The President’s Press Secretary:
The Presidents press secretary is the most visible public relations position in the world. Some would say it is the second most difficult position in any administration.
The press secretary is the chief of public relations spokesperson for the administration. The press secretary must communicate the policies and practice of the management, in this case the President, to the public.
President Ford’s press secretary in 1974, Jerald ter Horst, quit after disagreeing with Ford’s pardon of former President Richard Nixon. Jerald ter Horst said, “A spokesman should feel in his heart and mind that the chief’s decision is the right one so that he can speak with a persuasiveness that stems from conviction.”
ter Horst’s replacement Ron Nessen responded to that by saying, “A press secretary does not always have to agree with the president. His first loyalty is to the public, and he should not knowingly lie or mislead the press.”
Over time, this position has been awarded more to political public relations people than to career journalists. During Reagan’s second term, Larry Speakes apparently was purposely kept in the dark by Reagan’s military planning an invasion of the island of Grenada. The upset press secretary later apologized to reporters for misleading them on the Grenada invasion. Speakes was a former Hill and Knowlton executive and was universally hailed by the media for his professionalism.
To bring this history lesson up to current events, President Obama’s first choice for press secretary was Robert Gibbs, a career political public relations strategist who gained the new president’s trust over four years as a wise and trusted advisor. And example of Gibbs at work can be seen here.
“Over the years, the number of reporters hounding the presidential press secretary dubbed by some “the imperial press corps” has grown from fewer than 300 reporters during President Kennedy’s term to around 3,000.”
After reading this section I quickly learned that this is not an easy job and it doesn’t have many rewards. Former press secretary McCurry stated: “Having a single person standing at a podium and answering questions and trying to explain a complicated world is not a very efficient way to drive home the idea that government can make a difference.”
Sources:
The Practice of Public Relations 11th Edition by Fraser P. Seitel
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/press-secretary-robert-gibbs-press-gaggle
strange and confusing 