Sam Nunn

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Sam Nunn
U.S. Senator, Georgia
In office November 1972–January 1997
Preceded by	David H. Gambrell
Succeeded by	Max Cleland
Born	September 08 1938 (age 68) Perry, Georgia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Colleen O'Brien Nunn
Religion	Christian

Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. (born September 8, 1938) is an American businessman and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NTI (Nuclear Threat Initiative), a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for twenty-four years as a United States Senator from Georgia (1972 until 1996) as a member of the Democratic Party. His political experience and strong credentials on national defense reportedly put him into consideration as a potential running mate for Democratic candidate John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential election.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Post-Congressional Public Service 4 Quotation 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Early life

He was born in Macon, Georgia and raised in nearby Perry, and already had a family connection with politics, being a grandnephew of the Congressman Carl Vinson.

Nunn attended Georgia Tech in 1956,^[1] where he was initiated as a brother of Phi Delta Theta. He transferred to Emory University the next year and received his undergraduate degree in 1960.^[1] He then received a degree from the Emory University School of Law in 1962.^[1] After active duty service in the United States Coast Guard, he served six years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.

Nunn is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America.^[2][3]

In 1989, the Wall Street Journal reported that Nunn had a drunk driving conviction in his youth. The Journal reported this when Nunn opposed the confirmation of ex-Senator John Tower for Secretary of Defense due to Tower's alleged lack of sobriety.

[edit] Political career

Nunn first entered politics as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1968.^[1] After defeating David H. Gambrell in the Democatic Primary and Rep. Fletcher Thompson in the general election, he was elected to the United States Senate in 1972.

During his tenure in the U.S. Senate, Senator Nunn served as chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He also served on the Intelligence and Small Business Committees. His legislative achievements include the landmark Department of Defense Reorganization Act, drafted with the late Senator Barry Goldwater, and the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program,^[2] which provides assistance to Russia and the former Soviet republics for securing and destroying their excess nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. To date, the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program has deactivated more than 5,900 nuclear warheads. He was supposedly a top choice to be Secretary of Defense or State in 1992,1996 and in a prospective Gore cabinet in 2000.

Overall Nunn was a moderately-conservative Democrat who often broke with his party on a host of social and economic issues. He strongly opposed the budget bill of 1993, which included provisions to raise taxes in order to reduce the deficit. He was also vehement in his opposition to President Clinton's proposal to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the military.^[4][5] He voted in favor of school prayer, capping punitive damage awards, amending the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget, and limiting death penalty appeals. On certain issues like abortion, the environment, gun control, and affirmative action, Nunn took a more moderate line. On immigration, he consistently voted in favor of increased immigration.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Post-Congressional Public Service

In addition to his work with NTI, Senator Nunn has continued his service in the public policy arena as a distinguished professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech and as chairman of the board of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Nunn also is a retired partner in the law firm of King & Spalding.

He is a board member of the following publicly held corporations: Chevron Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, Dell Computer Corporation, General Electric Company.

In 2005, Nunn teamed up with former Senator Fred Thompson to promote a new film, Last Best Chance, on the dangers of excess nuclear weapons and materials. The film aired on HBO in October of 2005. He gave a full presentation outlining his goals at the Commonwealth Club of California. In the broadcast, subtle comparisons are made between Nunn's career as elder statesman and that of Jimmy Carter, noting that they are both from Georgia and both were farmers before launching their political careers, but the broadcast does not go so far as to overtly compare them with the founding fathers.

He is married to the former Colleen O'Brien and has two children, Michelle and Brian.

[edit] Quotation

"Reducing the risk posed by weapons of mass destruction is not the agenda of one political party. It is a deeply held desire by leaders of vision and courage of every political stripe. We hope that others who are concerned about these issues will work with us on the large area of common ground that exists to find ways to reduce risks associated with these weapons."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Sam Nunn, NTI Board of Directors
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Sam Nunn at the Notable Names Database
• Sam Nunn at the CCC
• Big guns try to peddle nuclear-terror film

Preceded by David H. Gambrell	United States Senator (Class 2) from Georgia 1972-1997 Served alongside: Herman E. Talmadge, Mack F. Mattingly, Wyche Fowler, Jr., Paul Coverdell	Succeeded by Max Cleland
Preceded by Barry Goldwater	Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services 1987–1995	Succeeded by Strom Thurmond