Well, Dick Gephardt has officially ended his run for the Presidency. I never particularly cared for Gephardt, especially his regressive policies on trade. However, there’s also something sad about someone who has been a fixture in the House coming to such an end. Gephardt might have been a better choice than Dukakis in 1988 for the Democrats, but like every time he has run for President, his campaign ran out of steam before it could be truly viable.
Of the two "losers" in the Iowa race, you could not have a greater contrast. Howard Dean responded with an angry rant, and Dick Gephardt bowed out with a visible sense of sadness and a certain grace and humility.
Gephardt’s speech is exactly what such a speech should be, not bitter, but thankful. I could easliy see Gephardt returning to politics at some point – perhaps a run for the Senate? I disagree with Gephardt’s priorities and policies, but he clearly understands the concept of public service. I’m actually just a bit sad to see him go – this is clearly a difficult moment for him, but he handled it with grace and class.
From one political warrior to another, good luck Congressman Gephardt. We may not have agreed, but at least you had your principles, you stuck to them, and you served your country well.
Yes, he gave a fantastic concession speech… it reminded me of another great politician’s farewell, that of Bob Dole in ’96.