Former Sen. Bob Dole, 95, was helped out of his wheelchair and steadied to stand and salute former President George H.W. Bush's casket Tuesday in the Capitol Rotunda, where the 41st president is lying in state ahead of a national day of mourning.
Video of the poignant moment was posted by CNN.
Dole arrived at the Capitol Rotunda pushed in his wheelchair by an aide. Once at the casket's side, the aide helped Dole stand. And as he was steadied, Dole raised his left arm and saluted.
A longtime Republican senator and congressman from Kansas, Dole was then helped back into his wheelchair where he sat for several moments in front of the casket of his former colleague, Fox News reported.
Bush will be honored with a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral Wednesday before his body is flown back to Texas for burial.
Dole said Saturday that Bush's passing at age 94 marked the end of an era, as he was the last World War II veteran president, CNN reported.
"I believe there are certain qualities that veterans have and when Bush was president, I think about three-fourths of Congress were veterans and we would stick together and work together across the aisle," the former Senator from Kansas, who served from 1961 to 1996, told the news outlet.
"And President Bush was a bipartisan president. So, we got quite a lot done."
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