He was a civil rights worker, political kingmaker and confidant of President Bill Clinton. : Vernon E. Jordan Jr. never held elective office, was never a member of the Cabinet and never even worked for the federal government. He was a lawyer who rarely appeared in court, a corporate kingmaker who was not a registered lobbyist, a political strategist who did not direct a campaign. Yet Mr. Jordan was, for years, one of the most influential figures in Washington.