Reported by Bill Kelly, STATEWIDE Correspondent

[Jana McGuire, Statewide Host] It was considered a minor political miracle when a Democrat took over the Governor's Mansion from the Republicans in 1970. That's when a newcomer named Jim Exon upset Norbert Tiemann. So it's a little ironic that the U.S. Senate seat left empty this year by Exon will be taken over by a Republican. Jim Exon has seen politics in Nebraska and Washington swing right and left and back right again. Now he's retiring and Jim Exon took some time to look back on a notable career in public service with Statewide's Bill Kelly. Bill?

[Bill Kelly, Statewide Correspondent] Jana, Jim Exon's grandfather helped create the Democratic Party in South Dakota in the 1800's. That's how deep his political and philosophical roots are planted. Right before the Senator was preparing to return to Washington for his last appearance in the Halls of Congress, we sat down and talked informally, as informally as Mr. Exon allows himself to be on these occasions, and talked about a rather remarkable career in politics. For James J. Exon his life in politics stands adjourned.

He was Jim Exon when he ran another man's campaign for governor in the early 1960's. He became Governor J.J. Exon by being more conservative than the Republican he routed from office with a promise to cut taxes. And as United States Senator James Exon, he came to Washington as a hawk on defense, a conservative on more issues than not, and an unwavering support for the most basic principles of the Democratic party. What makes you at heart a Democrat as much of a conservative as you are sometimes?

[Nebraska Sen. Jim Exon] It's your background, it's your upbringing, it's your training, it's being a depression kid in the 1930's, seeing stark poverty, seeing crops destroyed, seeing dust storms take over the lands, seeing grasshoppers eating everything that was left, seeing a country that was -- when I was 10, 12 years old we were wondering whether it was going to go communist or not, seeing Franklin Roosevelt come along and give us hope and bring us out of the sagging state of affairs in America and the world.

Do you solemnly swear...

[Exon] I remember when I took my oath of office as Governor of the great state of Nebraska.

The oath is not new. Our administration is.

[Exon] I remember that very, very well and I remember that this was my first oath since I raised my hand and became a member of the United States Army way back in World War II that I had a heavy responsibility and I think when you raise that hand and take that oath, for the first time maybe that has a wallop on you that you do not anticipate. We should seek to develop and foster unity. I ask you to join me in pledging to seek this goal.

Since you took office as governor, the lowest popularity rating you ever got was 65%. That's got to be a little surprising.

[Exon] Pretty amazing.

You almost looked a little surprised by that.

[Exon] Well, people have been awful good to me. I guess that I -- they put up with us -- Republican Nebraska put up with this unashamed, unabashed Democrat all these years and I suspect part of it is because at least they were convinced that I was always trying to live up to my strong beliefs. I listened to them. And I guess that to some extent there has been a love affair between the people of Nebraska and Governor Exon and Senator Jim Exon and I've enjoyed that.

Has politics stopped being as much fun as it was when you first ran for governor?

[Exon] No, I still think politics was a lot of fun. If you don't have fun in politics, then you better get out very early on. Is it as much fun as it was in the days of yesteryear, I think the answer is no, because today I think unfortunately politics is much more mean spirited than it was then.

I don't think I've seen you since or previously as upset as you were when Senator Tower was brought in to campaign against you.

[Exon] That's the only time in my whole political career that I was really upset because Senator Tower brought in by now Mayor of Omaha Hal Daub said that I was one of the worst boozers in the United States senate. Not only was that a direct up truth but it was said in a particularly vicious manner. Now unfortunately, I can never forgive Hal Daub for that. The people of Omaha have forgiven Hal Daub for that, I guess. They elected him their mayor. But that didn't hurt me directly, Bill, as bad as it did the family. There was never a time in all these years of politics when I saw Pat so downtrodden nor did she fight back any harder after that attack.

>> Mr. President, I suggest the senate is not in order.

>> The Senator is correct, the Senator is not in order.

>> We can't hear what the speakers are saying. It's delaying things.

Has that made governing more difficult, that politics -- the ranker of politics has entered the arena of government in the senate?

[Exon] No question that ranker is at the centerpoint of too much of the discussions, the debates, and the decisions today. Bill, I think a lot of this comes from the political climate. The political history of the United States has been replete with some pretty serious exchanges, including fist fights on the floor of the United States Senate. But all that has been overshadowed by the fact that there has to be respect among individuals in a body like the United States Senate. The heart and soul of the Communications Decency Act are its protection for families.

I'm wondering if the Telecommunications Act -- I guess what most people now know as the Internet Anti-Pornography legislation. Is that going to be your legacy in the senate now since that's what most people have attached your name to in the last few years?

[Exon] Well, I think there is many important vital things that I've done over and above that, as important as that is, that I hope that won't be the only thing that I'm remembered for.

Tell me why that was an important piece of legislation for you?

[Exon] I think that was an important piece of legislation because I'm very much concerned about the general morality today. I happen to feel that we are making entirely too many decisions without regard to what it does to our kids, and as adults we have responsibilities to our young people to give them a degree of protection.

>> Among other things the Exon Bill would prevent the money makers over here, and many of them are perverts but very smart perverts, from advertising free on the Internet system to pollute, in the view of this senator, our children and our grandchildren.

Of all the votes you cast in the senate, is there one -- one or two that really brought home this is more than just a job, that there was a great issue at stake?

[Exon] Well, there were a whole series of votes on national security matters. And certainly I think that the most overpowering thing that I've seen is the end of the Cold War. When I went to the United States Senate, you know, there was a Cold War going on between the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. I'm proud of the fact with the things that we did and the policies that we established brought that Cold War to a successful conclusion and we won and we won without a shot ever being fired. I suggest that that's the best way to win a war.

When you're on the floor of the senate, you have a speaking style that is almost of another generation. You're almost the orator more than the public speaker at times.

[Exon] What we are doing here is soaking it right between the eyes of the rural hospitals in the United States of America.

Do you enjoy oration? Do you enjoy the opportunity to take to the floor and express yourself?

[Exon] I suspect if there's one thing I'm going to miss, Bill, it's just that. When I become concerned about something, I enjoy going to the floor, spelling it out without wishy-washy terms as to what my concerns are and at least putting my mark down as to where I think we should be going. I think I'm going to miss that. That's just part of my style whether that's good or bad. Anything else? If not I'll get back over to my duties on the floor. We start in about ten minutes. Thank you all very much. This goes back in there.

Did the last few weeks back in Washington feel differently?

[Exon] No, I don't think so. We have been so busy with so many things on the plate that I haven't had a great deal of time to do a lot of planning. I've enjoyed the service to the people of Nebraska very, very much. The people of Nebraska have been awfully good to me. I hope that I have been good to them in return with my service. But I think after 26 years of continuous service, somebody else ought to take over.

You look like you're sleepy this morning.

[Exon] Many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have said you know, Jim, we're going to miss you around here next year. I said, well, I'm going to miss you, too. The difference will be that I will be missing you from the fishing boat in the middle of a lake in Nebraska and you'll be missing me back here. That's a whole lot better place to miss people from in a fishing boat than the floor of the United States Senate. Naturally I'm going to miss it. I'm going to miss the people back there. I have a lot of very close friends that I've developed on both sides of the aisle over the years. Some of them come and some of them go. I've been there 18 straight years so I've seen a lot of them. So there's no way that I would not recognize the great opportunity that I've had to be serving Nebraska eight years as their governor and 18 years as one of their two United States senators. But time moves on. Pat and I felt that while we're still quote, young enough, end quote and have our health that we should maybe take some time to enjoy ourselves and we will in Nebraska.

Is this a sad time or a happy time?

[Exon] It's a happy time. It's a happy time to look back and say thanks, Nebraskans, for all you've done, to recognize that we're going to be here in Nebraska with our family as part of the great state of Nebraska and we're all going to move forward.