David Gergen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Gergen
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| Counselor to the President | |
| In office May 29, 1993 – June 28, 1994 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Clayton Yeutter |
| Succeeded by | Mack McLarty |
| White House Communications Director | |
| In office June 17, 1981 – January 15, 1984 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Frank Ursomarso |
| Succeeded by | Michael A. McManus Jr. |
| In office July 4, 1976 – January 20, 1977 |
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| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Margita White |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Rafshoon (1978) |
| White House Staff Secretary | |
| In office January 20, 1981 – June 17, 1981 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Richard Hutcheson |
| Succeeded by | Richard Darman |
| White House Director of Speechwriting | |
| In office February 6, 1973 – August 9, 1974 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Ray Price |
| Succeeded by | Robert Hartmann |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
David Richmond Gergen
May 9, 1942 Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent (since 2017) |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (before 2017) |
| Spouse | Anne Gergen |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Yale University (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Signature |  |
David Richmond Gergen (born May 9, 1942) is an American political commentator and a former top advisor to four U.S. presidents. He worked for Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Today, he is a senior political analyst for CNN. He also teaches public service at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he helped start the Center for Public Leadership. Gergen has also worked as an editor for U.S. News & World Report. He has won awards for his work covering elections on TV.
Gergen joined the White House in 1971. He started as a staff assistant helping to write speeches. Two years later, he became the main director of speechwriting. He also served as the director of communications for Presidents Ford and Reagan. Later, he was a senior advisor to President Clinton. He studied at Yale and Harvard Law School and has received many honorary degrees.
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Early Life and Education
David Gergen was born in Durham, North Carolina. His father, John Jay Gergen, was a math professor at Duke University. David was the youngest of four children. One of his brothers, Kenneth J. Gergen, became a well-known psychologist.
David went to Durham High School. He was the editor of the school newspaper there. After high school, he attended Yale University. He earned his degree in American studies in 1963. At Yale, he was also the managing editor of the Yale Daily News. Later, he earned his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1967. That same year, he married Anne Elizabeth Gergen, who was from London, England.
Career in Public Service
Before working in the White House, Gergen spent three summers interning for North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford. He was very involved in civil rights efforts during this time. He later said this was his "most satisfying experience in public service."
He also served in the U.S. Navy for three and a half years. He was stationed on a ship in Japan. Gergen wrote that learning to control damage on his ship, the USS Ajax, was great training for his future White House roles.
Working in the White House
Gergen began his political career in 1971. He started working for President Richard Nixon as a staff assistant. He was part of the speech-writing team. By 1973, he became the director of speechwriting.
In 1974, he briefly left the White House. He wrote speeches for Treasury Secretary William E. Simon. Gergen learned a lot about free markets and money rules during this time. He returned to the White House in 1975. He became the director of communications for President Gerald Ford.
In 1981, Gergen joined the Ronald Reagan White House. He started as a staff director and later became the director of communications. In 1993, he went back to the White House. He served as a counselor to President Bill Clinton.
Journalism and Media Work
After his time in government, David Gergen became a well-known journalist and commentator. He worked as a freelance writer for a while. In 1978, he became the first managing editor of Public Opinion magazine.
From 1985 to 1986, he worked as an editor at U.S. News & World Report. He helped the magazine gain more readers and advertising.
Gergen's television career started in 1985. He joined the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour as a regular political commentator. He stayed there for five years.
Today, Gergen is a senior political analyst for CNN. He often appears on shows like Anderson Cooper 360 and Erin Burnett OutFront. He has also been a guest on NPR and CBS’ Face the Nation. He has written for Parade Magazine and other publications.
He has won two Peabody awards for his election coverage. One was in 1988 with MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour, and another in 2008 with CNN.
Teaching and Academia
Gergen taught at Duke University from 1995 to 1999. In 1999, he joined the faculty at Harvard University. He is now a professor of public service at the Harvard Kennedy School. He teaches classes about leadership, public service, and U.S. politics.
At Harvard Kennedy School, he helped lead the Center for Public Leadership. This center aims to improve leadership teaching and research. It also provides scholarships to students. These scholarships help prepare students to become leaders for the common good.
Books by David Gergen
David Gergen has written several books. His book Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton was a New York Times bestseller. It was published in 2000. The book shares his experiences working in the White House for four different presidents.
In the book, Gergen talks about what makes a good leader. He suggests that future leaders need seven key qualities. These include having a strong purpose, being able to persuade others, and inspiring people.
His second book, Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made, was published in May 2022.
Personal Life
David Gergen has been married to Anne Elizabeth Gergen since 1967. Anne is a family therapist. They live in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They have two children and five grandchildren.
Their son, Christopher, is an author and works in social entrepreneurship in North Carolina. He also teaches at Duke University. Their daughter, Katherine, is a family doctor. She works at the Boston Medical Center, helping people who need it most. In 2024, Katherine shared that David Gergen has a health condition called Lewy body dementia.
Awards and Activities
Gergen has been involved with many non-profit organizations. He has served on the boards of Yale and Duke Universities. Some of his current board memberships include Teach for America and City Year. He also advises the new School of Law at Elon University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Gergen has received 27 honorary degrees.
Recent Non-Profit BoardsGergen is a member of these non-profit boards:
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Advisory RolesHe also advises these groups:
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See also
- List of U.S. political appointments that crossed party lines
