Dick Gephardt on the Campaign Trail

— -- ABCNEWS' Sally Hawkins was on the road with the former House Democratic leader in his quest for the White House. For the latest report, scroll down.

"The Silver Lining"

ST. LOUIS, MO JAN 20--There was not a dry eye in the room. Even before he uttered a word, Congressman Gephardt's eyes were filled with tears. His wife, Jane, stood beside him where she has stood for 37 years. His three grown children stood behind him as they passed tissues and listened to their dad announce the end of his lengthy and distinguished political career.

"I accept the results with the knowledge that I gave this campaign everything that I had in me. Today, my pursuit of the presidency has reached its end. I'm withdrawing as a candidate and returning to private life after a long time in the warm light of public service. I love this country. I love my family. The silver lining in all of this is that I'll finally get to see them - at every opportunity, rather than when opportunities could be found. Jane, Matt, Chrissy, and Kate are my life --and for them, I'll always be grateful." At times, it seemed the words would never make it out.

No matter how hard campaign reporters tried, efforts to fight back tears were fruitless. A round of hugs was in order for those who have followed Gephardt to every union hall, senior center, library, diner, and Super 8 Motel for months. "Don't forget about us. Send a Christmas card," said Jane.

An hour before the concession was made, Gephardt held an emotional conference call with all of his campaign offices. A senior staffer described the call as "surreal" when people from all over the country logged on and announced their location. "Sioux City here," "Los Angeles is on," "This is St. Louis," "New Hampshire is here." Another staffer described it as upbeat but emotional as Gephardt thanked his staff and told them he loved them.

Instructions were given to close up the shops by Friday. Computers are being sent back to rental companies. Phones are being disconnected. Mailers thrown out. Electricity turned off. And, there's lots of stuff for the dumpster. Staffers will remain on the payroll until the end of the month to give them ample time to find new jobs. Ray Plowden, Michigan state political director said, for him, it was a bit like a death in the family. "We went through all the stages of a death -- denial, anger, sadness". And today, they came to terms with the loss and began emptying out their closets. "We never got a chance to show what we could do. We felt that in Michigan we could really make something happen for him. We never got a chance to show our stuff." Now, Plowden says, Michigan is "wide open."

Hot Commodities

Gephardt's well-organized campaign niches around the country became hot commodities only hours after his loss in Iowa. Ray Plowden says Gephardt's backers in Michigan are fielding loads of calls. So far, representatives from the Edwards, Clark, Dean and Kucinich campaigns have all dialed in to the campaign office. High on their list is the endorsement of 68 black Detroit-area ministers who threw their support behind Gephardt.

A similar scene is playing out in South Carolina, where the campaign had high hopes of a win, thanks to a highly organized staff and influential endorsements. Rep. James Clyburn is now being courted by "everyone under the sun", but sources say Edwards may have a leg up. Gephardt's South Carolina state director, Ike Williams, returned to his old job in Clyburn's office. Maurice Daniel, Gephardt's national political director, said, "I felt that we had talent in South Carolina. If we could have won Iowa, we could have come in with momentum."

Undecideds and Unions

FORT DODGE, IOWA Jan. 15 -- If all of Rep. Gephardt's campaign events were as fiery as today's Alliance for Economic Justice rally in Marshalltown, the number of number "1s" his campaign has locked in would likely be sky high.

After a ho-hum day on the trail in northern Iowa where Gephardt attracted moderate crowds, the union rally was what a hot fudge sundae dessert is to a cold meatloaf dinner. These guys know how to hold a rally. All the stops were pulled out as a fleet of tractor trailers, horns blaring, pulled up to the Best Western for a show of union force. President, James Hoffa spiced up the evening climbing aboard his personalized 18-wheeler, complete with a painted picture of himself on the cab, and introducing an extra-fired up Gephardt to the rowdy crowd of about three hundred.

Gephardt was himself times ten. Speaking about his son's battle with cancer, watchful eyes detected the congressman slightly choking up but he recovered quickly to introduce a new rally cry. "Take back America! Take back America!," he yelled as the crowd chanted along with him.

Shortly after reporters boarded the bus en route to a small house party, one reporter begged the question, "Who was that guy inhabiting his body in there?" Another reporter agreed, "Who are you and what have you done with Dick Gephardt?"

The event, not open to the public, had the potential to win over loads of undecided caucus-goers. But, FEC regulations prohibit unions from spending money on non-members for political reasons, so only the long-converted were in attendance. An unfortunate reality for the Gephardt campaign since his hard count has not moved like his opponents have, and undecideds at an energetic union rally could help reel some in.

Gephardt pollster, Ed Reilly admitted that Edwards and Kerry have been raiding Dean's numbers while Gephardt's gain from Dean's loss has been small. But, Reilly seems confident that Gephardt has the highest number of committed caucus-goers. Even so, Reilly called the race a "four man race" on the campaign daily conference call with reporters.

A surprise visit by the congressman's son Matt at a morning event in Mason City became a study in genetics. Matt, who is a clone of his parents, told reporters it was difficult to watch his father talk about his childhood cancer, but it was his idea for his father to tell his story. He also ran through a long list of Gephardt family members who are dispersed throughout the state, including his wife and several members of her family. As the event wrapped up, the two stood side by side, wearing matching v-neck sweaters, and greeted supporters. Gephardt's usual, "Are you going to come out for me?" turned into "come out for us". At one point, Matt playfully mimicked his dad's typical, "We're goooonnaaa win!", in a way only a Missouri son could do. The two exchanged loud "I love you's" and embraced before separating and heading out to divide and conquer.

Can the Tortoise Beat the Hare?MASON CITY, IOWA, Jan. 14 - The tortoise made one last pre-caucus speech today making his best effort to begin his dash toward the finish line. The speech, which seemed at times like a check list of the year's Dean attacks, gaffes, and flip-flops, also summed up Gephardt's vision of his presidency.

Later, snowy weather forced the Gephardt charter to circle over Flint, Mich. before the pilot finally re-routed the campaign to Grand Rapids. The show went on, though, as hundreds of disappointed union members gathered at the Ironworkers Hall with the mayor of Flint, instead of their favorite candidate. At the Grand Rapids event, Gephardt was presented with a shiny new University of Michigan football jacket, something he said he's always wanted. He wore it proudly for the rest of the night and said it made him feel like he was in law school again. Taking reporters on a quick trip down memory lane, he talked of his freezing cold house in Ann Arbor. So cold, he said, that on wintery nights he piled sweaters and coats on his bed to keep warm -- a desperate measure at least one campaign reporter found herself in just weeks ago at a Super 8 in southeast Iowa.

Media strategist Bill Carrick held today's daily conference call with dozens of reporters who got a lesson in loyalty. Carrick says Gephardt has the most loyal and "intense" supporters and Dean has the "softest". He believes Dean's lack of loyal following could be at the core of the small boost seen among Edwards' and Kerry's number crunchers.

Everyone agrees that the tortoise has remained steady but, in the end, is that enough? Dean is far from hemorrhaging supporters but, according to various Gephardt sources - including Carrick - he is losing supporters and is missing out on undecideds. Throughout all the talk of undecideds, the Gephardt campaign is standing on the side lines. Their support is a straight line, despite his many months of campaigning tirelessly and relentlessly hammering away at Dean. Is it possible that Gephardt's repeated jabs at Dean has helped Kerry and Edwards more than himself?

Tomorrow, Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa will rally his troops at union hall in Marshalltown. The event, which is guaranteed to be lively and colorful, is open only to invited guests and members of the media, so any effort to sway the undecideds will remain at the local libraries and homes for the aging.

The campaign is already watching the five-day forecast for an early read on their possible caucus-night support, especially among those who might consider passing up the opportunity to go out on a frigid night to a crowded and small room and wait for hours. As of now, it's looking like Iowa will be clear and cold. No snow on caucus-night will be a good thing, the campaign says. And, if there is snow? Neither rain, sleet, nor snow will stop Chuck Rocha and his cast of thousands from getting even the most housebound people out to caucus, that is, if they're for Gephardt.

At It Again

Jan. 13 - After a short pause, Rep. Gephardt and Gov. Dean are at it again. With Dean's new negative ad focusing on his rivals' war voting records, Gephardt was once again striking back.

At a press availability in Seattle, the Congressman said, "He must feel he's falling behind" when asked about Dean's new ad. Gephardt would not disclose whether they were preparing a defensive ad strategy, but said he would not rule it out. Later, a campaign staffer said there was talk of a putting out such a spot, but nothing had been decided yet.

Only seven hours after the Congressman's charter plane lands back in Iowa at 3:00am this morning, he will deliver a speech which kicks off Gephardt's "Victory Tour." The speech will round up why Gephardt thinks he would be the best Democratic candidate. Bill Burton put it this way: "We've hit the very last leg of the stretch toward the Iowa caucus and Dick Gephardt is making his case. He'll talk about his 'bold ideas' and many of the reasons that he's running. In the end, a fight for the Democratic nomination is a fight for the soul of the party."