Ron Nessen
Encyclopedia
Ronald Harold Nessen was White House Press Secretary
for President Gerald Ford
from 1974 to 1977. He replaced Jerald terHorst
, who resigned in the wake of President Ford's pardon of former president Richard Nixon
.
Prior to joining the Ford administration, Nessen served as a Washington, D.C.
correspondent for NBC News
. On the day of Ford's succession to the presidency, August 9, 1974, he provided commentary for the inauguration. He also covered the President in a report broadcast that evening on NBC Nightly News
. In that piece, Nessen reported on the appointment of terHorst, the man whom he himself would succeed one month later.
Nessen, who also served NBC News as a war correspondent
during the Vietnam War
, was seriously wounded by grenade
fragments while on patrol
outside Pleiku
in the Central Highlands in April
1967.
. His episode is also known for having Gerald Ford
open the show with the "Live From New York, It's Saturday Night!" tagline.
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
for President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
from 1974 to 1977. He replaced Jerald terHorst
Jerald terHorst
Jerald Franklin "Jerry" terHorst was the first person to serve as press secretary for U.S. President Gerald Ford. Before being appointed press secretary, terHorst had been a newspaper reporter from Michigan who had covered Ford's career since 1948.-Early career:Jerald terHorst was born in Grand...
, who resigned in the wake of President Ford's pardon of former president Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
Prior to joining the Ford administration, Nessen served as a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
correspondent for NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
. On the day of Ford's succession to the presidency, August 9, 1974, he provided commentary for the inauguration. He also covered the President in a report broadcast that evening on NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
. In that piece, Nessen reported on the appointment of terHorst, the man whom he himself would succeed one month later.
Nessen, who also served NBC News as a war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, was seriously wounded by grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
fragments while on patrol
Patrolling
Patrolling is a military tactic. Small groups or individual units are deployed from a larger formation to achieve a specific objective and then return. The tactic of patrolling may be applied to ground troops, armoured units, naval units, and combat aircraft...
outside Pleiku
Pleiku
Pleiku is a town in central Vietnam, located in that nation's central highland region. It is the capital of the Gia Lai Province; it is inhabited primarily by the Bahnar and Jarai ethnic groups, sometimes known as the Montagnards or Degar....
in the Central Highlands in April
April
April is the fourth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and one of four months with a length of 30 days. April was originally the second month of the Roman calendar, before January and February were added by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC...
1967.
Works
- Nessen, Ron. It Sure Looks Different on the Inside. Playboy Press, 1979. (ISBN 0-87223-500-9)
- Nessen, Ron. The First Lady
- Nessen, Ron. The Hour
- Nessen, Ron and Neuman, Johanna. Death with Honors
- Nessen, Ron and Neuman, Johanna. Press Corpse
- Nessen, Ron and Neuman, Johanna. Knight and Day
Saturday Night Live
Nessen was the first political figure to host Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. His episode is also known for having Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
open the show with the "Live From New York, It's Saturday Night!" tagline.