Michigan Democratic Rep. John Dingell has known Sen. Daniel Inouye since Inouye first arrived to Washington from Hawaii in 1959 (Dingell was elected to the House in 1955, and is the longest serving member currently in Congress).

So it’s no wonder that the two greeted each other warmly at the State of the Union address Tuesday night. Both men walk with canes, and when Dingell approached Inouye on the House floor before the speech, he smiled and tapped his cane against Inouye’s. 

DC808 caught up with Dingell at a National Press Club briefing on Wednesday morning, and asked the congressman to reflect on his time serving in Congress with Inouye. 

“Danny is one of the giants of the Senate,” Dingell said. “He’s a wonderful, wonderful human being and a great American. Danny is the Rock of Gibraltar. He’s never changed. He’s the same good and decent man as he was when he came to Congress a long time ago.”

Here’s a bit of history between Dingell and Inouye that you may not know: “My wife and I helped him select an obstetrician when his first child was born,” Dingell said. 

The congressman said there are three things that people need to know about Inouye. 

“First of all, he’s a true patriot,” Dingell said. “Second of all, he’s one of the most respected men in the Senate. Third of all, he’s a guy who can accomplish tremendous things under any circumstances.”