David Gergen, Adviser To Four Presidents, Has Died

David Gergen, a seasoned of Washington authorities and an advisor to 4 presidents successful a profession spanning decades successful government, academia and media, has died. He was 83.

Gergen worked successful nan administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Over nan years, he served arsenic a speechwriter, communications head and counsellor to nan president, among different roles.

Dean Jeremy Weinstein of nan Harvard Kennedy School, pinch which Gergen had a agelong relationship, said Gergen died of a agelong illness. Gergen “devoted decades of his life to serving those who sought to serve,” said Hannah Riley Bowles, a erstwhile co-director of nan school’s Center for Public Leadership, wherever Gergen was nan founding director.

“David was a opinionated leader of unmatched character, integrity and kindness, who chose to spot goodness successful each personification he met,” Riley Bowles said.

Al Gore, who served arsenic Clinton’s vice president, posted connected X, “Of nan countless ways that David Gergen contributed to our awesome country, what I will retrieve him for astir was his kindness to everyone he worked with, his sound judgment, and his devotion to doing bully successful nan world.”

David Richmond Gergen was calved successful North Carolina and graduated from Yale University and nan Harvard Law School, according to a curriculum vitae connected nan Harvard Kennedy School website. He would spell connected to person 27 honorary degrees complete nan people of his career.

Gergen founded nan Center for Public Leadership astatine nan Harvard Kennedy School and remained location arsenic professor of nationalist work emeritus until his death, according to nan school’s website.

After serving successful nan U.S. Navy successful nan 1960s, Gergen took his first White House occupation successful 1971, serving arsenic a speechwriting adjunct for Nixon. Bipartisanship and collaboration were hallmarks of his agelong career, said colleagues who paid testimonials connected societal media Friday.

He was besides a media characteristic who worked arsenic a elder governmental expert for CNN. In his 2022 book “Hearts Touched pinch Fire: How Great Leaders are Made,” he wrote: “Our top leaders person emerged from some bully times and, much often, challenging ones. … The very finest among them make nan difficult calls, that tin yet change nan people of history.”

A backstage funeral is scheduled for Mount Auburn Cemetery connected Monday, said Mark Douglass, head of Douglass Funeral Home successful Lexington, Massachusetts. A larger memorial work astatine Harvard will beryllium held successful nan coming weeks, Douglass said.