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Oral Histories

OH 0111

Journalist, public relations executive, former press secretary to President Lyndon B. Johnson. His experiences and impressions during his tenure as presidential press secretary. Role of White House task forces in policy-making; presidential decision-making; importance of staff work; Executive-Legislative relationships; functions of the press secretary; communications and logistics; government secrecy; presidential news conferences; White House newspaper reporters; the problem of credibility; party discipline and loyalty; Johnson’s staff; comments about Lyndon Johnson, Joseph Califano, Walt Rostow, and George Ball.