us state capitol

US state capitol: A casket that contained the soul of the former US senator Bob Dole, a three-time Republican presidential candidate as well as a distinguished World War II veteran, was buried on the floor of the Capitol’s Rotunda on the evening of Thursday (Dec 9) when dignitaries gathered in the Rotunda for the memorial service.

Dole had a total of 36 years in both the House of Representatives and Senate and was honored with a funeral like the ones given to US presidents following their deaths.

The President, Joe Biden, was on his way to give remarks.

Dole’s wife Elizabeth, who was also an ex-senator, was in the upper reaches of Capitol’s East Front steps as a military Honor Guard carried the flag-draped casket down the steep slope to be buried inside the historic Rotunda for the funeral service.

Members of Congress and other guests paid tribute to Dole, who was the representative of Kansas on the House of Representatives for eight years before becoming a member of the Senate from 1969 to 1996, which included two terms as majority leader.

He passed away in his sleep on Sunday, at the age of 98, following the diagnosis of lung cancer earlier in the year.

Dole received Two Purple Hearts from the US military during World War II for wounds from battle.

He was a presidential candidate three times and was the party’s candidate in 1996, in which he was defeated by Democratic President Bill Clinton. President Gerald Ford’s running mate during the 1976 presidential election, which was won in 1976 by Democrat Jimmy Carter.

Dole’s body will remain in the state until the early morning of Friday. He is the 33rd individual to be conferred with this honor.