David Gergen is a former adviser to the Republican and Democratic president at the age of 83 | American Politics

David Gergen, a senior Washington politics expert and adviser to four Republican and Democratic presidents, has passed away in his career in administration, academia and the media. He is 83 years old.

Gergen may be known for calling then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagan for a television debate with Jimmy Carter: “Are you better than four years ago?”

The problem is in the nerves in a country that has been damaging by inflation and the hostage crisis in Iran. The answer is back and Reagan wins the White House.

Gergen later reflected: “Rhetorical questions have a powerful power. This is one of the things you sometimes hit the gold. When you hang out there, hang out in the river, sometimes you get a golden block.”

Gergen has served in the administration of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Reagan and Bill Clinton, serving as speaker, director of communications and presidential advisor, among other positions.

After serving in the U.S. Navy in the 1960s, he entered politics, serving as Nixon’s speech assistant in 1971 and quickly rose to become the director of speech works two years later. Later, he served as communications director for Ford and Reagan and served as senior adviser to Clinton and Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

During his tenure in government, he managed a successful media career, showing diverse work on PBS among editors of U.S. News & World Report, showing Macneil/Lehrer Newshour as well as CNN and CBS.

In 2000, he published “Eyewitnesses of Power: The Essence of Leadership: Nixon vs. Clinton,” a memoir of his administration. Reflecting on his time at the White House, he wrote about several basic elements that leaders should have.

They include inner mastery; a center based on moral values, engaging purpose; the ability to convince; the ability to work in the system; the quick start of affirmation; a strong, cautious consultant; and the enthusiasm to inspire others to continue their tasks.

In the second book, Hearts touched Fir: How the Great Leader, published two years later, was made, writing: “Our greatest leaders all emerged from the good times.

Gergen, a North Carolina native, graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School and returned there after his political career to establish a public leadership center at the Harvard Kennedy School. He received 27 honorary degrees in his career.

After announcing his death late Friday, former colleagues talked about his ability to work bipartisanly and collaborate.

Al Gore, a former vice president of Clinton, posted on X: “The myriad ways David Gergen has contributed to our great nation and what I remember most is his good intentions for everyone who works with him, his reasonable judgment, and his love for doing good things in the world.”

Dean Jeremy Weinstein of Harvard Kennedy School said Gergen “has provided decades of dedication for those seeking service.”

Gergen reportedly told his daughter Katherine Gergen Barnett after the November 2024 election that “We are going through a period of fear. We have been tested, we are going to be tested now, but we have to realize that politics in our country is like a pendulum,” CNN said.

A month later, when Gergen’s dementia diagnosis was revealed, she wrote down his thoughts Boston Universal.

She quoted Gergen as saying: “”’There is living in the public sphere, and there is still reason to believe in our country and its leadership and serve it for service.”’Americans can endure any crisis, but they need to continue to assume responsibility for their country. ‘”