Larry Speakes

Larry Speakes – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotes

Larry Speakes (1939–2014) was the acting White House Press Secretary under President Ronald Reagan. Learn about his journey from Mississippi journalist to Washington spokesman, his controversies, and his notable statements.

Introduction

Larry Melvin Speakes was a central figure in White House communications during the Reagan administration—serving as the principal spokesperson in the many years when Press Secretary James Brady was incapacitated. His role placed him at the nexus of media, policy, and public perception, during a politically volatile era. His tenure was marked both by calm public presentation and behind-the-scenes controversies about messaging and truth.

Early Life and Education

Speakes was born on September 13, 1939, in Cleveland, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region. His family lived in rural areas; their home in Merigold, Bolivar County, was near the regional hospital in Cleveland.

He attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Before entering national service, he worked in regional journalism: he was editor of The Oxford Eagle in 1961 and managing editor of the Bolivar Commercial in Cleveland (Mississippi) from 1962 to 1966.

Career Path

From State Press Work to National Politics

In 1968, Speakes moved into political communications, becoming press secretary for U.S. Senator James Eastland (Mississippi). In that capacity, he also served as spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He later joined broader Washington staff roles: in 1974, he took a position in President Richard Nixon’s administration (as a staff assistant) and eventually became Press Secretary to the Special Counsel during the Watergate period. Under President Gerald Ford, Speakes served as Assistant Press Secretary.

Speakes also worked in the private sector in public relations—he was affiliated with Hill & Knowlton before re-entering the White House under Reagan.

Reagan Administration & Acting Press Secretary

When James Brady was gravely wounded during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, Speakes stepped in to assume many of the daily press briefing duties. Officially, from March 30, 1981 onward, he functioned as acting White House Press Secretary, and later was appointed Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary.

By August 1983, he was Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary, effectively handling briefings and public communications until he left Washington in February 1987.

During his time, he navigated multiple major events: the Beirut barracks bombing, Cold War diplomacy (including debates with the Soviet Union), the Iran–Contra scandal, the space shuttle Challenger explosion, and more.

He was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by Reagan in 1987.

After leaving the White House, Speakes moved into communications roles in the private sector.

Controversies & Legacy

One of the most significant controversies tied to Speakes arose from his own admissions in his memoir Speaking Out (1989). He revealed that on at least two occasions, he had invented statements—polished them—and attributed them to President Reagan. He stated his intention was to represent Reagan’s thoughts, if not his literal words—though that revelation drew criticism from journalists and political observers.

He also faced criticism for the Reagan administration’s public response (or lack thereof) to the HIV/AIDS crisis. At press briefings, some exchanges included jokes and dismissive remarks, which have become part of the broader historical critique of that era.

Speakes died on January 10, 2014, in Cleveland, Mississippi, after battling Alzheimer’s disease.

His legacy is mixed: he is remembered for his steadiness under pressure and mastery of messaging, but also for raising questions about the line between spin and truth in political communication.

Personality & Professional Style

Speakes was known to be calm, disciplined, and skilled at managing a complicated press corps. He valued message control and clarity, often resisting spontaneous or unscripted statements that might derail administration narratives.

Yet, his openness later about the invention of quotes suggests he understood—and at times operated within—the tension between narrative shaping and factual fidelity.

He also had an often dry, wry sense of humor, used occasionally in briefings to deflect tension or manage tough questioning.

Notable Quotes

Here are some quotations popularly attributed to Larry Speakes:

“Rules for a White House Spokesman: No. 1 is always tell the truth. I’ve got only one currency, that’s the truth. There are 10,000 ways to say ‘no comment,’ and I’ve used 9,999 of them. The second rule is don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know.’ You may look dumb, but if you don’t know you can’t give them hot air because it always shows on your face.”
“I would dodge, not lie, in the national interest.”
“Those who talk don’t know what is going on and those who know what is going on won’t talk.”
“Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You’re hunting and pecking for a while and then you find yourself doing the touch system and don’t realize it. You’re speaking for the president without ever having to go to him.”
“You don’t tell us how to stage the news and we don’t tell you how to cover it.”
“If you tell the same story five times, it’s true.”

These reflect his beliefs about truth-telling, rhetorical control, and the pressures inherent in being a presidential spokesman.

Lessons from Larry Speakes’s Career

1. Communication is as much framing as content
   Speakes’s approach shows that how a message is packaged—and repeated—can shape public perception as much as its factual basis.

2. Transparency and credibility matter
   The backlash from admitting to invented quotes underlines that public trust is fragile and essential, especially in government communications.

3. Pressure breeds narrative shortcuts
   In high-stakes political environments, officials may be tempted to “clean up” or shape statements—Speakes’s memoir suggests this tension is real and consequential.

4. Role demands both resilience and caution
   Serving as a government spokesperson requires both discipline under scrutiny and ethical awareness about the limits of messaging.

5. Legacy will judge words, not just outcomes
   Speakes’s mixed memory demonstrates that historical reputation in public service often depends more on truth and integrity than on momentary effectiveness.