"We must rekindle a spirit in our hearts--something very American," she said at the 1996 Republican National Convention. "We must renew faith in the goodness of our nation."

After a burst of enthusiasm surrounding her announcement that she was considering a bid for the presidency, Dole's campaign thus far has been lackluster.

Her fundraising has been meager, she places second to Gov. George W. Bush in virtually every poll and she has failed to receive any high-profile endorsements, including her husband's.

In an interview with the New York Times last month, the former Senate majority leader admitted that his wife's campaign "had growing pains [and] was slow to raise money."

Dole also said he considered donating money to Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) campaign in an effort to "keep good people in the race."

The former presidential candidate is also reluctant to predict his wife's chances.

"It's too early to tell," Dole said.

Dole's inability to jumpstart her bid could stem from her lack of political campaign experience. While her commitment to public service has been clearly demonstrated, Dole has never had to win an elected position.

"She's got to catch up after eight years in the Red Cross," said her husband to the New York Times last month. "She needs a little breathing time. You can't expect her to walk out the door and say, 'Now, I'm going to answer every question in the world about whatever.'"

McCurry also questioned whether Dole can handle the rigors of a presidential campaign.

"I think she has got an enormous capacity to contribute to this debate," he said. "What people are going to wonder about is fire in the belly."

Thus far, Dole has avoided taking firm stances on many controversial issues--extolling traditional Republican issues like cutting taxes and maintaining a strong military.

Dole realizes that in order to be successful, she must tackle more dynamic issues and create a political identity independent of her husband.

"It's important for me to establish that this is my campaign," she said in a recent New York Times interview. "It's important that I go solo here for a while. Bob will certainly be willing to do his share of campaigning, but I'll be making the decisions."

On the Stump