Marlin Fitzwater
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Max Marlin Fitzwater (born November 24, 1942) was White House Press Secretary for six years under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, making him one of the longest-serving press secretaries in history.
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[edit] Early life
Fitzwater was born on a farm in Salina, Kansas He graduated from Kansas State University in 1959 with a degree in journalism. While in school, he worked at newspapers in various Kansas communities before moving to Washington, DC upon graduation. He also served in the United States Air Force. Fitzwater is also a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.
[edit] Career in the government
In Washington, Fitzwater served at various Federal agencies, including the Appalachian Regional Commission (1965–1967), the U.S. Department of Transportation (1970–1972) and the Environmental Protection Agency (1972–1981). He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public affairs at the Department of the Treasury from 1981 to 1982.
Fitzwater headed to the White House in 1983, serving as Special Assistant to the President Reagan and Deputy Press Secretary for Domestic Affairs. He served as Vice President Bush's press secretary from 1985 to 1987.
[edit] Assistant to the President for Press Relations under Reagan
When James Brady was shot in the assassination attempt on President Reagan in 1981, he was unable to return to work, though he retained the title of Press Secretary for the duration of Reagan's term. Others served under the title of "Assistant to the President for Press Relations"
In January 1987, Reagan made Fitzwater the acting press secretary under the title of "Assistant to the President for Press Relations".[1] He served in this capacity until Reagan left office in 1989.
When Mikhail Gorbachev first visited the United States in Reagan's first term, Fitzwater gave joint press briefings with his Soviet counterpart. Over 7000 journalists attended them.
[edit] Press Secretary under Bush
When George Bush took over as president in 1989, Fitzwater was again tapped to be the presidential spokesman, this time with the title of Press Secretary.
He famously announced in 1991 that "The liberation of Kuwait has begun," and was the voice of NATO and the White House during the Persian Gulf War.
Over the years, he became adept at getting the White House out of sticky situations, such as in 1992 when he received the message "President barfed" on his beeper during a trip to Japan.[2]
Fitzwater made various false statements in regards to Haiti's elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide claiming he relied on "mob rule," etc. This was a cover up for the 1991 coup in Haiti, which was backed covertly by the Bush Administraiton. It is estimated by Haitian human rights group BAI that over 10,000 people died under the military dictatorship of Raul Cedras (1991-1994).
[edit] Later years
Fitzwater received the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1992. He has worked on the television show The West Wing as a consultant. In 2002, Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, New Hampshire completed the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication in his honor.
[edit] Personal life
Fitzwater is married and has two children, Bradley and Courtney. He resides in Deale, Maryland, a village on the Chesapeake Bay.
[edit] Works
- Fitzwater, Marlin. Call The Briefing. Crown Publishing Group, 1995. (ISBN 0-7388-3457-2)
- Fitzwater, Marling. Esther's Pillow. PublicAffairs, 2001. (ISBN 1-58648-035-9)
| Preceded by Larry Speakes |
White House Press Secretary (acting press secretary from 1987-1989; position still officially held by James Brady) 1987 – 1993 |
Succeeded by Dee Dee Myers |
| White House Press Secretaries |  |
|---|---|
| Early • Reinsch • Daniels • Ross • Early • Short • Tubby • Hagerty • Salinger • Reedy • Moyers • Christian • Ziegler • terHorst • Nessen • Powell • Brady • Speakes • Fitzwater • Myers • McCurry • Lockhart • Siewert • Fleischer • McClellan • Snow |
