Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Bob Dole, born in Kansas, July 22nd 1923. He left pre-med studies to enlist in the army during WWII. The courageous lieutenant suffered grievous wounds while leading an attack. After three years recovering, Dole studied at University of Arizona and law school in Topeka. Entry to politics was a term in the state house, then eight years as county prosecutor. In 1960, Dole won first of four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. There followed five terms in the U.S. Senate. This principled conservative was Minority Leader and Majority Leader. Two years he chaired the Republican National Committee. His second wife, Elizabeth, led the Red Cross and also won election to the Senate. Dole was President Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976 and presidential nominee in 1996. "As a young man in a small town, my parents taught me to...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I appreciate Republican reverence for our nation’s heritage. July 21st 1892, Benjamin Harrison issued the proclamation making Columbus Day a national holiday. In addition to boosting patriotism, the President’s motivations were honoring Italians and all immigrants. "Now, therefore, I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, in pursuance of the aforesaid joint resolution, do hereby appoint Friday, October 21, 1892, the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus, as a general holiday for the people of the United States. On that day let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life." "Columbus stood in his age as t...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Richard Mott, born July 21st 1804. Age eleven, he moved with his family from a suburb to New York City. The ambiguous youth worked at a store, then a bank. In 1836, Mott relocated to Ohio. His real estate firm helped establish the state's first railroad. He was elected mayor of Toledo. Opposition to slavery led him out of the Democratic Party. Mott won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1854 as an independent and in 1856 as a Republican. He raised funds for the Union cause during the Civil War, and along with sister-in-law Lucretia Mott, advocated women's suffrage. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I appreciate Republican commitment to racial justice.  July 20th 2006, President George W. Bush addressed the NAACP’s national convention. Agreeing with me, he said: “I consider it a tragedy that the party of Abraham Lincoln let go of its historic ties with the African-American community. For too long my party wrote off the African-American vote, and many African-Americans wrote off the Republican Party." President Bush went on to blame a "wound" for denying African-Americans their right to vote in many parts of our country. What he failed to mention, unfortunately, is that this wound" is the Democratic Party — the party of slavery and segregation — which denied African-Americans their right to vote. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute Elisha Dyer, born in Providence, July 20th 1811. After graduation from Brown University, his career began at the family merchandising business. Five years he served as chief administrative officer of the militia. He established an anti-slavery society and was on the Whig Party state committee. Dyer co-founded the Rhode Island GOP. In 1857, he won the governorship for first of two one-year terms. During the Civil War, this patriot enlisted as captain with a regiment assigned to defend Washington. Later years, he was director of a bank and a railroad. President Ulysses Grant appointed him commissioner to an international trade conference in London. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future...