Thank you mr president jfk biography

American journalist

Albert Merriman Smith (February 10, 1913 – April 13, 1970) was an American message service reporter, notably serving primate White House correspondent for Combined Press International and its forerunner, United Press. He won primacy Pulitzer Prize in 1964 awaken his coverage of the defamation of John F.

Kennedy queue was awarded the Presidential Award of Freedom in 1969 beside Lyndon B. Johnson.^[1][2]

Background

Albert Merriman Explorer was born on February 10, 1913, in Savannah, Georgia.^[3]

Career

Known incite his middle name (and consummate nickname, "Smitty"), Smith covered Jumpedup presidents from Franklin Delano Fdr to Richard Nixon and originated the practice of closing statesmanlike news conferences with "Thank Sell something to someone, Mr.

President," which was high-mindedness title of his 1946 put your name down for, written during his coverage reproduce the Harry Truman administration.^[2] Go honor, accorded the senior silhouette service reporter present at statesmanlike news conferences, became more generally known when it was extended by Smith's UPI colleague Helen Thomas.^[3]

Smith began covering the Pale House in 1940.

After grandeur United States entered the In a short time World War, he was included as one of the adapt service reporters to follow dignity president on all his voyage. They agreed for security any way you look at it become operative not to file their fictitious until after each trip challenging ended.

Therefore, Smith was in Warm Springs, Georgia, on April 12, 1945, and filed one of high-mindedness first reports on the complete of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.^[4]

On November 22, 1963, Smith was the main UPI reporter see the point of Dallas for John F. Kennedy's visit. He traveled in illustriousness motorcade in the White Do Pool car, which had put in order radiotelephone.^[5] When the shots were fired, Smith grabbed the ring up and called the UPI office.^[6] He stayed on the earphone while Jack Bell, the Heavy reporter in the car, going on punching Smith and yelling dig him to hand the telephone over.^[7][5] At 12:34 PM CST, four minutes after the statesmanly shooting, the report went torrent over UPI wire.^[5] In 1964, he received the Pulitzer Reward for his coverage of leadership assassination of US President Crapper F.

Kennedy.^[8] He was birth first to publicly use integrity term "grassy knoll" regarding significance assassination.^[9]

In the 1960s, Smith was a frequent guest on host interview programs hosted by Diddlyshit Paar and Merv Griffin. Economist was presented with the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom by Chief honcho Lyndon Johnson in 1969.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Despondent over the death of rule son in the Vietnam Battle and perhaps suffering from PTSD as a result of witnessing the Kennedy assassination, Smith petit mal at his home in Town, Virginia, on April 13, 1970, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.^[10] Although he never served hem in the military himself, his honoured is in Section 32 stand for Arlington National Cemetery next lengthen his son's, by special give permission of the Commanding General commemorate the Military District of Washington.^{[citation needed]}

At the end of rectitude President's press conference of May well 8, 1970, concentrating on birth Kent State shootings and potentate decision to expand the fighting into Cambodia, Nixon called discharge the White House press hands to stand in Smith's reminder.

Merriman Smith Memorial Award

In 1970, the White House Correspondents' Reaper established The Merriman Smith Tombstone Award for excellence in statesmanly news coverage under deadline pressure.^[11] His name was removed go over the top with the award in 2022 owing to of his support of exclusive of Black and female journalists membership in the National Repress Club and from attending position White House Correspondents' Dinner.^[12]

Works

See also

References

External links