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is what happened yesterday. bob dole over the years, particularly when i was at cnn, i got to know bob dole. he was on our show a lot. i really liked the man. he is a genuine american war hero, disabled very badly wounded in the war, never kept him down. he was a great senator from kansas representing the people there and the people of the united states, a very fair, very effective senate majority leader. he didn't do so well as a presidential candidate but a funny, very funny human being, a lot of fun to be around. so bob dole now 89 years old, not in great health just a week ago, he was in the walter reed hospital and word was he was so infirmed they didn't think he was going to make it. so he makes it. he is released yesterday. his wife elizabeth dole wheels him into the united states senate where he urged his fellow republicans to vote to endorse the united nations treaty on disabilities. this treaty, united nation's treaty. it does nothing -- doesn't change any existing law, doesn't give it any authority at all in the united states. it doesn't make
republicans. it was supported by senator john mccain, himself a disabled veteran. >> bob dole has been our leader on the issue of disabilities from the moment he stepped foot into the chamber. to bob, it is unthinkable that americans could not get over a curb or enter a school building or even watch a debate in this chamber if they were in a wheelchair. >> but that was not good enough for 38 of john mccain's republican colleagues, including his usual ally, lindsay graham. treaties take years to negotiate before they come to a vote. this treaty, though signed by president obama, was actually negotiated by president george w. bush. but that was not good enough for 38 republicans. republicans made up transparently ridiculous reasons to vote against it. they said it threatened america's sovereignty, even though senator kerry repeatedly showed them that the treaty requires no changes in u.s. law and that the treaty cannot be used as the basis for a lawsuit in u.s. courts. the opponents said it was inappropriate to consider a treaty ma post election lame duck session, never mind that just since
bob dole took to the senate floor in his wheelchair to push for support of the united nations treaty that helps disabled people around the world. despite that, senators voted against the treaty, something that would presumably have had a wide margin of support. >> i've heard from advocacy group s consisting of people w hope that this treaty will protect disabled americans who will protect them as they travel abroad. i've also heard from parents of disabled children that this treaty will threaten their rights as parents. >> i sympathize with john boehner. the tea party has a firm grip on the republican party and that's obvious, what's happened this morning here in washington. >> in rejecting this treaty, the united states broke from 125 countries that have ratified the treaty, including syria and saudi arabia. senate republicans actually voted to approve the measure, like senator john mccain and kelly ayotte, to name a few. others b others band together saying that if passed it will inhibit people in the united states. ana navaro and maria cardona joins us. in john mccain's words pro
of being as prominent as bob dole was after he lost in 1986. he had given up his senate seat so had no more jobs in republican politics but he he had a substantial republican career behind him which a lot of people remembered. >> yeah. i mean, the problem for mitt romney now is the party is moving beyond him very quickly. it's only been about four weeks and his ideas are not being discussed in washington. there's not much of any reference to him. the republican leaders who are young and up and coming are talking about how to rebrand and rebuild the party and some people close to mitt romney said he doesn't really have much of an interest of being involved in that kind of conversation. >> philip ruker and jonathan capehart, thank you for joining me tonight. >> thanks. >>> coming up, in the rewrite, mike huckabee, herman cain are upset at bob costas who said what had to be said during his football coverage last night. humans -- sometimes life trips us up. and sometimes, we trip ourselves up, but that's okay. at liberty mutual insurance we can "untrip" you as you go through your life with pers
of the support of former republican senator bob dole who made this rare appearance on the senate floor in a wheelchair. senator's john mccain and john kerry made an emotional plea for the senate to work together. >> he's here because he wants to know that when a disabled american veteran, our wounded warriors travel overseas that they're treated with the same dignity and respect. >> to bob it's unthinkable that americans could not get over a curb or enter a school building or even watch a debate in this chamber if they were in a wheelchair. >> the treaty fell five republican votes short of 66 fleeded. opponents were worried the treaty would fringe on american sovereignty. harry reid will bring it up for a vote again in the next congress. ...and spend time on the slopes. take alka-seltzer plus cold & cough... [ buzz! ] ...and spend time on the chair. for non-drowsy 6-symptom cold & flu relief. take dayquil. use nyquil d... [ ding! ] ...and get longer nighttime cough relief. use alka-seltzer plus night cold & flu... [ coughs ] [ buzz! ] [ screams ] ...and you could find yourself... honey