Former U.S. Sen. Jim Sasser has died

• "He was a man of outstanding character and conviction, a great United States Senator and later an outstanding diplomat in the truest sense of the word," Gore said in a statement.
• "He was an effective leader not simply because he spoke clearly and persuasively about the initiatives he believed in, but also because he listened intently to the concerns, hopes, and aspirations of his constituents and colleagues."

Zoom in: Sasser served three terms in the U.S. Senate, from 1977 to 1995. He was tapped to serve as ambassador to China in 1996, during the Clinton administration.

Read the Tennessean's obituary