The best option I saw in other answers was to use float:left;. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work in IE7 which is a requirement here* — you still lose the bullet. I’m not really keen on using a background image either.
What I’m gonna do instead (that no one else suggested, hence the self-answer) is go with manually adding • to the my html, rather than styling this. It’s less than ideal, but it’s the most compatible option I found.
edit: *Current readers take note of the original post date. IE7 is unlikely to be a concern anymore.