Jerald terHorst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerald terHorst
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 14th White House Press Secretary | |
| In office August 9, 1974 – September 9, 1974 |
|
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Ron Ziegler |
| Succeeded by | Ron Nessen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jerald Franklin Terhorst
July 11, 1922 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | March 31, 2010 (aged 87) Asheville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Louise Roth
(m. 1945; died 2009) |
| Education | Michigan State University University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1943–1946 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Jerald Franklin terHorst (July 11, 1922 – March 31, 2010) was an American journalist. He served as the 14th White House Press Secretary for a short time during Gerald Ford's presidency. He is well-known for resigning from his job to protest President Ford's decision to pardon former President Richard Nixon. This act is still seen as a brave choice by a high-ranking public official.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jerald terHorst was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 11, 1922. His parents were immigrants from the Netherlands, so he didn't speak English until he was five years old.
He left high school at age 15 to work on his uncle's farm. However, his high school principal convinced him to return and graduate.
Jerald then went to Michigan State University on a scholarship for agriculture. He also wrote for the school newspaper. His studies were paused when World War II began. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946 in the Pacific region. After the war, he finished his college education at the University of Michigan in 1946.
Journalism Career
In 1945, during the war, Jerald married Louise Roth. They had met at Michigan State University. After graduating, he worked for The Grand Rapids Press until 1951. His wife wrote for a rival newspaper, The Grand Rapids Herald.
He returned to the Marine Corps for a short time from 1951 to 1952. Then, he started writing for The Detroit News. He first worked in their office in Lansing, and later in Detroit.
In 1958, he became a correspondent in Washington, D.C.. He eventually became the head of the Washington office from 1961 to 1974. On November 22, 1963, terHorst was in Dallas, Texas. He was riding in the motorcade when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Becoming White House Press Secretary
In August 1974, Jerald terHorst was chosen to be President Ford's White House Press Secretary. This job involves speaking for the President and sharing information with reporters. He was an experienced journalist and a respected member of the White House press group.
He had known Gerald Ford since Ford's first election campaign in 1948. At the time, terHorst was even writing a book about President Ford. The Detroit News allowed him to take a break from his job to serve as Press Secretary.
People praised him for bringing "openness and honesty" back to the White House. This was important because morale was low after the Watergate scandal. The previous administration had not always been truthful.
His Resignation
Jerald terHorst's time as Press Secretary lasted only one month. He served from August 9 to September 8, 1974. He resigned because President Ford announced he would pardon former President Richard Nixon. This pardon was for any possible crimes related to the Watergate scandal.
President Ford said that continuing to pursue charges against Nixon would be bad for the country. However, terHorst had been telling reporters that Ford had no plans to pardon Nixon. When the pardon was announced, terHorst felt his honesty with reporters was damaged. He resigned even before Ford spoke publicly about the pardon.
TerHorst also felt the pardon was unfair. This was because Ford did not pardon people who avoided joining the military during the Vietnam War. Ron Nessen, an NBC reporter, became the next Press Secretary.
After the White House
Soon after resigning, terHorst's book about President Ford was published. It included a section about why he resigned. In 1975, he received the first-ever Conscience-in-Media Award. This award is given by the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
He returned to The Detroit News as a writer until 1981. Then, he joined the Ford Motor Company as their public affairs director in Washington, D.C. He also co-wrote a book called The Flying White House: The Story of Air Force One (1979). This book was about the history of Air Force One and presidential air travel.
Reflecting on the Pardon
On November 12, 1999, Jerald terHorst appeared on a C-SPAN TV program. The program discussed Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. TerHorst talked about why he was chosen by Ford and why he decided to resign.
During the discussion, terHorst agreed that the Nixon pardon was given to help the White House focus on other issues. However, he pointed out that the Vietnam War was also a huge problem for the country. Yet, Ford did not act as quickly to heal the wounds from the war.
TerHorst still believed that the pardon created a "double standard of justice." He felt Nixon received special treatment compared to others involved in Watergate or those who avoided the Vietnam War draft.
Personal Life and Death
Jerald terHorst was married to Louise Roth terHorst for 64 years. She passed away in 2009.
Jerald terHorst died on March 31, 2010, at age 87. He passed away from heart failure in his apartment in Asheville, North Carolina. He was survived by his four children, Peter, Karen, Margaret, and Martha, and eight grandchildren.
