Via CNN:

Bob Dole encouraged fellow Republicans Saturday to back Donald Trump and suggested the presumptive GOP nominee select Newt Gingrich as his running mate.

In an interview with CNN’s Ana Cabrera, Dole — the 1996 Republican nominee who said he spoke with Trump last week — also suggested Trump apologize to Arizona Sen. John McCain and New Mexico Gov. Susanna Martinez for disparaging comments he’s made about them in the past.

“I have been a Republican all my life,” said Dole, who endorsed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at one point during the 2016 primary fight but has since backed Trump. “The party has done a lot for me. I hope I’ve done a lot for the party along the way. But when Donald Trump clinched the Republican nomination, it was an easy call for me. What’s a lifelong Republican supposed to do, support the opponent? I don’t think so.”

Asked about notable Republicans who haven’t yet supported Trump — including Bush and House Speaker Paul Ryan — Dole said, “Well, they still have time to get on the train. It’s not moving that fast right now.”

Dole pointed out that at one time, Bush had said he would support the GOP nominee, regardless of who it was.

“You know I believe Jeb is a man of integrity and honesty. I just hope he keeps his word when he said he would support the nominee,” Dole said. “I know Trump didn’t make it very easy for him, because of all the things he said about Jeb, but Jeb is bigger than that and I do hope to see him on board. It would mean a lot in states like Florida and Jeb has friends all over the country. So does his dad and brother and mother.”
…
“My view is that Donald Trump needs someone who understands Congress, who can help him work with Congress, who understands foreign policy, domestic policy, economic policy. You know someone like Newt Gingrich,” Dole said. “You know none of us are perfect, but Newt Gingrich is a good fit for Trump, because he can help him in all of those areas and Trump has to listen.”

Keep in mind this guy is the guy who swore he would never vote for Ted Cruz.

Later, Mitchell probed as to whether Dole could or would vote for Trump next November. Dole said he would because he can’t bring himself to vote for Hillary Clinton. Then she asked about Cruz, and Dole joked, “I might oversleep that day,” before adding: ” ‘Cause he used to make these speeches. ‘Remember President Dole, do you remember President McCain.’ The inference was that we were all a bunch of liberals, and only he is a true conservative. And he uses the word ‘conservative’ more than he ever uses the word ‘Republican.’ So, it would be difficult.”

Apparently where Dole thinks Bush should be a big enough man to toady to Donald Trump after the abuse he and his family took from that orange-ish cretin, Dole was too petty to contemplate supporting someone who was actually running on a platform of ideas that would make America better.

There is no news here, folks. Bob Dole is simply living up to his Life Time Gold Super Special membership in the GOP Vichy Caucus. He’s never really believed in a whole lot more than his own political career and it is sort of pleasing, in a sad and nauseating kind of way, to see a man consistent in his behavior up until the last. Dole reflects a lot of the cancer that still infects the GOP. The mindless, bereft of principle, go-along-get-along logrolling that has no greater purpose than self aggrandizement and the accumulation of perks and power.