How did Bob Dole lose so badly in 1996?

[SevenEleven]

In spite of all this, Dole got 12% of the black vote while HW got 11% in 1988 and 10% in 1992 and W got 9% in 2000 and 11% in 2004.

Because of Jack Kemp, but it was not enough to win.

Not because of Kemp, because of low Dem turnout due to the presumption of a Clinton landslide.

[El Betico]

At least, he was the first one who made evident the Republican trend of SW Pennsylvania...Clinton got roughly the same percentage of '92 in Pittsburgh Metro Area, while Dole increased by near 10 HW's one.

[Indy Texas]

Bob Dole was a 73 year old (ancient by those days' standards) who had no compelling reason for wanting to become president beyond being a career politician who had gradually moved up the ranks in the House and Senate and didn't have any higher post he could run for (he'd already been Majority Leader).

The economy was doing well and the Republicans had overplayed their hand after the 1994 elections.

[Yellowhammer]

The 2020 race has a few '96 parallels. Opposition comes in off a strong midterm victory. The opposition's base loathes the incumbent President. President has mediocre to bad approvals throughout much of his first term (Clinton's seem to have been a nit better than Trump's are now though), but begins a gradual upswing starting in the beginning of election year. Economy is doing fairly well, but the incumbent also has lots of baggage.
Opposition unites behind boring old "it's my turn" candidate who's been in politics for decades but is way past political prime, and ran for president the past (assuming at this point Biden wins). Dole ran a bad campaign, and thus far Biden's campaign has been underwhelming, though that could well change.
Things may not turn out the same, but the parallels are interesting.

[ReaganLimbaugh]

Because he was old and boring. A good candidate with good charisma would have comfortably beat Clinton.  He never really right attacking Clinton.  Dole (much like McCain) never really answered the question, "why should I vote for Dole" except that he is not a democrat.

[dw93]

Because he was old and boring. A good candidate with good charisma would have comfortably beat Clinton.  He never really right attacking Clinton.  Dole (much like McCain) never really answered the question, "why should I vote for Dole" except that he is not a democrat.

Clinton was in almost as good of a position to win re election as Reagan was in 1984. Baring the Republicans nominating Colin Powell (who never wanted to enter politics) Clinton wasn't getting beat.

[Del Tachi]

People forget that Bill Clinton was actually a very popular president.

This isn't true.  Clinton's approvals were under 50% from summer 1994 until the spring of 1996, when it was clear that Dole would be his opponent.  Clinton started looking good next to the boring, old man Dole (which, has been alluded to, could potentially be very similar to the 2020 dynamic).   

Interestingly enough, the largest margin of Americans since 1996 think the incumbent president is on a path to reelection and Biden has enthusiasm problems.

[darklordoftech]

Dole voted to raise Medicare premiums.