The young politician was poised. He had spent three years making friends, holding important lower offices, erecting sturdy coalitions with a wide range of key political operatives. His platform, dubbed a "blueprint for action," promised "creative long-term leadership" and was full of ideas that evoked his "pragmatic vision." He was popular, handsome and articulate. No one was surprised when, in April 1961, campus voters made Richard Andrew Gephardt student-body president of Northwestern University by a 2-to-1 margin.
Twenty-six years later the young candidate again claims to be ready. At 46, Gephardt is a driven politician who has maneuvered from obscurity in...
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