resolves these crucial issues will have very real implications on the daily lives of every person, every family and every business for generations to come.

There has been a great deal of partisanship and political posturing over how to deal with our challenges. But gasoline prices approaching $4 per gallon hurts every person and every business. Paying for the millions of illegal immigrants now in the nation – and the millions of potential illegal immigrants that will come to this nation if allowed – affects every person and every business. If terror is allowed to come to America, it will have a negative impact on the economy of every community and the liberties of all North Carolinians and all Americans. These – and other prominent issues don’t just impact Republicans or just Democrats. They affect of us all. They are American issues.

I believe the “change” that most people want in North Carolina is to simply move toward finding common ground and real and long lasting solutions to the big challenges we face. In the campaign ahead, I want to hear from YOU – the voters of North Carolina – to hear what challenges you see and your ideas on how we can solve them.

Modern campaigns have become a contact sport, so please anticipate that this campaign – and yours truly – will come under attack. There will be careless attacks – personal attacks – votes and issues taken out of context – maybe even outright falsehoods. There is little I can do to prevent that, but I will defend my record and this campaign will do all that it can to get the truth to the voters each and every day through November 4th.

I hope you will take this opportunity to join the Dole Team today. My campaign cannot be successful without your help and support. When I was President of the American Red Cross, I was apt to tell potential volunteers that I needed their time, their money and their blood. Well…I’m not asking for your blood, but I do hope you will honor my campaign with your time, your ideas and your financial support.

Thank you for coming to my web-site and reading my first blog.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Elizabeth