Jerald terHorst: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:jfterhorstresignation.jpg|thumb| |
[[Image:jfterhorstresignation.jpg|thumb|200px|terHorst's letter of resignation.]] |
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His permanent successor was [[NBC]] reporter [[Ron Nessen]], who served until the end of the [[Gerald Ford#Presidency|Ford Administration]]. |
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== Personal == |
== Personal == |
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TerHorst was born in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], on [[July 11]], [[1922]]. He served in the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] from 1943 to 1946. After his military service, he worked as a reporter for the ''[[Grand Rapids Press]]'' (1946–1951). He returned to active duty with the Marine Corps in 1951–1952. He then joined the ''[[Detroit News]]'', where he served as city and state political writer (1953–1957), Washington correspondent (1958–1960), and Washington Bureau Chief (1961–1974). |
TerHorst was born in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], on [[July 11]], [[1922]]. He served in the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] from 1943 to 1946. After his military service, he worked as a reporter for the ''[[Grand Rapids Press]]'' (1946–1951). He returned to active duty with the Marine Corps in 1951–1952. He then joined the ''[[Detroit News]]'', where he served as city and state political writer (1953–1957), Washington correspondent (1958–1960), and Washington Bureau Chief (1961–1974). |
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| ⚫ | TerHorst served in that capacity for one month ([[August 9]]–[[September 8]], [[1974]]) before resigning in the wake of President Ford's announcement that he would [[pardon]] former president [[Richard Nixon]] for any possible crimes connected with the [[Watergate scandal]]. At the time, the story that circulated was that terHorst had resigned because he had been blindsided by Ford's decision, having consistently denied to reporters in his daily press briefings that Ford had any intent of issuing a pardon. Once the pardon was issued, the story went, he (terHorst) felt that any credibility that he had had with reporters had been destroyed, and that he would subsequently be unable to function satisfactorily in the position of press secretary. However, as his letter of resignation and numerous personal statements in the years following clearly demonstrate, terHorst was ultimately moved to resign because he found Ford's decision unconscionable, especially in light of the President's refusal to pardon those who [[draft dodger|evaded the draft]] during the [[Vietnam War]]. His permanent successor was [[NBC]] reporter [[Ron Nessen]], who served until the end of the [[Gerald Ford#Presidency|Ford Administration]]. |
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After his brief services as presidential press secretary, he returned to the ''Detroit News'' as a national affairs columnist (1974–1981). In 1981, he joined the [[Ford Motor Company]] as the Washington director of public affairs. |
After his brief services as presidential press secretary, he returned to the ''Detroit News'' as a national affairs columnist (1974–1981). In 1981, he joined the [[Ford Motor Company]] as the Washington director of public affairs. |
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Revision as of 04:23, 28 December 2006
Jerald Franklin terHorst (born July 11, 1922) was the first person to serve as press secretary for U.S. President Gerald Ford. Before being appointed press secretary, terHorst had been a newspaper reporter from Michigan who had covered Ford's career since 1948.
Personal
TerHorst was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 11, 1922. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946. After his military service, he worked as a reporter for the Grand Rapids Press (1946–1951). He returned to active duty with the Marine Corps in 1951–1952. He then joined the Detroit News, where he served as city and state political writer (1953–1957), Washington correspondent (1958–1960), and Washington Bureau Chief (1961–1974).
TerHorst served in that capacity for one month (August 9–September 8, 1974) before resigning in the wake of President Ford's announcement that he would pardon former president Richard Nixon for any possible crimes connected with the Watergate scandal. At the time, the story that circulated was that terHorst had resigned because he had been blindsided by Ford's decision, having consistently denied to reporters in his daily press briefings that Ford had any intent of issuing a pardon. Once the pardon was issued, the story went, he (terHorst) felt that any credibility that he had had with reporters had been destroyed, and that he would subsequently be unable to function satisfactorily in the position of press secretary. However, as his letter of resignation and numerous personal statements in the years following clearly demonstrate, terHorst was ultimately moved to resign because he found Ford's decision unconscionable, especially in light of the President's refusal to pardon those who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War. His permanent successor was NBC reporter Ron Nessen, who served until the end of the Ford Administration.
After his brief services as presidential press secretary, he returned to the Detroit News as a national affairs columnist (1974–1981). In 1981, he joined the Ford Motor Company as the Washington director of public affairs.
TerHorst is the author of Gerald Ford and the Future of the Presidency (1974) and co-author of The Flying White House: The Story of Air Force One (1979).
References
- "Jerald F terHorst, Press Secretary to the President: Files, 1974", in the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Further reading
- terHorst, Jerald F. Gerald Ford and the Future of the Presidency, New York: Third Press, 1974. (ISBN 0-89388-191-0)
