The best summary of what roughly Richard Gephardt is in this campaign comes from, I believe a Christopher Hitchens book.

1988. Just after "good government" middle-of-the-road Dukakis gets his butt kicked -- the third straight Republican presidential victory and the fifth Republican victory in five outings. Hitchens asks a Dukakis and perpetual Democratic strategist: "So, now what?"

The answer "Gephardt, I guess."