Politics

(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump’s public flirtation with the 2024 presidential race is complicating early stage campaigning for other Republicans who are criss-crossing the country to get an edge on their potential competition and pick up voters from Trump’s loyal and expansive base.

While a bulk of the political focus has been on the upcoming midterm elections, a group of GOP lawmakers have begun to position themselves as viable picks to lead the party.

Several key favorites, such as Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis; former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley; Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla; and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem have already appeared at highly publicized conferences in Nevada and Iowa. Just this week, former Vice President Mike Pence made the rounds in New Hampshire, site of the nation’s first primary, fresh off an appearance in Washington, D.C.

Despite their early legwork, nearly all of major 2024 contenders have been unable to definitively declare their ambitions due to one major setback: Trump. A Quinnipiac University poll from October showed 78% of Republicans want Trump to run in 2024, which could easily disrupt a primary cycle full of his allies and former staff.

The former president’s continued political ambitions are clear, but what’s less certain is how those ambitions will manifest. Trump’s political travel has been limited to his own properties or the occasional arena-style rally, swapping out typical campaign trail cattle calls for phone calls to radio and television stations from the comfort of his home in Mar-a-Lago. In some of these interviews, Trump himself counted his allies out.

During a call with radio host Hugh Hewitt earlier this week, Trump declined to name a successor if in fact he doesn’t run for president, but said his base “will be very angry” if he decides to remain a private citizen. He told Hewitt he’d chime in with a potential successor — whether it be another Republican or himself — in about a year and quickly shifted the conversation to his high approval ratings and President Joe Biden’s poor performance. In another radio interview this week, Trump told local Florida host Brian Mudd that he’s confident DeSantis will not run if he does.

Trump’s position is a threat to many Republican hopefuls, and potentially recreates a dynamic many party candidates found themselves in during the crowded and chaotic 2015 GOP presidential primaries. Then, several candidates undercut Trump’s legitimacy, ultimately undercutting their own potential and leaving a clear runway for Trump to clinch the nomination, Republican strategist Sarah Isgur explained to ABC News.

“Each campaign thought at some point Trump will be out of the race and then it would really be down to them and fill in the Black Republican candidate,” said Isgur, a staff writer at the Dispatch and ABC News contributor. “If Republicans approach 2024 with the same attitude of wait and see without any sort of strategic vision, they’ll repeat the same mistakes as before and that will inure to Trump’s benefit.”

Isgur said the primary field is “Trump’s to decide” and he is likely a shoe-in if he runs.

“The only way that Trump doesn’t become the nominee is if Republican candidates can put their egos aside and circle around one alternative instead of divvying up the field,” Isgur said. “The problem is … is [anyone] willing to step aside and put their chips in with someone else? Maybe. But it’s hard to imagine.”

Several high-profile Republican lawmakers with rumored presidential ambitions have signaled their willingness to bend the knee on Trump’s behalf. DeSantis and Haley both stated they would make way for a Trump candidacy. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said he would “of course” support Trump. A spokesperson for Noem’s office confirmed to ABC News in an emailed statement that she has “no intention of running for president” and “hopes that President Trump runs again and would gladly support him.”

Scott’s office pointed ABC News to the senator telling Politico he has no plans to run for president.

But others have remained far more coy, leaving a potentially nasty and personal political battle on the table.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a vocal critic of the former president’s handling of the 2020 election, told CNN’s Dana Bash that he’s unsure if he or Trump will run, “but in the end, in 2021, the idea of making predictions for 2024 is a folly. There’s no reason to create tumult in a party that already has a lot of tumult in it.”

Pence told Christian Broadcast Network’s David Brody that he’ll “let the future take care of itself” when asked about his plans in 2024 if Trump also decides to run. Then, later in the week, Pence continued to hold his cards close, telling CNN: “I can honestly tell you in 2023, my family and I will do what we have always done. We’ll reflect, we’ll pray and determine where we might best serve. And we’ll go where we’re called.”

There’s some precedent for love lost between the pair. Recent revelations from ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl show Trump exacerbating his split with his former vice president, defending chants from Jan. 6 insurrectionists to “hang Mike Pence.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who shares a curious personal history with Trump, said in January 2021 that he’s “certainly looking” at a 2024 bid. Before the two were at odds during the 2016 election, Cruz considered Trump a “friend.” Tides shifted quickly once the pair hit the debate stage with Trump dubbing him “Lyin’ Ted.” Cruz eventually endorsed Trump and praised his administration’s policies from his perch on Capitol Hill.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is yet another name on the running list of former Trump allies who have signaled openness to taking him on, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity he’s “always up for a good fight.”

Isgur said she finds it difficult to see a sustainable path to the presidency for any of Trump’s allies if he’s in the mix as a candidate. Christie could dominate the anti-Trump lane, she said, but struggles to see any other current contender embracing that lane.

“That doesn’t mean that Trump can’t do something to turn voters off,” said Isgur. “[Trump voters] are open to another candidate, but does that candidate really exist when they get to know him? I hear a lot of voters talk about Ron DeSantis, but they haven’t seen him tested. They haven’t seen him up against Trump. In the end, if Trump runs, really throws his hat in the ring, what’s the upside to this? Having body blows from Trump may just not be worth it.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden has weighed in on the Department of Labor report out Friday that shows the consumer price index, which measures the prices consumers pay for a market basket of everyday goods and services, climbed at its fastest rate in nearly 40 years.

“It matters to people when you’re paying more for gas, although in some states we’ve got the price down below three bucks a gallon. But the point is, it’s not gone down quickly enough, but I think it will,” Biden said at the end of his remarks closing out the Summit for Democracy.

The White House — trying to walk a fine line — acknowledged that Americans’ wallets are taking a hit but that the increased prices will not last forever. The Biden administration also used the new numbers as an opportunity to tout the “Build Back Better” social spending plan, which it says will ease the financial squeeze many are facing despite good signs from other economic indicators.

“Every other aspect of the economy is racing ahead. It’s doing incredibly well. We’ve never had this kind of growth in 60 years,” Biden said.

The president pointed to his social spending agenda as a way bring down the costs of child care and other expenses addressed in the bill.

“Economists think is going to, in fact, diminish the impact on inflation… because it’s reducing costs for ordinary people,” Biden said, noting that the plan does not have bipartisan support.

Asked how he planned to get holdout Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on board given his concerns over inflation, Biden said he would be speaking with the senator early next week, but once again stressed his plan would help combat rising prices, not add to it.

“The reason for the inflation is that we have a supply chain problem that is really severe, and it’s causing a significant increase in prices and things that, in fact, are hard to get access to. Because at the bottom, the bottom of it all, is COVID. COVID has had a serious impact on the ability to produce a whole lot of necessary products, particularly those imported from the Pacific and other places,” he said.

While Biden painted an optimistic view that inflation will soon be waning, White House press secretary Jen Psaki clarified that the White House is still deferring to the Federal Reserve about official predictions.

The new inflation numbers came the same day The Congressional Budget Office released a modified estimate of the cost of Biden’s “Build Back Better” bill that finds that if all proposed programs were made permanent rather than temporary, the bill would add $3 trillion to the deficit over 10 years.

That, however, is not what Democrats are proposing in the bill. The House-passed version of the “Build Back Better” bill, which is expected to be modified by the Senate, sunsets many programs well before the 10-year period. The Child Tax Credit, for example, would only be extended for one additional year. As currently drafted, the CBO found the House-passed version of the bill adds $0.2 trillion to the deficit.

This modified score comes in response to a request from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo.

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the new estimate in a statement, slamming Republicans for “requesting fake scores based on mistruths”.

“Republican-requested fake CBO score does not take into account the fact that President Biden and Democrats have committed that any extensions of the Build Back Better Act in the future will be fully offset, therefore ensuring BBBA will not increase the deficit,” Schumer said. “The GOP’s fake CBO score request is nothing more than a partisan attempt to mislead the public.”

Still, the modified score could prove a huge hurdle for Senate Democrats working to win over Manchin.

Graham said in a press conference that Manchin was “stunned” when the two discussed the new report this morning.

“I talked to him this morning, he was stunned,” Graham said. “I think he felt vindicated in that his concerns were legitimate.”

For its part, The White House brushed off concerns over the new score. Still, Psaki acknowledged there was still work to be done to earn the support of Manchin, whose vote is pivotal to passing the bill. She added that the president would make his case to the senator that now is the time to act.

“You know, you saw every single Republican in the house vote against Build Back Better. What were they voting against? Yes they were voting against the president’s agenda. They were also voting against lowering costs. They were voting against lowering costs for child care, lowering costs for elder care, lowering costs for health care,” Psaki said.

“I think the case he will make is that this is exactly the time to pass this bill and move it forward so that we can lower costs for the American people on all of those topics, including insulin in areas that really pinch — force American families to pinch pennies,” she added.

ABC News’ Catherine Thronbecke contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Former Sen. Bob Dole — decorated World War II veteran, longtime lawmaker and former presidential candidate — was honored Friday at Washington National Cathedral before being brought back to his home state of Kansas and eventually laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dole died Sunday in his sleep at the age of 98.

President Joe Biden delivered a eulogy at the funeral service, which aired on ABC News and ABC News Live, as well as on video screens at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington for public viewing.

He spoke of how Dole was gravely wounded in Anzio in Italy when hit by enemy fire in World War II, at the age of 21.

“Nearly eight decades on, we’ve gathered here in a world far different from the mountainous battlefield in 1945. But there’s something that connects that past and present, wartime and peace, then and now,” Biden said. “The courage, the grit, the goodness, and the grace of a 2nd lieutenant named Bob Dole, who became congressman Dole, senator Dole, statesman, husband, father, friend, colleague, and a word that’s often overused but not here, a genuine hero.”

Biden also addressed partisan divisions and infighting in the United States — and how Dole sought to bridge that divide.

“In his final days, Bob made it clear that he’s deeply concerned about the threat to American democracy,” he said. “Not from foreign nations but from the division tearing us apart from within. 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 under a state of infighting that goes more unacceptable day by day.'”

“We’re bidding this great American farewell. But we know that as long as we keep his spirit alive, as long as we see each other not as enemies but as neighbors and colleagues, as long as we remember that we’re here not to tear down but to build up; as long as we remember that, then taps will never sound for Bob Dole. For Bob will be with us always; cracking a joke, moving a bill, finding common ground,” he said.

Biden, who served with Dole in the Senate for 25 years and has praised the late Kansas lawmaker for wit that crossed party lines, gave formal remarks on Dole’s service to the nation on Thursday at a Capitol ceremony as Dole lay in state — an honor reserved for the most revered American officials.

“My fellow Americans, America has lost one of our greatest patriots,” Biden said, looking to Dole’s wife of 46 years, Elizabeth, who also served in the Senate, and his daughter, Robin, who was expected to speak Friday. “We may follow his wisdom, I hope, and his timeless truth — that the truth of the matter is, as divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity, consensus. The only way.”

Also delivering remarks were former Sen. Pat Roberts, a fellow Kansas Republican, and former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, whose time serving as the Democratic leader overlapped with Dole’s leadership role.

After the funeral, Dole’s motorcade is scheduled to pause at the World War II Memorial for a ceremony paying tribute to his military service. There, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley and actor Tom Hanks are expected to speak about Dole’s life.

His casket will then be flown to Kansas where Dole will be honored at funeral services in his hometown of Russell and at the Capitol in Topeka, where he served in the state legislature for two years before beginning a 36-year career in Congress.

Dole, who nearly died in WWII and was later awarded two Purple Hearts, served as the Senate Republican leader for more than a decade and was instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He sought the presidency three times, winning the Republican nomination in 1996 before losing to incumbent President Bill Clinton, who later awarded Dole the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Dole announced in February that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was starting treatment.

In a USA Today op-ed Dole finished on pen and paper less than two weeks before his death, he pushed lawmakers to find common ground in difficult times, writing, “Those who suggest that compromise is a sign of weakness misunderstand the fundamental strength of our democracy.”

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(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Texas’ near-total ban on abortions to stay in effect more than three months after a majority of justices allowed the law, SB8, to be implemented, denying women across the nation’s second most populous state a constitutionally-protected right.

But the court said abortion providers could continue with their challenge to the law.

The mixed decision, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, was at least a temporary victory for abortion providers and civil rights groups that had been challenging the law.

The court said, “the ultimate merits question — whether S.B. 8 is consistent with the Federal Constitution — is not before the Court. Nor is the wisdom of S.B. 8 as a matter of public policy.”

It dismissed a Biden administration request to stay enforcement of the Texas law.

During fast-tracked oral arguments heard earlier, many justices were openly skeptical about the Texas law’s unprecedented enforcement mechanism and what it could mean for other state attempts to limit constitutional rights.

SB8 bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and delegates enforcement to everyday citizens — rather than state officials — who can file civil lawsuits against anyone who “aids or abets” an unlawful procedure. Its state sponsors deliberately intended to circumvent federal court review, knowing that such a ban on its face violates constitutionally-protected abortion rights.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Former Sen. Bob Dole — decorated World War II veteran, longtime lawmaker and former presidential candidate — will be honored at Washington National Cathedral on Friday before being flown back to his home state of Kansas and laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dole died Sunday in his sleep at the age of 98.

President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy at the funeral service, which will air on ABC News and ABC News Live, as well as on video screens at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington for public viewing.

A handful of former presidents and other dignitaries are also likely to attend the invitation-only service.

Biden, who served with Dole in the Senate for 25 years and has praised the late Kansas lawmaker for wit that crossed party lines, gave formal remarks on Dole’s service to the nation on Thursday at a Capitol ceremony as Dole lay in state — an honor reserved for the most revered American officials.

“My fellow Americans, America has lost one of our greatest patriots,” Biden said, looking to Dole’s wife of 46 years, Elizabeth, who also served in the Senate, and his daughter, Robin, who is expected to speak Friday. “We may follow his wisdom, I hope, and his timeless truth — that the truth of the matter is, as divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity, consensus. The only way.”

Remarks are also expected Friday from former Sen. Pat Roberts, a fellow Kansas Republican, and former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, whose time serving as the Democratic leader overlapped with Dole’s leadership role.

After the funeral, Dole’s motorcade is scheduled to pause at the World War II Memorial for a ceremony paying tribute to his military service. There, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley and actor Tom Hanks are expected to speak about Dole’s life.

His casket will then be flown to Kansas where Dole will be honored at funeral services in his hometown of Russell and at the Capitol in Topeka, where he served in the state legislature for two years before beginning a 36-year career in Congress.

Dole, who nearly died in WWII and was later awarded two Purple Hearts, served as the Senate Republican leader for more than a decade and was instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He sought the presidency three times, winning the Republican nomination in 1996 before losing to incumbent President Bill Clinton, who later awarded Dole the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Dole announced in February that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was starting treatment.

In a USA Today op-ed Dole finished on pen and paper less than two weeks before his death, he pushed lawmakers to find common ground in difficult times, writing, “Those who suggest that compromise is a sign of weakness misunderstand the fundamental strength of our democracy.”

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(WASHINGTON) — On Thursday evening, the Senate passed a bill that will start the process of raising the debt limit with only Democrats’ votes.

Having gained the necessary support to clear the filibuster earlier Thursday afternoon, the Senate-passes legislation will permit a one-time change to Senate rules and allow Democrats to raise the federal borrowing limit by a simple majority.

Despite only requiring 51 votes, 10 Republicans voted with all Democrats to pass the rule, resulting in a 59-35 margin.

On Tuesday, congressional leaders announced a deal that would avert a default of the nation’s credit by allowing Democrats to raise the debt ceiling in the Senate without any Republican support, and the House approved the measure along party lines in a late-night 222-212 vote.

The bill will now head to President Joe Biden’s desk. Once Biden signs the rule change, Democrats in both chambers of Congress will need to pass a second piece of legislation that actually raises the debt limit. Biden must sign that second bill before Dec. 15 to avert catastrophic default, according to the Treasury Department.

ABC News’ Mariam Khan and Trish Turner contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that she’s suspending her campaign for governor and will instead run for reelection for attorney general.

James took to Twitter saying that there are “many investigations and cases underway” and that she “intends to finish the job.”

She opted to relinquish her pursuit of the governor’s office for the good of the state Democratic party, the chairman told ABC News.

“I think that she understands that we need to be united now and divisive primary is going to go against our interests. Not going to help us. This was a selfless act on her part,” state Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs told WABC.

James’ campaign did not gain significant traction despite her high profile as the state’s attorney general. Gov. Kathy Hochul locked up significant endorsements across the state in her bid to win a term outright after she assumed office upon the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A source familiar with the matter told ABC News Thursday James wants to depose former President Donald Trump as part of her office’s civil investigation into the Trump Organization.

She sought testimony from the former president Jan. 7, the source said, confirming a detail first reported by the Washington Post.

The attorney general’s office is investigating whether the Trump Organization committed financial fraud in the way it valued its real estate holdings. Property valuations are also under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which is deciding whether the former president should face criminal charges.

At a press conference about COVID-19 on Thursday, Hochul told reporters that James called her in the morning to inform her about the decision. Hochul said she supports James’ reelection as attorney general.

“I want to thank her for her leadership; even last week we were together in a Brooklyn church; [we were] always very cordial, always respectful to each other. And that’s the hallmark of the two of us and how we plan to continue working together to support the important policies that she’s undertaking and her support for what we’re doing here in the state of New York,” Hochul said.

Hochul also addressed the investigations James is undertaking: “This is a very bad day for Donald Trump and the NRA when we have when we have Tish James, one of the finest attorney generals in the country, very focused on making sure that justice is done.”

James’ announcement had an immediate impact on the attorney general race, as one candidate dropped out of the Democratic primary and endorsed James.

“Her decision to run for re-election demonstrates her determination to continue her unparalleled actions on major cases and important investigations that are currently pending,” state Sen. Shelley Mayer, who launched her run for attorney general in November, wrote in a statement on Twitter.

Mayer said she will instead run for reelection in the state Senate.

James launched her campaign for governor in late October. Her public profile grew this year following investigations into the office of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for concealing the number of nursing home deaths due to COVID-19 and into sexual harassment allegations against him.

James is the first woman of color to hold statewide office in New York and the first woman to be elected attorney general of the state.

In 2013, she was elected public advocate of New York City, and she was reelected for a second term in 2017. She had previously served as a New York City councilmember for ten years. Before being elected to office, James led the Brooklyn Regional Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

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(WASHINGTON) — Former Sen. Bob Dole — a decorated World War II veteran and presidential candidate who served in Congress for 36 years — will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as the nation honors the late American statesman.

Dole died Sunday in his sleep at the age of 98.

A formal arrival ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday followed by a congressional tribute ceremony at 10 a.m. including remarks from President Joe Biden, who worked alongside Dole in the Senate for more than 20 years and called him “a man of extraordinary courage, both physical and moral courage.”

“Our nation owes Bob Dole a debt of gratitude for the remarkable service and a life well-lived,” Biden said on Wednesday in his first public comments about Dole since the senator’s death.

“Like all true friendships, regardless of how much time has passed, we picked up right where we left off, as though it were only yesterday that we were sharing a laugh in the Senate dining room or debating the great issues of the day, often against each other, on the Senate floor,” Biden, who last saw Dole at the White House in February, wrote on Sunday in a statement.

The president will also deliver a eulogy at Dole’s memorial service on Friday at Washington National Cathedral, which will air on ABC News and ABC News Live.

Thursday’s ceremony at the Capitol will be open only to invited guests, lawmakers said, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the public can watch online as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda until 8 p.m. — an honor reserved for the most revered American officials.

Dole was severely wounded in action while serving as an Army officer in World War II and left with limited mobility in his right arm — but he persevered. From humble beginnings, Dole went on to graduate law school, serve in the Kansas state legislature and then four terms in the House of Representatives and five terms in the Senate. He also led the Senate Republican Conference for more than a decade and was the longest-serving Republican leader until recently surpassed by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

In Congress, Dole helped shape tax, social security and foreign policy, as well as government farm and nutrition programs. He was an advocate for the rights of veterans and Americans with disabilities, instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

He was known was known as one of the “last lions of the Senate.”

Dole ran for president three times, losing primaries in 1980 to Ronald Reagan and in 1988 to George H.W. Bush. After winning the Republican party nomination in 1996, he lost the general election to Bill Clinton, who later presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In a USA Today op-ed Dole finished on pen and paper less than two weeks before his death, he said Congress needs teamwork now more than ever, and wrote, “Those who suggest compromise is a sign of weakness the fundamental strength of our American democracy.”

A formal departure ceremony from the Capitol will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday ahead of a funeral at Washington National Cathedral and ceremony at the World War II Memorial with remarks from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

Dole’s body will then be flown to Kansas for services in his home state.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Sen. Bob Dole — a decorated World War II veteran and presidential candidate who served in Congress for 36 years — lay in state at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as the nation honored the late American statesman.

Dole died Sunday in his sleep at the age of 98.

Dole’s longtime wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Robin, were escorted by service members and alongside lawmakers for the formal arrival of Dole’s casket ahead of a congressional tribute ceremony with remarks from President Joe Biden, who worked alongside Dole in the Senate for more than 20 years and called him “a man of extraordinary courage, both physical and moral courage.”

The Capitol ceremony began with an invocation by the House Chaplain who said Dole has “revealed to us what moral and faithful service should be.”

“In extolling Sen. Dole’s unequal integrity, disarming humor, and deep compassion, may we be inspired to reach into the depths of our own small-town virtues or our big city bravado to immolate this plain spokesman statesman, this decorated war hero, this, your, humble servant,” she said in an opening prayer.

Biden, in his remarks, first thanked Dole’s daughter and wife of 46 years, Elizabeth, who also served in the Senate, representing North Carolina, for allowing the ceremony to take place. He then said, “America has lost one of our finest patriots.”

“We meet here in the very heart of American democracy, the capital of the United States of America, to receive a hero of that democracy for a final time,” Biden began. “Robert Joseph Dole belongs here in this place, in this temple of liberty to liberty and temple to possibilities.”

“He, too, was a giant of our history, and that’s not hyperbole,” Biden said, after listing great leaders in American history, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower and Martin Luther King Jr. “It’s real. Of wit and grace, of principle and persistence, of courage and conviction.”

The president shared a light-hearted, personal story before reading a portion of Dole’s final message to the nation.

“They once asked him, why in God’s name did he vote to continue to fund Amtrak. He said because if he didn’t, Biden would stay overnight and cause more trouble,” Biden said to laughter. “Bob and I, like many of us here, we disagreed on a number of things, but not on any of the fundamental things. We still found a way to work together.”

“As divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity, consensus,” Biden said. “We can find that unity again.”

He will also deliver a eulogy at Dole’s memorial service on Friday at Washington National Cathedral, which will air on ABC News and ABC News Live.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offered words on Dole’s management in the Senate, having served twice as majority leader for Republicans, and got laughs when describing Dole’s “trademark wit.”

“‘If I’d known, he said, we were going to win control of the Senate, we’d run better candidates,'” McConnell recalled. “I swear, Bob could have made it as a stand-up comic. But in that maiden speech, Bob was earnest. He was already championing a signature cause, helping Americans with disabilities,” McConnell said, garnering a nod from Vice President Kamala Harris, who sat in the socially-distanced audience.

Thursday’s ceremony at the Capitol was open only to invited guests, lawmakers said, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the public can watch online as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda until 8 p.m. — an honor reserved for the most revered American officials.

Honor guards greeted the body of the late senator shortly after 9:45 a.m. on Thursday and carried his casket up the steps of the building Dole served in for nearly four decades. The last senator to lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda was the late Sen. John McCain in 2018. Twelve U.S. presidents have also had the honor.

Dole was severely wounded in action while serving as an Army officer in World War II and left with limited mobility in his right arm — but he persevered. From humble beginnings, Dole went on to graduate law school, serve in the Kansas state legislature and then four terms in the House of Representatives and five terms in the Senate. He also led the Senate Republican Conference for more than a decade and was the longest-serving Republican leader until recently surpassed by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

In Congress, Dole helped shape tax, social security and foreign policy, as well as government farm and nutrition programs. He was an advocate for the rights of veterans and Americans with disabilities, instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

He was known as one of the “last lions of the Senate.”

Dole ran for president three times, losing primaries in 1980 to Ronald Reagan and in 1988 to George H.W. Bush. After winning the Republican party nomination in 1996, he lost the general election to Bill Clinton, who later presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In a USA Today op-ed Dole finished on pen and paper less than two weeks before his death, he said Congress needs teamwork now more than ever, and wrote, “Those who suggest compromise is a sign of weakness the fundamental strength of our American democracy.”

A formal departure ceremony from the Capitol will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday ahead of a funeral at Washington National Cathedral and ceremony at the World War II Memorial with remarks from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

Dole’s body will then be flown to Kansas for services in his home state.

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(WASHINGTON) — Ali Alexander, a prominent conservative activist who organized “Stop the Steal” rallies after the 2020 election, is cooperating with the House Jan. 6 select committee and is scheduled to appear behind closed doors on Thursday morning.

Alexander, who was banned from Twitter over his posts about the presidential election, is expected to tell investigators that he had “nothing to do” with any violence that occurred on Jan. 6 at the Capitol, according to a prepared opening statement obtained by ABC News.

“I had nothing to do with the planning. I had nothing to do with the preparation. And I had nothing to do with the execution,” he said in the prepared statement.

Alexander’s cooperation with the committee was first reported by The New York Times.

“As a Black and Arab man, an American, it is common for people who look like me to be blamed for things we did not do,” he said.

Alexander said he attended President Donald Trump’s address to supporters on the National Mall as a guest. Hinting at disagreements with activists in his circle, he is expected to tell the committee that other organizers removed information from the program that would have instructed rallygoers where to go after the event — which could have prevented Trump supporters from marching to the Capitol.

Lawmakers issued subpoenas to Alexander and other conservative activists and organizers who were involved in setting up the post-election rallies in support of Trump’s challenges to the election results.

Investigators are interested in any communications between organizers, Trump White House officials and congressional Republicans — and whether the potential for violence was raised before the assault on the Capitol.

In a statement announcing its subpoena to Alexander in November, the committee said Alexander repeatedly referenced the potental for violence at “Stop the Steal” events following the election.

Ahead of the attack on the Capitol, Alexander was in communication with some Republican lawmakers and aides as he organized rallies around the country on Trump’s behalf. He spoke at a Jan. 5 rally in Washington with far-right and pro-Trump extremist groups, leading chants of “Victory or death!”

In his opening remarks, Alexander said he had spent more than 100 hours working to gather records to comply with the committee’s requests, and called the ordeal “extremely difficult and burdensome.”

“But I am voluntarily here to do the patriotic thing,” he is expected to tell the panel in his opening remarks.

Ahead of Alexander’s appearance, former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows sued the committee and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the subpoenas issued for his documents and phone records, after he declined to appear for a deposition and Democrats vowed to hold him in contempt of Congress.

The committee has interviewed more than 275 witnesses, issued dozens of subpoenas and collected thousands of pages of records, along with social media, cell phone and communications data. The panel is expected to start a new round of public hearings as soon as next month.

Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Mississippi, said the committee has also questioned state election officials in key battleground states about efforts to challenge their work and any potential contacts from the Trump administration.

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