Kenneth Duberstein
Ken Duberstein | |
---|---|
13th White House Chief of Staff | |
In office July 1, 1988 – January 20, 1989 | |
President | Ronald Reagan |
Deputy | M. B. Oglesby |
Preceded by | Howard Baker |
Succeeded by | John H. Sununu |
White House Deputy Chief of Staff | |
In office February 27, 1987 – July 1, 1988 | |
President | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by | Michael Deaver |
Succeeded by | M. B. Oglesby |
White House Director of Legislative Affairs | |
In office January 1982 – December 15, 1983 | |
President | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by | Max Friedersdorf |
Succeeded by | M. B. Oglesby |
Personal details | |
Born | New York City, U.S. | April 21, 1944
Died | March 2, 2022 Washington, D.C., U.S. | (aged 77)
Political party | Republican |
Spouses |
|
Children | 4 |
Education | Franklin & Marshall College (BA) American University (MA) New York Law School |
Kenneth Marc Duberstein[1] (April 21, 1944 – March 2, 2022) was an American lobbyist who served as U.S. president Ronald Reagan's White House Chief of Staff from 1988 to 1989.
Early life and education
Duberstein was born to a
Political career
Duberstein began his public service on Capitol Hill as an intern for Senator
During Reagan's eight years in office, he had two stints in the White House. His first was as Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs (1981–1983).[6] His major accomplishment of this period was pushing Reagan's economic agenda through a Democratic House of Representatives,[7] including the 1982 Tax Bill. Duberstein was described as Reagan's invisible link to Congress. He was at the center of the Administrations push for the bill, working on both sides of the political divide.[8] His second stint was also for two years, first as Deputy Chief of Staff and then for the final six months of the Reagan presidency as White House Chief of Staff (1988–1989).[9] Eight days after Reagan was on TV and acknowledged the Iran–Contra affair, Duberstein took over as chief of staff. Around that time, it was revealed that Nancy Reagan had used an astrologer to determine dates for the president's public appearances. Reagan's presidency had reached a low point; approval rating was at 37%.[10] His promotion was called a wake-up call for a "drowsy White House". He came to the job with energy, loyalty, hard work and enthusiasm, having earned the nickname Duderdog; and he made sure to call Nancy twice a day.[11] He had Reagan give a mea culpa address to the nation; poll numbers went right up and the presidency had been turned around.[12]
Duberstein is said to have been the first Jewish person to be White House Chief of Staff.[13]
Between his White House appointments, he was vice-president and director of Business-Government Relations of the Committee for Economic Development and was a lobbyist as vice president of Timmons & Company.[14] Prior to 1987, he served on the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, succeeded by Betty Heitman, previously co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee.[15]
Later career
In January 1989, Duberstein was awarded the
In 2013, Duberstein was a signatory to an His position succeeded, as the court would go on to effectively legalize same-sex marriage in California.
Lobbyist
Duberstein transitioned from the White House to lobbyist; he was successful, and his insight and advice was sought by leaders of both parties.
Education activities
In 2020, he established the Public Service Internship Endowment at his alma mater, Franklin and Marshall, assisting
Political adviser
He was an adviser to former deputy secretary of state
Duberstein and
Duberstein guided Supreme Court justices
Boards
Duberstein enjoyed lucrative posts on countless boards of directors,
Personality
Duberstein, a "back-slapping Brooklyn native,"[11] was one of the most connected Washington people.[39] "A permanent Washington fixture,"[34] he was a regular at Washington parties and network talk shows.[39]
A gregarious and rumpled, wise-cracking ‘people person’ of relentless optimism and energy...the consummate Washington insider and institutionalist, a big man with an easy smile and a generous laugh who could be hard-nosed, loved gossiping with reporters, believed in bipartisanship and offered his advice to anyone who asked – especially those who succeeded him in the chief of staff job.[1]
Duberstein noted that as a Brooklynite he always enjoyed working with people.[40] As a "cultivator" of the press he was generally discreet, refusing to be quoted by name, even for articles about himself.[32] He was forever loved by the Washington press for all the leaking he did during the Reagan years; and, "he loved being Ken Duberstein."[39]
Political views
Duberstein was a politically moderate
Personal life, health and death
Duberstein was married three times, with his first two marriages, to Marjorie Duberstein and Sydney Duberstein, ending in divorce.[1] He had a daughter from the first marriage and three children from the second.[47][48] He was then married to Jacqueline Fain, a former TV producer, for 18 years until his death.[49] At their 2003 wedding, Supreme Court Justice David Souter was the officiant and Marvin Hamlisch provided the music.[39] He had a history of kidney disease, and in 2014, received a kidney transplant; his son was the donor.[1] After a long illness, Duberstein died at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington on March 2, 2022, at the age of 77. The funeral was at Washington Hebrew Congregation[1][39]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Stolberg, Cheryl Gay (March 3, 2022). "Ken Duberstein, a Former Reagan Chief of Staff, Dies at 77". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ Tablet Magazine: "Talking to W’s Chief of Staff - At the GOP convention, Josh Bolten reminisces about introducing President Bush to shmurah matzo" By Yair Rosenberg August 30, 2012.
- ISBN 9780801854460.
- ^ "Kenneth M. Duberstein". The University of Arizona. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ^ "Duberstein". catalog.archives.gov. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ Langer, Emily (March 3, 2022). "Kenneth M. Duberstein, President Reagan's final chief of staff, dies at 77". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ "REAGAN'S 'INVISIBLE' LINK TO CONGRESS". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ "White House Staff, 1981-1989". Ronald Reagan. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "CNN.com - Transcripts". transcripts.cnn.com. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ Page, Susan. "Lessons from Reagan: A 'mea culpa' speech by Obama?". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ "Ken Duberstein, R.I.P." National Review. March 3, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "About Us". Timmons & Company. Archived from the original on November 4, 2008.
- ^ "Appointment of Six Members of the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, and Designation of the Chairman, June 16, 1987". Reagan.utexas.edu. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ^ "Ken Duberstein". Washingtonspeakers.com. Washington Speakers Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "- THE OLYMPICS SITE SELECTION PROCESS". www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "Reagan Library" (PDF). Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ "Videos | Search | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-8143-3809-4.
- ^ Avlon, John (February 28, 2013). "The Pro-Freedom Republicans Are Coming: 131 Sign Gay Marriage Brief". The Daily Beast.
- ^ "Ken Duberstein, a Former Reagan Chief of Staff, Dies at 77". Global Politics. March 4, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "Duberstein Group Inc/The - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "Our Clients | The Duberstein Group, Inc". dubersteingroup.com. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ Unlawful Arrest by Vladimir Abarinov
- ^ ISBN 978-0-399-17068-3. p.6
- ^ "Franklin & Marshall – Ken Duberstein '65 Public Service Internship Endowment". www.fandm.edu. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "Franklin & Marshall – Duberstein West Wing". www.fandm.edu. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "College Raises Curtain on Harris Center". www.fandm.edu. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- William Taft IV, who was the State Department legal adviser when Armitage was deputy secretary.
- ^ a b "Powell receives quiet guidance". Baltimore Sun. September 29, 1995. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ a b "Kenneth M. Duberstein - Pay Pals". The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ "Corporate Governance - Board of Directors". The Travelers Companies Inc. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012.
- ^ "Kenneth M. Duberstein —Chairman and CEO, The Duberstein Group, Inc". Council on Foreign Relations.
- ^ "Ken Duberstein". Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Three New Directors Join The St. Paul Companies Board, The Travelers Companies, Inc
- ^ a b c d e Allen, Mike (March 3, 2022). "Ken Duberstein, Reagan chief of staff, dies at 77". Axios. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ Kornbluth, Jacob (March 8, 2022). "The first Jewish W.H. chief of staff dies at 77". Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "Powell receives quiet guidance". Baltimore Sun. September 29, 1995. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ Levy, Adam (October 31, 2008). "Former Reagan adviser endorses Obama". CNN.
- ^ Faler, Brian (October 31, 2008). "Duberstein, Panetta Say Obama Must Act Fast on Cabinet, Economy". Bloomberg.
- ^ Sobczyk, Joe (November 1, 2008). "Democrats See Path to 60 in Senate: Campaign Notebook (Update1)". Bloomberg. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
- ^ Gizzi, John (October 20, 2008). "Why Did Powell Endorse Barack?". HumanEvents.com.
- ^ Koppelman, Alex (October 31, 2008). "Former Reagan chief of staff endorses Obama". Salon. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ Washington Life: "Friends by Design" by Jackie Duberstein June 2007.
- ^ Post, Emily Langer The Washington (March 5, 2022). "Kenneth M. Duberstein, President Reagan's final chief of staff, dies at 77". UnionLeader.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ National Institute for Civil Discourse: "Kenneth M. Duberstein - Former White House Chief of Staff, Ronald Reagan" retrieved October 15, 2016.