Presidents, Hollywood Icon, Join Ike Memorial Effort

  • Former President George H.W. Bush
  • Former President George W. Bush
  • Secretary James A. Baker III
  • General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.)
  • Former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle, Bill Frist, George Mitchell and Trent Lott
  • Dole hopes to raise $150 million in private money to build the memorial after more than 15 years of planning. Critics of the memorial’s design have stalled funding in Congress. The 92-year-old World War II veteran says it’s long past time to honor Ike, the 34th president and supreme Allied commander during World War II. Dole, the longtime Kansas senator, will have also have help in his fund raising efforts from Hollywood icon Tom Hanks. In a statement to the Associated Press, Hanks said that he’s happy to join Dole in working to honor Eisenhower. The two also worked together to raise $170 million to build the National World War II Memorial.]]>