By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – 
Democrats should probably not expect to see former Congressman Dick Gephardt out on the campaign trail much next year.
Gephardt retired from Congress this year after 28 years in the U.S. House.
But he says he's been too busy to take the role of elder statesman who campaigns for other candidates: "I did politics as hard as I knew how to do it for, probably, 35 years.
"So it's time for a new chapter in my life and I'm really enjoying all of this."
Gephardt helped start the Gephardt Institute for Public Service at Washington University this year. That institute's inaugural event was held Monday afternoon.
PROFESSOR GEPHARDT?
Gephardt also said Monday he'll probably teach at Washington University some day.
A lot of his time right now is spent doing a variety of jobs, including consulting. "But as time goes on I'll be able to spend more time here at the university, making the institute function and work," Gephardt added.
"And I'll probably be doing some part-time teaching in the Social Work school, or the political science department, or the Law School - all of which are involved with the Gephardt Institute."
Extended Interview (11 minutes)