Fitzwater reflects

by Haley Nisbet
Presidency and the Press

The first thing Marlin Fitzwater heard when he got to Washington was “leave.”

When he applied for a job at The Washington Post he was told, “This is where people end up, not where they start off. “

Fitzwater didn’t listen. Instead, he went to work for the government, which resulted in him serving as press secretary to two presidents.

Fitzwater answered many questions regarding his role as press secretary in the White House during President Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush’s presidency. Fitzwater touched upon difficulties he had at the White House. “A death is always the worst,” said Fitzwater. “You have to explain and express sympathy that the government has caused.”

When dealing with such announcements, causing pain is inevitable. “No matter how it comes, there’s always great sorrow,” he said.

During Fitzwater’s career as press secretary, he had been fortunate enough to encounter only three incidents where leaks about president had occurred.  “All three incidents were leaked by top assistants to the president,” said Fitzwater.

By the time he had graduated from Kansas State University, he had already worked on four newspapers. “I then wanted to go to Washington,” said Fitzwater. “And I never came back.”

In all the rewarding moments of his job, Fitzwater was reluctant to choose just one.

Whether it was a busy or quiet day in the White House, Fitzwater said he always reflected on his work. “I helped my country and president today,” Fitzwater would say. “Good things do happen.”