Here's an in-depth look into the life of former Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota.

Personal: Birth date: December 9, 1947

Birth place: Aberdeen, South Dakota

Birth name: Thomas Andrew Daschle

Father: Sebastian Daschle

Mother: Betty Daschle

Marriages: Linda (Hall) Daschle (1984 - present); Laurie (Fulton) Daschle (divorced in 1983)

Children: with Laurie - Kelly, Nathan, and Lindsay

Education: South Dakota State University, B.A. in Political Science, 1969

Military: U.S. Air Force, 1969-1972

Timeline: 1969-1972 - Serves in the Air Force as an intelligence officer in the Strategic Air Command.

1973-1977 - Aide to South Dakota Senator James Abourezk.

1978 - Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a hotly contested race. After numerous recounts, Daschle is declared the winner over Leo K. Thorsness by 105 votes.

1982 - Is re-elected to House with 51.6% of the vote.

1984 - Is re-elected to House with 57.4% of the vote.

1986 - Is elected to the U.S. Senate with 51.6% of the vote, the exact same result as 1982.

1989-1999 - Serves as co-chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee with George Mitchell of Maine (1989-95) and Harry Reid of Nevada (1995-99).

1992 - Re-elected to the Senate with 64.9% of the vote.

1995-2001 - Serves as Senate minority leader, succeeding George Mitchell (D-ME)

1995-2005 - Serves as chairman of the Senate Democratic Conference.

1995 - Is involved in a scandal concerning the Federal Aviation Administration and B&L Aviation, a small airline whose owner was a family friend. The incident is later cleared by the Transportation Department and the Senate Ethics Committee.

1996 - Co-chairs the Democratic National Convention with Richard Gephardt, the Democratic House minority leader.

1998 - Re-elected to a third term in the Senate with 62.1% of the vote.

June 6, 2001 - Becomes Senate majority leader by one vote after Jim Jeffords quits the Republican Party.

October 2001 - A Daschle aide opens a letter containing anthrax. The Hart Senate Building staff are evacuated, tested for anthrax, and given a 60-day supply of antibiotics.