Daughter Spurs Gephardt's Changed View on Gays

Mr. Gephardt's decision to turn the spotlight on his daughter underscores his own evolution in 27 years in Congress. In the early 1980's, he opposed abortion, school busing and federally financed legal services for gay men and lesbians.

Over the years, he has changed those positions and today is hailed by gay and lesbian rights groups for sponsoring legislation against hate crimes and discrimination and for being the first presidential hopeful to give a gay relative such a prominent and public platform.

"My dad is ever evolving," Ms. Gephardt likes to tell her audiences. "I'm working on him."

One of those areas is gay marriage, which she avidly supports and he does not.