Actors - Marlin Fitzwater

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	Actors - Marlin Fitzwater

Max Marlin Fitzwater (born November 24, 1942) was White House Press Secretary for six years under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, making him one of the longest-serving press secretaries in history.

Early life

Fitzwater was born on a farm in Salina, Kansas He graduated from Kansas State University in 1965 with a degree in journalism. While in school, he worked at newspapers in various Kansas communities before moving to Washington, DC upon graduation. He also served in the United States Air Force. Fitzwater is also a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.

Career in the government

In Washington, Fitzwater served at various Federal agencies, including the Appalachian Regional Commission (1965–1967), the U.S. Department of Transportation (1970–1972) and the Environmental Protection Agency (1972–1981). He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public affairs at the Department of the Treasury from 1981 to 1982.

Fitzwater headed to the White House in 1983, serving as Special Assistant to the President Reagan and Deputy Press Secretary for Domestic Affairs. He served as Vice President Bush's press secretary from 1985 to 1987.

Assistant to the President for Press Relations under Reagan

(When James Brady was shot in the assassination attempt on President Reagan in 1981, he was unable to return to work, though he retained the title of Press Secretary for the duration of Reagan's term. Others served under the title of "Assistant to the President for Press Relations")

In January 1987, Reagan made Fitzwater the acting press secretary under the title of "Assistant to the President for Press Relations". He served in this capacity until Reagan left office in 1989.

When Mikhail Gorbachev first visited the United States in Reagan's first term, Fitzwater gave joint press briefings with his Soviet counterpart. Over 7000 journalists attended them.

Press Secretary under Bush

When George Bush took over as president in 1989, Fitzwater was again tapped to be the presidential spokesman, this time with the title of Press Secretary.

He famously announced in 1991 that "The liberation of Kuwait has begun," and was the voice of NATO and the White House during the Persian Gulf War.

Over the years, he became adept at getting the White House out of sticky situations, such as in 1992 when he received the message "President barfed" on his beeper during a trip to Japan.

Later years

Fitzwater received the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1992. He has worked on the television show The West Wing as a consultant. In 2002, Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, New Hampshire completed the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication in his honor.

Personal life

Fitzwater is married and has two children, Bradley and Courtney. He resides in Deale, Maryland, a village on the Chesapeake Bay.

Works

Fitzwater, Marlin. Call The Briefing. Crown Publishing Group, 1995. (ISBN 0738834572)
Fitzwater, Marling. Esther's Pillow. PublicAffairs, 2001. (ISBN 1586480359)

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