Who Is Richard Gephardt?
Jan. 13 -- Richard Gephardt has been a familiar face in American politics for a long time.
The Missouri congressman and current Democratic presidential hopeful says his fascination with the political process started at an early age.
"I think a lot of people think I was born in a blue suit, on the David Brinkley show," he said in an interview with ABCNEWS' Peter Jennings. "And that isn't me. I am much more that kid who grew up in South St. Louis, in a very modest household, with a simple background with parents who didn't get through high school."
As a child, while his friends would be playing on the farm, Gephardt says he remembers sitting in his cousins' living room with his eyes locked on a small black and white television, watching gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
But as a high school student, Gephardt developed other interests and considered pursuing an acting career.
"I thought about it. I [also] thought about being a Baptist minister," said Gephardt. "My parents wanted me to be a Baptist minister. I was a youth minister in my church when I was still in college. And I was in a lot of theater in high school, and at Northwestern."
Instead, Gephardt attended the University of Michigan Law School and then returned to St. Louis to practice full time.
He met his wife, Jane, as an undergraduate at Chicago's Northwestern University. Married for 37 years, together they forged a career in politics, first as local precinct captains. They still go campaigning door to door together.
Today the Gephardts have three adult children, and their individual stories have become part of his campaign.
His son, Matt, fought a childhood bout with cancer. His daughter Kate often speaks of her experience as a teacher. And recently, his daughter Chrissy made public the fact that she is a lesbian.
Chrissy was hesitant to tell her father she was gay, Gephardt says, because she was fearful it would hurt his career.
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