UNITED STATES NEWS

Tennessee senator and ambassador to China Jim Sasser has died

Sep 11, 2024, 12:19 PM | Updated: 12:32 pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jim Sasser, who served 18 years in the U.S. Senate and six years as ambassador to China, has died. He was 87.

Gray Sasser, his son, said his father died Tuesday evening at his home in Chapel Hill, N.C., of an apparent heart attack.

Sasser, a Democrat, represented Tennessee in the Senate from 1977 to 1995. President Bill Clinton then appointed him ambassador to China, a post he held until 2001.

Sasser was elected to the Senate by defeating Republican Bill Brock in 1976, and worked his way up the party leadership, serving as chairman of the budget committee from 1989 to 1992. He had a chance of becoming Senate majority leader before he was defeated for re-election in 1994 by Republican Bill Frist, who at the time was a political unknown making his first run for public office.

After he retired as ambassador, Sasser became a consultant.

Gray Sasser and his sister Elizabeth Sasser said of their father in a written statement, “He believed in the nobility of public service and the transformational power of government.”

He was proudest of his “quiet achievements” for ordinary Tennesseans, like helping with a disability claim or VA benefits.

Sasser, a native of Memphis, Tenn., was raised in Nashville. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1958 and from Vanderbilt Law School in 1961.

He practiced law in Nashville and became a Democratic activist, managing the unsuccessful re-election campaign of Sen. Albert Gore Sr. in 1970. He was chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party from 1973 until 1976, when he got a measure of revenge by winning election to the Senate over Brock, who had unseated Gore in 1970.

Sasser was re-elected rather easily in 1982 and 1988 before losing to Frist. Sasser was the last Democrat to represent Tennessee in the Senate.

After leaving the Senate, he was a fellow at Harvard University.

Sasser’s children wrote of their father, “As his friends and former staff will attest, Dad loved his family, the State of Tennessee, his years serving in the US Senate and old cars too, and loved them in that order.”

Other survivors include Sasser’s wife, Mary and four grandchildren.

United States News

Associated Press

Avian flu suspected in up to 15 bird deaths at New York City zoos

NEW YORK (AP) — At least three and possibly up to 15 birds have died of avian flu at two New York City zoos, according to the organization that operates the facilities. The Wildlife Conservation Society said three ducks at the Queens Zoo died after contracting the virus, and lab tests are pending on three […]

49 minutes ago

Associated Press

2 people charged in fatal stabbing of Fort Campbell soldier in Tennessee, police say

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two people have been charged in the death of a Fort Campbell soldier who was stabbed nearly 70 times last year, police said Saturday. Sofia Rodas, 35, has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of U.S. Army Private First Class Katia Dueñas Aguilar, 23, the […]

2 hours ago

Dogs compete in the Flyball tournament at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, Saturday, Feb...

Associated Press

Call it the Dog Bowl. Westminster show’s canine athletes get their piece of Super Bowl weekend

NEW YORK (AP) — They’re at the top of their sport. They run, weave and go airborne And they’re going all out win the championship this weekend. Sorry — no, they’re not the Chiefs or the Eagles. They’re the agility dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club show, which began Saturday by showcasing various dog sports. […]

3 hours ago

Associated Press

Officials say a suspect is in custody after a police officer in Georgia was fatally shot

ROSWELL, Ga. (AP) — Authorities on Saturday were investigating the fatal shooting of a police officer in Georgia by a suspect who has been taken into custody. A police officer in Roswell responded to a report of a suspicious person in the parking lot of a pickleball club on Friday night, the Georgia Bureau of […]

6 hours ago

This photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, shows a small commuter plane t...

Associated Press

Here’s what we know about a commuter plane crash in Alaska that killed 10 people

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Authorities are working to recover the wreckage of a plane crash in western Alaska that killed 10 people while investigators are trying to determine what caused the small commuter aircraft to go down in the icy Bering Sea. The single-engine turboprop plane was traveling from Unalakleet to the hub community of […]

6 hours ago

Associated Press

Snowy weekend in store for Upper Great Lakes, Northeastern US

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A strong storm is expected to bring moderate to heavy snowfall across parts of the Upper Great Lakes on Saturday before intensifying overnight across the Northeast. The National Weather Service said a storm over the central and southern plains will move northeastward Saturday, producing a swath of 4 to 8 inches […]

7 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax

How to optimize the most money in 2024 tax returns

As tax season begins, getting your financials in order is important to maximize your tax return.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to start your retirement planning early and avoid costly mistakes

Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can avoid costly pitfalls.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to save money on retirement planning following 2024 election

PHOENIX -- With the 2024 election over, economic changes could impact how people plan for retirement as 2025 is on the horizon.

Tennessee senator and ambassador to China Jim Sasser has died