Bob Dole: “The one thing we should not do is elect a vindictive President. I do not think the present occupant is or the one…”

“The one thing we should not do is elect a vindictive President. I do not think the present occupant is or the one challenging the President is. So we will be safe for the next 4 years, I tell the Senator from Maryland, and probably 8. I understand what someone could do to abuse the power of the Office of the President. But we have been negotiating all afternoon in my office. We have five appropriation bills, and we have been trying to figure out how we can come together on those, taking a little out here and adding a little here. It is very, very complicated these days. We are working with the White House. I think many of the fears and concerns expressed would be if you had somebody in the White House who stiffed Congress on everything and refused to negotiate. Right now, in my office we are negotiating with the Chief of Staff, Mr. Panetta, and trying to come together on a big, big appropriation bill so that we can pass it on Friday. We may not get it done because they have their priorities, and Congress has its priorities. But I believe the line-item veto is an idea whose time has come.”