How Bob Dole’s family, friends, and former colleagues remember him

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• Judy Woodruff:

  President Biden and a large number of political leaders from both parties gathered today to honor the late Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole at his funeral in Washington, D.C.

  Amna Nawaz has our report.

• Amna Nawaz:

  The late Bob Dole arrived at the Washington National Cathedral today, his casket draped in the flag he had honored as a soldier and statesman.

  The first tribute delivered by his former Senate colleague President Joe Biden:

• President Joe Biden:

  He came into the arena with certain guiding principles that began with devotion to country, to fair play, to decency, to dignity, to honor, to literally attempting to find the common good.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Those principles, Biden said, led Dole to deep concern in his final days about threats to American democracy.

• President Joe Biden:

  And this soldier reminded us — and I quote — "Too many of us have sacrificed too much in defending freedom from foreign adversaries to allow our democracy to crumble in a state — under a state of infighting that grows more unacceptable day by day."

• Amna Nawaz:

  Biden hailed Dole as a man of integrity and quick wit, on display when Dole was asked why he bucked his party casting the deciding vote to save Amtrak:

• President Joe Biden:

  He said, it's the best way to get Joe Biden the hell out of here at night, so he's not here in the morning.

  (LAUGHTER)

• President Joe Biden:

  Excuse my language.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Fellow Kansan Pat Roberts, who followed Dole in the Senate, today recalled the deep connection he kept to his home state.

• Former Sen. Pat Roberts, R-KS:

  Whether we were in Topeka, Abilene, Wichita, or Dodge City, I saw Bob Dole connect with Kansans always on a personal level.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Roberts too remembered Dole's renowned humor, often deployed to break down political walls.

• Former Sen. Pat Roberts:

  It was embedded in his nature to deliver that punchline deadpan, knowing, waiting for the room to light up, which it always did, For the barriers to come down, letting the air out of the partisan balloons.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat who served opposite then-leader Dole, spoke of a bond born across party lines that only strengthened with time.

• Former Sen. Tom Daschle, D-SD:

  I have always thought that life has no blessing like that of a good friend. And to know Bob was to know the truth of that statement.

• Amna Nawaz:

  The final tribute, from Dole's daughter, Robin, who saw firsthand her father's lifetime of service.

  Robin Dole, Daughter of Bob Dole: He set a personal goal to help at least one person every day of his life.

  Then, he said: "I'm not sure I have been able to meet my goal."

  I said: "Dad, you have got to be kidding. Some days, you help one person, and other days you help 40,000 people."

  I will miss him so much. I think I will still talk to him every night.

  I love you, dad. I promise, you will never walk alone.

• Amna Nawaz:

  After the cathedral service, Dole was brought to the World War II Memorial.

  Actor Tom Hanks, who starred in the 1998 World War II film "Saving Private Ryan," helped Dole to raise funds for the memorial, but said the senator was the driving force.

• Tom Hanks, Actor:

  He pushed the idea. He corralled the votes. He made the phone calls. He enlisted allies. This memorial stands in this rightful site because Bob Dole remembered.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Dole's military service and sacrifice were front and center in remarks from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley. Dole nearly died as a 21-year-old, shot by a Nazi machine gun. He was later awarded two Purple Hearts.

  Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff: He continually raised his hand, mangled as it was, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. We are all better off for the service of Senator Bob Dole.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Former Senator and Secretary Elizabeth Dole honored her husband through deeds today, not words, carefully laying a wreath in his memory.

  The late Senator Dole will now return to Kansas for home state tributes, before being laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Amna Nawaz.