James Brady: Difference between revisions
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Brady was among those shot during [[John Hinckley, Jr.]]'s March 30, 1981, [[Reagan assassination attempt|assassination attempt on Reagan]], suffering a serious head wound. During the confusion that followed after the shooting, [[Dan Rather]] of [[CBS News]]<ref name="ordeal">[http://cytowic.net/Selected_Articles/Brady/brady.html The Long Ordeal of James Brady]</ref> |
Brady was among those shot during [[John Hinckley, Jr.]]'s March 30, 1981, [[Reagan assassination attempt|assassination attempt on Reagan]], suffering a serious head wound. During the confusion that followed after the shooting, [[Dan Rather]] of [[CBS News]]<ref name="ordeal">[http://cytowic.net/Selected_Articles/Brady/brady.html The Long Ordeal of James Brady]</ref> and [[ABC News]]' Frank Reynolds erroneously reported that Brady had died. Later, when Reynolds was forced to retract that report, he angrily stated, on-air, to the off-air staff, "C'mon, let's nail it down!"<ref name="grossfeld">Stan Grossfeld. "Brady's had bear of a time - Reagan aide fights back from shooting," ''Daily News of Los Angeles'' (reprinted from the ''Boston Globe''), November 1, 1987, U.S. World section, page USW1.</ref> — resulting in [[Ted Koppel]] joining him after commercial. During the hours-long operation, surgeon Dr. Arthur Kobrine was informed of the media's announcement of Brady's death, to which he retorted, "No one has told me and the patient."<ref name="odyssey">Victor Cohn. "James Brady and his odyssey," ''The Washington Post'', November 23, 1981, page A1.</ref> |
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Although Brady survived, the wound left him partially paralyzed for life; he is a full-time [[wheelchair]] user. Brady was unable to continue as Ronald Reagan's press secretary, but he retained that title for the duration of Reagan's presidency, with [[Larry Speakes]] and [[Marlin Fitzwater]] performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis. |
Although Brady survived, the wound left him partially paralyzed for life; he is a full-time [[wheelchair]] user. Brady was unable to continue as Ronald Reagan's press secretary, but he retained that title for the duration of Reagan's presidency, with [[Larry Speakes]] and [[Marlin Fitzwater]] performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis. |
Revision as of 06:35, 18 August 2009
James Scott “Jim” Brady (born August 29, 1940, Centralia, Illinois) is a former Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary under President Ronald Reagan. After nearly being killed and becoming permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on Reagan in 1981, Brady became an ardent supporter of gun control.
Biography
Early career
Brady is an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts of America. In 1962, Brady graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. During his time at U of I he was initiated into the Sigma Chi fraternity. Brady began his career in public service as a staff member in the office of Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen. During the summer of 1962, he was an Honor Intern at the US Department of Justice Anti-Trust Division.
He held many positions in the private sector, including faculty member at Southern Illinois University (1964–1965), Assistant National Sales Manager and Executive Manager to the President of Lear-Seigler (1965–1966), Director of Legislation and Public Affairs for the Illinois State Medical Society (1966–1968), Whitaker and Baxter's Chicago Office Manager (1968–1969), and Executive and Vice President of James and Thomas Advertising and Public Relations (1969–1973).
Brady then moved to the public sector. In 1970 he was the campaign manager for Phyllis Schafly's run for congress in a southern Illinois district. In the next few years, he served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1973–1975), Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (1975–1976), Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld[1](1976–1977), member of the staff of Senator William Roth (1976–1977). He also served as Press Secretary to then presidential candidate John Connally in 1980.
Shooting
Brady was among those shot during John Hinckley, Jr.'s March 30, 1981, assassination attempt on Reagan, suffering a serious head wound. During the confusion that followed after the shooting, Dan Rather of CBS News[2] and ABC News' Frank Reynolds erroneously reported that Brady had died. Later, when Reynolds was forced to retract that report, he angrily stated, on-air, to the off-air staff, "C'mon, let's nail it down!"[3] — resulting in Ted Koppel joining him after commercial. During the hours-long operation, surgeon Dr. Arthur Kobrine was informed of the media's announcement of Brady's death, to which he retorted, "No one has told me and the patient."[4]
Although Brady survived, the wound left him partially paralyzed for life; he is a full-time wheelchair user. Brady was unable to continue as Ronald Reagan's press secretary, but he retained that title for the duration of Reagan's presidency, with Larry Speakes and Marlin Fitzwater performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis.
Handgun control advocate
Brady subsequently led lobbying efforts for stricter handgun control and is in the leadership of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, also known simply as the Brady Bill, was named in his honor.
He and his wife, Sarah, have founded the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Sarah and James Brady were each awarded a doctorate degree (of Humane Letters) by Drexel University in 1993.
In 1996, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, the highest civilian award in the United States.[5]
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/SevenWhiteHousePressSecretaries.jpg/300px-SevenWhiteHousePressSecretaries.jpg)
In 2000, the Press Briefing Room at the White House was renamed after Brady as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
References
- ^ Rachelle Patterson. "Nancy stories make Reagan irate," Boston Globe, January 7, 1981 (page not identified in archive).
- ^ The Long Ordeal of James Brady
- ^ Stan Grossfeld. "Brady's had bear of a time - Reagan aide fights back from shooting," Daily News of Los Angeles (reprinted from the Boston Globe), November 1, 1987, U.S. World section, page USW1.
- ^ Victor Cohn. "James Brady and his odyssey," The Washington Post, November 23, 1981, page A1.
- ^ About Jim and Sarah Brady at Bradycenter.com
- 1940 births
- Living people
- Americans with disabilities
- American shooting survivors
- Distinguished Eagle Scouts
- Gun politics in the United States
- People from Centralia, Illinois
- People with brain injuries
- People with paraplegia
- Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
- Reagan Administration personnel
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alumni
- White House Press Secretaries
- Gun control advocates