William P. Clark Jr.
William P. Clark Jr. | |
---|---|
Robert McFarlane | |
6th United States Deputy Secretary of State | |
In office February 25, 1981 – February 9, 1982 | |
President | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by | Warren Christopher |
Succeeded by | Walter Stoessel |
Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court | |
In office March 23, 1973 – February 25, 1981 | |
Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by | Raymond E. Peters |
Succeeded by | Allen Broussard |
Personal details | |
Born | William Patrick Clark Jr. October 23, 1931 Oxnard, California, U.S. |
Died | August 10, 2013 Shandon, California, U.S. | (aged 81)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Johanna Brauner
(m. 1955; died 2009) |
Children | 5 |
Education | Stanford University Loyola Marymount University |
William Patrick Clark Jr. (October 23, 1931 – August 10, 2013) was an American rancher, judge, and public servant who served under
Early life and education
Clark was born in Oxnard, California on October 23, 1931, the son of William Petit and Bernice Gregory Clark.
Clark attended
Legal and government career
California
In the 1960s and 1970s, Clark held a series of public posts in state government. In September 1967, Clark became the Executive Secretary to
Washington, D.C.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan won the election as President of the United States. Clark reached the apex of his power when Reagan appointed Clark as National Security Advisor, and he temporarily became preeminent among presidential aides. A longtime rancher friend of Reagan, according to
Clark's biographers credit him with convincing Reagan that the Soviet Union could be pushed to the edge of collapse. The strategy was opposed by Secretary of State George Shultz, among others, leading to rancor in the White House.[10]
Morris writes in his admitted semi-fictionalized narrative biography that Clark resigned in late 1983 when he tired of the "unceasing hostility of [Michael] Deaver, George Shultz, and Nancy Reagan." Morris described Clark as "the only man who ever got within a furlong of intimacy" with the notoriously distant Reagan, and his ability to relate to Reagan inspired jealousy, at the same time that Clark's taciturn nature made him unlikely to build allies.
A differing PBS account
On September 21, 1983, Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt embarrassed the administration by making bigoted remarks to the media, causing him to resign on November 8, and Clark requested and received an appointment to replace Watt.[12][13]
Return to California
Clark returned to California after his stint serving the administration and pursued a variety of law firm and other business interests.[14]
After the Iran-Contra hearings in Congress, Clark wrote privately to Reagan urging him to pardon his three aides who were threatened with indictments in the conspiracy:
In July 2011, Clark became a member of the United States Energy Security Council,[17] which seeks to diminish oil's monopoly over the United States transportation sector and is sponsored by the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security.[18]
Observations on national and international relations
As National Security Advisor for Ronald Reagan, Clark frequently consulted with and visited with the three living former presidents, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford, leaving a briefing book with them on subjects important to them. For Nixon, it was on East-West Relations including the Soviet Union; for Carter, the Middle East, and for Ford, domestic matters. Consulting with predecessors, in the White House and in the Cabinets of either party, was important to Clark's and therefore, Reagan's success. "While I did not always agree with (former National Security Adviser and Secretary of State) Henry Kissinger's views on national security, I had a close relationship with him and would take his call any time of the day or night," Clark said. "Recognizing that the Reagan administration was serving at the height of the Cold War, I would get his opinions as well as other predecessors in national security–at the Pentagon, State Department and, of course, the White House."
Clark was dismayed at the tones of early 21st-century politics in the United States. "There was a lack of contentiousness between the two political parties that I'm afraid does not exist today," Clark said. "That's one of my worries about making government work — there seems to be far less camaraderie now than we've known in the past."[19]
Retirement
Clark retired to his ranch near the rural community of Shandon, California, where he built a small chapel in the hills of his ranch. On August 10, 2013, Clark died of complications from Parkinson's disease at his home in Shandon, at age 81.[20][21] He is interred at the Shandon Cemetery in Shandon, California.
Philanthropy
In 1988, Clark was severely injured when he crashed his airplane on his ranch in
The auditorium at Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai, California, was named in honor of Judge Clark, as a distinguished alumnus and in recognition of his gifts to the school.
Personal life
On May 5, 1955, Clark married the former Johanna M. "Joan" Brauner in
References
- ^ "Memorial Services Planned for Justice William P. Clark, Jr".
- ^ Dolan, Maura. "A High Bar for Lawyers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ "Short Memo System Works For Governor". Madera Tribune. No. 92. California Digital Newspaper Collection. UPI. 22 September 1967. p. 6. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
Clark, a 35-year-old attor-ney-rancher who became the governor's chief aide two weeks ago
- ^ "Firing Heralds Changes". Palos Verdes Peninsula News. California Digital Newspaper Collection. CNS. 27 September 1967. p. 28. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ "Overhaul Needed". Corsair. Vol. 42, no. 11. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 9 December 1970. p. 2. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
Honorable William P. Clark, Jr. (judge of the superior court, San Luis Obispo County)
- ^ "Commission To Meet On Clark". Desert Sun. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 1 March 1973. p. A2. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
William P. Clark Jr., presently associate justice of the Court of Appeal in Los Angeles
- ^ Hanna, Phil (12 January 1973). "What will Senate Do With Reagan Choice?". Desert Sun. California Digital Newspaper Collection. Capitol News Service. p. A3. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ "Ration Plans Blasted Idea Called Impractical By Reagan". Desert Sun. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 17 January 1973. p. A1. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
Reagan also defended his appointment of William P. Clark Jr., his former top assistant, to the state Supreme Court
- ^ "Clark Seating OKd". Desert Sun. California Digital Newspaper Collection. UPI. 5 March 1973. p. A2. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
Clark, 41, formerly of the superior court in San Luis Obispo and currently on the appeals court in Los Angeles
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58617-183-4.
- ^ Nancy Reagan, PBS Newshour.
- ^ Barton, John F. (November 16, 1983). "William Clark's nomination as interior secretary is snarled". UPI. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ISBN 978-0262015837. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
william p. clark, jr. department of the interior.
- ^ Reynolds, Christopher (May 24, 1990). "Displeasure Island: Useful Friends : Former Interior Secretary William P. Clark Jr. says he's not representing Francis Gherini in his friend's legal row". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ Berke, Richard L. (November 18, 1987). "Reagan Confidant Urged Pardons in Iran Case". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ "Anatomy Of A Pardon: Why Weinberger Walked". Newsweek. January 10, 1993. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ United States Energy Security Council
- ^ Institute for the Analysis of Global Security.
- ^ Middlecamp, David. "Reporter". San Luis Obispo, California Telegram-Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2009.
- ^ Hallow, Ralph Z. (August 10, 2013). "William Clark, former Reagan security adviser, dead at 81". The Washington Times. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ "In Memory of Judge William P. Clark, Jr., 1931-2013". Young American's Foundation. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
Sources
- Paul Kengor and Patricia Clark Doerner (2007). The Judge: William P. Clark, Ronald Reagan's Top Hand. Ignatius Press.
- Department of the Interior listing
- William Patrick Clark profile. American President. University of Virginia.
Videos
- Remembering Judge William P. Clark, Jr. (3:09 mins). Youtube.com.
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Four Biographies: Clark, Veliotes, Habib, Percy (1983). National Archives.
External links
- William P. Clark Jr.. California Supreme Court Historical Society.
- Former Justices. California Court of Appeal, Second District.
- Past & Present Justices. California State Courts.