I come from a family of schoolteachers . . . and I always believed if you give somebody a good education, then they can take care of themselves. Because they'll have the tools necessary if they have the get-up-and-go.

The route from the family farm in Shirkieville, Indiana, to the highest levels of power in Washington, D.C. took Birch Bayh around the world.

Bayh served three terms in the U.S. Senate from 1962 to 1980. Now living in Maryland, he talks about his political career, the influence of his late wife Marvella, and the allies he sought on both sides of the aisle.

Known especially for his work on Title IX, Bayh also wrote Constitutional amendments extending the vote to 18-year-olds and establishing the rules of presidential succession.

Perry Metz hosts this interview conducted in Bayh's Washington office, where he continues to monitor court cases about equal opportunity.