And now, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN, the Axviles, with your

host, David Axelrod.

He was elected in the wake of Watergate, an anti-war candidate and reformer who went

on to become one of the longest serving members of Congress, Tom Harkin of Iowa, author of

The Americans with Disabilities Act, and a host of other major pieces of legislation

over the course of that time, and a stalwart leader of the progressive caucus in the Congress

and the Senate during his 40 years in office.

Sat down to talk about his career and about the election we're in the midst of right now.

Tom Harkin, you spent 40 years in Congress, but you started in a very different place.

When you were growing up and coming Iowa, did it occur to you that you'd spend most of

your lifetime in Congress and that you serve in public office?

David Axelrod, First of all, thanks for having me here at the institute.

It's been wonderful.

You know, I was a kid growing up.

My most vivid memories are all my cousins coming home from World War II.

They were older than I was.

I was in the Korean War and growing up, I always thought I'd just be in the military and

all I ever wanted to do was fly airplanes.

That's all I wanted to do.

I wanted to be a pilot.

I wanted to fly airplanes.

I never got into an airplane until I was 19 years old.

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