Editing Thomas Eagleton (section)

==Post-Senate career==
In January 1987, Eagleton returned to Missouri as an attorney, political commentator, and professor at Washington University in St. Louis, where until his death he was professor of public affairs.<ref name="Post-Dispatch obit"/><ref name="WUSTL obit">{{cite web|url=https://source.wustl.edu/2007/03/thomas-f-eagleton-former-us-senator-and-wustl-professor-of-public-affairs-dies-at-77/|title=Thomas F. Eagleton, former U.S. senator and WUSTL professor of public affairs, dies at 77|work=The Record|publisher=Washington University in St. Louis|date=March 8, 2007|access-date=December 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070318195945/http://record.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/8981.html|archive-date=March 18, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> Throughout his Washington University career, Eagleton taught courses in economics with former chairman of the [[Council of Economic Advisors]] [[Murray Weidenbaum]] and with history professor Henry W. Berger on the Vietnam War.<ref name="WUSTL obit"/>

On July 23, 1996, Eagleton delivered a warm introductory speech for McGovern during a promotional tour for McGovern's book ''Terry: My Daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism'' at The Library, Ltd., in St. Louis. At that time, McGovern spoke favorably about Eagleton and reminisced about their short-lived presidential ticket.<ref>{{citation| url=http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/73819-1 |title=''Video regarding My Daughter's Struggle with Alcoholism'' |publisher= C-SPAN Video Library |location= St. Louis, Missouri | date=July 23, 1996}}</ref>

During the 2000s, Eagleton served on the Council of Elders for the George and Eleanor McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service at Dakota Wesleyan University.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070208180818/http://www.mcgoverncenter.com/council.htm Council of Elders], McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service, Dakota Wesleyan University</ref>

In January 2001, he joined other Missouri Democrats to oppose the nomination of former governor and senator [[John Ashcroft]] for United States Attorney General. Eagleton was quoted in the official [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Judiciary Committee]] record: "[[John Danforth]] (Ashcroft's predecessor, alongside whom Eagleton served) would have been my first choice. John Ashcroft would have been my last choice."<ref>{{citation | url=http://judiciary.senate.gov/oldsite/te011601hw.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070329093223/http://judiciary.senate.gov/oldsite/te011601hw.htm | archive-date=March 29, 2007 | date=January 19, 2001 | title= Testimony For The Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Nomination of John Ashcroft | publisher= US Senate | first=Harriett |last=Woods}}</ref>

In 2005 and 2006, he co-taught a seminar on the U.S. presidency and the Constitution with Joel Goldstein at Saint Louis University School of Law. He was also a partner in the St. Louis law firm [[Thompson Coburn]] and a chief negotiator for a coalition of local business interests that lured the [[Los Angeles Rams]] football team to St. Louis.<ref name="Post-Dispatch obit">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307074253/http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/AD9D8F788E573862862572940064A176?OpenDocument|archive-date=March 7, 2007|title=Senator and statesman, Thomas Eagleton dies at 77|url=https://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/AD9D8F788E573862862572940064A176?OpenDocument|last=Mannies|first=Jo|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=March 4, 2007|access-date=December 25, 2019}}</ref><ref name="WUSTL obit"/> Eagleton authored three books on politics. He strongly supported Democratic Senate nominee [[Claire McCaskill]] in [[2006 United States Senate election in Missouri|2006]]; McCaskill defeated incumbent [[Jim Talent]].

Eagleton led a group, Catholics for [[Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)|Amendment 2]], composed of prominent Catholics who challenged church leaders' [[stem cell controversy|opposition to embryonic stem cell research]] and supported a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have protected such research in Missouri. The group emailed a letter to fellow Catholics explaining reasons for supporting Amendment 2.<ref name=stemcell>{{cite news| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106174015/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/05/stemcells.catholics.ap/index.html |url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/05/stemcells.catholics.ap/index.html |title=Catholic group fights church leaders on stem cell research |publisher= CNN | archive-date=November 6, 2006 | date=November 5, 2006}}</ref> The amendment ensures that any federally approved stem cell research and treatments would be available in Missouri. "[T]he letter from Catholics for Amendment 2 said the group felt a moral obligation to respond to what it called misinformation, scare tactics and distortions being spread by opponents of the initiative, including the church."<ref name=stemcell/>

Eagleton died in St. Louis on March 4, 2007, of heart and respiratory complications. He donated his body to medical science at Washington University.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://source.wustl.edu/2007/03/thomas-f-eagleton-former-us-senator-and-wustl-professor-of-public-affairs-dies-at-77/|title=Thomas F. Eagleton, former U.S. senator and WUSTL professor of public affairs, dies at 77|website=Record.wustl.edu|date=March 7, 2007 |access-date=October 10, 2023}}</ref> He wrote a farewell letter to his family and friends months before he died, saying that his dying wishes were for people to "go forth in love and peace—be kind to dogs—and vote Democratic".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17559686 |title=Final wish: Be kind to dogs, vote Democratic | publisher=NBC News | agency= Associated Press | date= March 10, 2007 | access-date=November 27, 2012}}</ref>