re: Was Bob Dole really the best the Republicans could muster in 1996?

No repub was beating clinton in 1996.

The economy was hot, bill was an incredible politician who convinced a whole lot of folks that he was a "new type of democrat" aka moderate and reasonable.

Also, the country had just had an era where repubs controlled the WH for all but 4 years between 1968 and 1992.

Voters wanted to give dems some more years.

In the event of an inevitable outcome, then someone like Dole deserved to be given the nomination, as a token of gratitude for his many decades of public service.

Also.....bob dole did the best he could and actually saved quite a few gop seats in congress. the polls showed bill and the dems winning in a huge double digit landslide. clinton underperfmed the polls and that cost the dems some seats.