Interview with Gordon Giffin, March 16, 2018Collection: Two-Party Georgia Oral History Project |
Dublin Core
Subject
Description
Giffin begins by discussing his early life in Canada before returning to the United States for his higher education. He talks about first interning for Sam Nunn’s office while in law school then permanently joining Nunn’s staff as chief legal counsel and legislative director. Giffin then details his involvement with other matters of national Democratic politics and gives particular focus to his work on the selection committee for the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Giffin next talks about his work on Bill Clinton’s presidential campaigns, and explains how he became Clinton’s ambassador to Canada in 1996. Giffin concludes by discussing Michelle Nunn’s candidacy for Senate in 2014 and Hillary Clinton’s presidential run in 2016, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each and how a future Democrat may capitalize on those strengths to put the Democratic Party of Georgia back in power.
Gordon Giffin was born in Springfield, Massachusetts but spent the rest of his childhood growing up in Canada. Giffin returned to the United States to receive his undergraduate education at Duke University, followed by Emory University Law School in 1971 for his legal education. In his final year of law school, he interned for U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. Giffin joined Nunn’s staff full-time in January 1975, when Giffin became Nunn’s chief legal counsel and legislative director. After 1979, Giffin left to join private practice law firms while simultaneously working for Nunn’s reelection campaigns. In 1992, Giffin chaired Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign in Georgia, a connection which allowed Giffin to become the United States ambassador to Canada in 1997. Leaving the position in 2001, Giffin retreated from politics to focus on law practice until he chaired Michelle Nunn’s senate campaign in 2014.
Gordon Giffin was born in Springfield, Massachusetts but spent the rest of his childhood growing up in Canada. Giffin returned to the United States to receive his undergraduate education at Duke University, followed by Emory University Law School in 1971 for his legal education. In his final year of law school, he interned for U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. Giffin joined Nunn’s staff full-time in January 1975, when Giffin became Nunn’s chief legal counsel and legislative director. After 1979, Giffin left to join private practice law firms while simultaneously working for Nunn’s reelection campaigns. In 1992, Giffin chaired Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign in Georgia, a connection which allowed Giffin to become the United States ambassador to Canada in 1997. Leaving the position in 2001, Giffin retreated from politics to focus on law practice until he chaired Michelle Nunn’s senate campaign in 2014.
Date
2018-03-16
Identifier
RBRL425TPGA-044
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Location
Duration
113 minutes
Citation
Gordon Giffin and Ashton Ellett, “Interview with Gordon Giffin, March 16, 2018,” UGA Special Collections Libraries Oral Histories, accessed November 23, 2024, https://georgiaoralhistory.libs.uga.edu/RBRL425TPGA/RBRL425TPGA-044.