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White House Press Secretary: Difference between revisions
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The White House "beat" concept that had been started during the Cleveland administration by reporter William Price was continued during the McKinley administration.<ref name="Nelson" />{{rp|14}} Around the time of the outbreak of the [[Spanish–American War]] in 1898, the reporters covering the White House were invited into the mansion itself and provided with space to write, conduct interviews, and generally cover the White House.<ref name="Nelson" />{{rp|14}} Now reporting from inside the White House, the reporters used their new location to interview guests entering or leaving the White House or confirm pieces of information from the president's secretaries as they passed through in the course of their duties. Reporters working in the White House did, however, honor an unspoken rule and refrain from asking the president himself a question if he happened to walk through their working area.<ref name="Nelson" />{{rp|14}} | The White House "beat" concept that had been started during the Cleveland administration by reporter William Price was continued during the McKinley administration.<ref name="Nelson" />{{rp|14}} Around the time of the outbreak of the [[Spanish–American War]] in 1898, the reporters covering the White House were invited into the mansion itself and provided with space to write, conduct interviews, and generally cover the White House.<ref name="Nelson" />{{rp|14}} Now reporting from inside the White House, the reporters used their new location to interview guests entering or leaving the White House or confirm pieces of information from the president's secretaries as they passed through in the course of their duties. Reporters working in the White House did, however, honor an unspoken rule and refrain from asking the president himself a question if he happened to walk through their working area.<ref name="Nelson" />{{rp|14}} | ||
The long-term presence of the White House Press Corps in the White House was cemented by | The long-term presence of the White House Press Corps in the White House was cemented by Theodore Roosevelt, who asked that planners include permanent space for the press corps in the executive office building now called the West Wing, which he had ordered built in the early 1900s.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|18}} It is the West Wing that ultimately housed the Office of the Press Secretary<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/westwing/index.html|title=Inside Obama's West Wing|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|last=Stanton|first=Laura|access-date=April 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429080952/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/westwing/index.html|archive-date=April 29, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> and the now-famous [[James S. Brady Press Briefing Room]], which was renovated by the George W. Bush administration in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/07/images/20070711_d-0329-3-515h.html|title=President Bush Unveils Renovated Press Briefing Room|date=July 11, 2007|access-date=April 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121205702/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/07/images/20070711_d-0329-3-515h.html|archive-date=January 21, 2012|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|publisher=[[White House]]|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
=== Woodrow Wilson administration === | === Woodrow Wilson administration === | ||
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=== Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover administrations === | === Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover administrations === | ||
Despite being nicknamed "Silent Cal", many reporters covering the White House found President [[Calvin Coolidge]] to be fairly accessible once he took office in 1923 following the death of President [[Warren G. Harding]].<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|42}} During his over five years in office, Coolidge held approximately 520 press conferences, which averaged out to nearly 8 per month.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|42}} The term "White House spokesman" was used extensively for the first time during the Coolidge administration, as press conference rules mandated that reporters could attribute quotes or statements only to a "White House spokesman" and not directly to the president himself.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|42}} Former | Despite being nicknamed "Silent Cal", many reporters covering the White House found President [[Calvin Coolidge]] to be fairly accessible once he took office in 1923 following the death of President [[Warren G. Harding]].<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|42}} During his over five years in office, Coolidge held approximately 520 press conferences, which averaged out to nearly 8 per month.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|42}} The term "White House spokesman" was used extensively for the first time during the Coolidge administration, as press conference rules mandated that reporters could attribute quotes or statements only to a "White House spokesman" and not directly to the president himself.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|42}} Former Associated Press editor W. Dale Nelson suggests that this practice was a precursor to the more modern use of "senior administration official"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2130669/|title=What's a senior administration official?|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=November 19, 2005|last=Engber|first=Daniel|access-date=April 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706170114/http://www.slate.com/id/2130669/|archive-date=July 6, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> offering statements or quotes not directly attributable to a specific person, which was used frequently by [[Henry Kissinger]] during the Nixon administration.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|43}} | ||
When [[Herbert Hoover]] assumed the presidency in 1929, he brought his longtime aide [[George E. Akerson]] to Washington with him as his private secretary.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|47}} Akerson did not have the formal title of "press secretary", but was the designated person to speak on behalf of President Hoover.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|47}} Hoover asked the [[White House Correspondents Association]] to form a committee to discuss matters pertaining to coverage of the White House and formalized news conferences, dividing presidential news into three different categories: | When [[Herbert Hoover]] assumed the presidency in 1929, he brought his longtime aide [[George E. Akerson]] to Washington with him as his private secretary.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|47}} Akerson did not have the formal title of "press secretary", but was the designated person to speak on behalf of President Hoover.<ref name="Nelson"/>{{rp|47}} Hoover asked the [[White House Correspondents Association]] to form a committee to discuss matters pertaining to coverage of the White House and formalized news conferences, dividing presidential news into three different categories: | ||
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=== Roosevelt administration, Steve Early, and the first "White House press secretary" === | === Roosevelt administration, Steve Early, and the first "White House press secretary" === | ||
During the administration of [[presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt]], journalist [[Stephen Early]] became the first White House secretary charged only with press responsibilities. The manner in which Early approached his portfolio and increasingly high-profile nature of the job have led many to state that Early is the first true White House press secretary, both in function and in formal title.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|65}} Prior to joining the Roosevelt campaign and administration Early had served as an editor to the military paper ''[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]]'' and also as a reporter for the | During the administration of [[presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt]], journalist [[Stephen Early]] became the first White House secretary charged only with press responsibilities. The manner in which Early approached his portfolio and increasingly high-profile nature of the job have led many to state that Early is the first true White House press secretary, both in function and in formal title.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|65}} Prior to joining the Roosevelt campaign and administration Early had served as an editor to the military paper ''[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]]'' and also as a reporter for the Associated Press.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|67}} When Roosevelt was nominated on James Cox's ticket as the vice presidential nominee in 1920, he asked Early to serve as an advance representative. As an advance representative, Early traveled ahead of the campaign, arranged for logistics and attempted to promote positive coverage for the candidates.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|67}} | ||
When President Roosevelt won the presidency in 1932, he chose Early to be his secretary responsible for handling the press, or as the role was becoming known, "the press secretary".<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|69}} After accepting the job, Early laid out for Roosevelt his vision of how the role should be conducted. He requested having unfettered access to the president, having his quotes and statements directly attributable to him as press secretary, and offering as much factual information to the press as it became available. He also convinced Roosevelt to agree to twice-weekly presidential press conferences, with the timing of each tailored to the different deadline schedules of the White House Press Corps. Early also made himself available to the press corps as often as he could, and though he was not known for a lighthearted or amiable demeanor, he earned a reputation for responsiveness and openness, even having his own telephone number listed unlike some of those who held the job after him.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|69}} | When President Roosevelt won the presidency in 1932, he chose Early to be his secretary responsible for handling the press, or as the role was becoming known, "the press secretary".<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|69}} After accepting the job, Early laid out for Roosevelt his vision of how the role should be conducted. He requested having unfettered access to the president, having his quotes and statements directly attributable to him as press secretary, and offering as much factual information to the press as it became available. He also convinced Roosevelt to agree to twice-weekly presidential press conferences, with the timing of each tailored to the different deadline schedules of the White House Press Corps. Early also made himself available to the press corps as often as he could, and though he was not known for a lighthearted or amiable demeanor, he earned a reputation for responsiveness and openness, even having his own telephone number listed unlike some of those who held the job after him.<ref name=Nelson/>{{rp|69}} | ||
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The position has often been filled by individuals from news media backgrounds: | The position has often been filled by individuals from news media backgrounds: | ||
* Roosevelt administration – [[Stephen Early]], a reporter for [[United Press International]] and correspondent for the | * Roosevelt administration – [[Stephen Early]], a reporter for [[United Press International]] and correspondent for the Associated Press<ref>{{Cite book|title=FDR and the Press|publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|year=1979|last=White|first=Graham J.|page=[https://archive.org/details/amj00grah/page/14 14]|url=https://archive.org/details/amj00grah |url-access=registration|isbn=978-0-226-89512-3}}</ref> | ||
* Truman administration – [[Jonathan W. Daniels]], a newspaper editor who was in the Franklin Roosevelt administration in multiple agencies and on various boards just prior to becoming press secretary;<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acjyveHhcJUC&pg=PA117|last=Neal|first=Steve|title=HST: Memories of the Truman Years|year=2003|page=117|publisher=SIU Press |isbn=9780809325580|access-date=February 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630162702/https://books.google.com/books?id=acjyveHhcJUC&pg=PA117|archive-date=June 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Charlie Ross (journalist)|Charlie Ross]], a journalist who received the [[Pulitzer Prize]] in 1932;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/ross.htm|title=Charlie G. Ross Papers|publisher=[[Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum]]|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607000746/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/ross.htm|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Early; [[Joseph Short]], a newspaper editor;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/short.htm|title=Joseph H. Short and Beth Campbell Papers|publisher=[[Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum]]|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123115754/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/short.htm|archive-date=November 23, 2005|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Roger Tubby]], a reporter and editor turned [[Democratic National Committee]] spokesman before becoming White House press secretary<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/tubby.htm|title=Roger Tubby Oral History Interview|publisher=[[Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum]]|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606210508/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/tubby.htm|archive-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | * Truman administration – [[Jonathan W. Daniels]], a newspaper editor who was in the Franklin Roosevelt administration in multiple agencies and on various boards just prior to becoming press secretary;<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acjyveHhcJUC&pg=PA117|last=Neal|first=Steve|title=HST: Memories of the Truman Years|year=2003|page=117|publisher=SIU Press |isbn=9780809325580|access-date=February 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630162702/https://books.google.com/books?id=acjyveHhcJUC&pg=PA117|archive-date=June 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Charlie Ross (journalist)|Charlie Ross]], a journalist who received the [[Pulitzer Prize]] in 1932;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/ross.htm|title=Charlie G. Ross Papers|publisher=[[Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum]]|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607000746/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/ross.htm|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Early; [[Joseph Short]], a newspaper editor;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/short.htm|title=Joseph H. Short and Beth Campbell Papers|publisher=[[Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum]]|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123115754/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/short.htm|archive-date=November 23, 2005|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Roger Tubby]], a reporter and editor turned [[Democratic National Committee]] spokesman before becoming White House press secretary<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/tubby.htm|title=Roger Tubby Oral History Interview|publisher=[[Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum]]|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606210508/http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/tubby.htm|archive-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
* Eisenhower administration – [[James Hagerty]], a reporter for ''The New York Times''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Hagerty_James_Papers.pdf|title=James C. Hagerty Papers|publisher=[[Eisenhower Presidential Center]]|page=5|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721032753/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Hagerty_James_Papers.pdf|archive-date=July 21, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | * Eisenhower administration – [[James Hagerty]], a reporter for ''The New York Times''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Hagerty_James_Papers.pdf|title=James C. Hagerty Papers|publisher=[[Eisenhower Presidential Center]]|page=5|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721032753/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Hagerty_James_Papers.pdf|archive-date=July 21, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
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* George H. W. Bush administration – Marlin Fitzwater<ref name="Fitzwater" /> | * George H. W. Bush administration – Marlin Fitzwater<ref name="Fitzwater" /> | ||
* George W. Bush administration – [[Tony Snow]], a veteran journalist and [[Fox News Channel]] anchor<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060426.html|title=President Announces Tony Snow as Press Secretary|publisher=Office of the White House Press Secretary|date=April 26, 2006|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509091518/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060426.html|archive-date=May 9, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | * George W. Bush administration – [[Tony Snow]], a veteran journalist and [[Fox News Channel]] anchor<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060426.html|title=President Announces Tony Snow as Press Secretary|publisher=Office of the White House Press Secretary|date=April 26, 2006|access-date=May 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509091518/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060426.html|archive-date=May 9, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
* Obama administration – [[Jay Carney]], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' journalist.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Jeff |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70Q8HR20110128 |title=Former reporter Carney next White House spokesman |work= | * Obama administration – [[Jay Carney]], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' journalist.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Jeff |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70Q8HR20110128 |title=Former reporter Carney next White House spokesman |work=Reuters |date=January 28, 2011 |access-date=May 2, 2011}}</ref> | ||
* Trump administration – [[Kayleigh McEnany]], [[Fox News Channel]] political commentator. | * Trump administration – [[Kayleigh McEnany]], [[Fox News Channel]] political commentator. | ||
* Biden administration – [[Jen Psaki]], CNN political commentator. | * Biden administration – [[Jen Psaki]], CNN political commentator. | ||