From ABC News Gephardt campaign reporter Sally Hawkins:
ST. LOUIS, MO,Jan 20--It all happened so fast. One minute, reporters in the Gephardt filing room were barely settling in to spend, what many believed, would be a long night of ups and downs as the precinct numbers rolled in. Some tried to assess what would happen if he placed second, or maybe even third. Then, the numbers began rolling in, the fog lifted, and Gephardt's political future began to unravel. The murder-suicide between Dean and Gephardt came into focus.
The distress signals were everywhere. At 7:50 pm, Gephardt canceled his interview on Larry King Live, ten minutes before show time. He was a no-show at the hotel well after his scheduled arrival time and Gephardt's campaign manager Steve Murphy was stone faced as he paced back and forth on his cell phone. He told a couple of reporters that early turnout numbers appeared high — and he said earlier that "all bets were off" if turnout went beyond their expectations of 120,000. And they did … .way beyond.
Word had been swirling for days that if Gephardt were to lose Iowa and drop out of the race, he would likely go to his hometown to make an official announcement. The defining moment came when a reporter asked whether plans to fly to New Hampshire and South Carolina for Tuesday's events, were still set. "Are we still taking the charter to New Hampshire," said a reporter? "I don't know" was the answer a spokesman gave. I don't know? That was telling. Less than an hour later, campaign press secretary Erik Smith announced that we would be traveling to St. Louis shortly after Gephardt made a statement. It was over.
According to campaign staffers, the mood behind the scenes was surprisingly easy. Early in the evening, Gephardt knew the end was near and there was not much discussion among staffers. One senior campaign staffer expressed thanks for the decision to cut the cord right away rather than die a slow death. In the ballroom, supporters and friends gathered — and the tears were flowing. Gephardt too teared up while delivering a heartfelt speech in which he spoke of his son's struggle with cancer. "I've been through tougher fights in my life. When I watched my 2-year old son fight terminal cancer and win." After the speech, an easy-going Gephardt made his way around the room hugging supporters and staffers, some who were inconsolable. |
