Richard Reeves

Richard Reeves – Life, Career, and Notable Quotations

Richard Furman Reeves (1936–2020) was an American political writer, syndicated columnist, and historian of U.S. presidents. Explore his life, works, influence, and most memorable quotes.

Introduction

Richard Reeves was a prominent voice in American political journalism and biography writing. For decades, he analyzed and chronicled the presidency, the media, and the public’s relationship with power. As a columnist syndicated across the U.S., as well as a biographer of presidents like Kennedy, Nixon, and Reagan, Reeves shaped how many readers understood modern American leadership. His writing combined narrative style, historical insight, and political commentary. This article delves into his personal journey, professional legacy, central themes, and standout quotations.

Early Life and Family

Richard Furman Reeves was born on November 28, 1936 in New York City, U.S. His father was Furman W. Reeves, a judge in Hudson County, New Jersey, and his mother was Dorothy (Forshay) Reeves, an actress.

Reeves grew up in a milieu that balanced law, performance, and public life. His early exposure to public affairs and civic institutions likely influenced his later career in journalism and political writing.

Education and Early Career

Though Reeves later became known as a writer, his education was more technical in origin. He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology in 1960.

After graduation, he briefly worked as an engineer at Ingersoll-Rand before pivoting into journalism.

His journalistic career began in local and regional outlets. From 1961 to 1965, he co-founded and contributed to the Phillipsburg Free Press in New Jersey. Newark Evening News and The New York Herald Tribune.

In 1966, Reeves became Chief Political Correspondent for The New York Times, a major national assignment. Hunter College.

Mature Career & Major Works

Syndicated Columnist & Lecturer

From the late 1970s onward, Reeves wrote a weekly syndicated column distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, appearing in over 160 newspapers nationwide. monthly column from Paris for Travel and Leisure magazine.

Concurrently, Reeves joined academia and public communication. He served as a lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California.

Presidential Biographies & Historical Works

Reeves’ reputation rests heavily on his biographies of American presidents and his interpretive study of power:

Some of his more notable works include:

• President Kennedy: Profile of Power (1993) — widely considered one of his signature works.

• President Nixon: Alone in the White House

• President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination

• Running in Place: How Bill Clinton Disappointed America

• Infamy: The Shocking Story of the Japanese-American Internment in World War II

• Daring Young Men: The Heroism and Triumph of The Berlin Airlift

• A Force of Nature: The Frontier Genius of Ernest Rutherford (on the physical scientist)

Beyond books, Reeves also made contributions in television and documentary filmmaking. He produced award-winning documentaries and served as a correspondent for television programs.

His media work garnered significant honors: he won an Emmy for Lights, Camera … Politics! (ABC News), the Columbia-DuPont Award for Struggle for Birmingham (PBS), and a Peabody Award for Red Star over Khyber (PBS) among others.

In recognition of his political writing, Reeves received the Carey McWilliams Award from the American Political Science Association, among other honors.

Themes, Style & Perspective

Richard Reeves combined the sensibilities of a journalist, historian, and political thinker. Some recurring traits in his work:

• Narrative history: He structured his political biographies with narrative flair, making them accessible to general readers, not only scholars.

• Focus on power and personality: Reeves often explored how personal traits, leadership style, and public perception shaped presidencies.

• Media and democracy: He was attuned to the role of media in politics, including how information, bias, and public opinion interact.

• Balanced liberal lens: Although generally leaning liberal in many of his columns, Reeves resisted ideological extremes and often tried to interpret both sides in the political arena.

• Public communication: He viewed writing as a way not just to inform, but to frame how citizens understand leadership, governance, and civic responsibility.

Legacy & Influence

• Shaping presidential biography genre: Reeves’ books have become reference points in how the American public and scholars view recent presidents.

• Bridging journalism and history: He demonstrated how journalists can evolve into reflective historians without losing immediacy.

• Media voice in politics: His syndicated column and broadcast work gave him wide reach; his voice shaped public conversation about administration, policies, and political character.

• Mentorship and public engagement: Through lecturing and teaching, he influenced up-and-coming writers, journalists, and political analysts.

Reeves passed away on March 25, 2020, in Los Angeles, California, from cardiac arrest.

Notable Quotes

Here are some memorable lines attributed to Richard Reeves:

• “Biased? Of course. That’s why I write this column: to share my bias.”

• In a 2004 column:

  “To begin with, the President is a fool.”

• Commenting on the presidency of George W. Bush in 2005:

  “George W Bush could be regarded as the worst president in U.S. history.”

(Reeves was known for his frank, somewhat provocative phrasing; these quotes reflect his style of mixing strong assertion with commentary.)

Lessons from Richard Reeves

1. Combine reporting and reflection
   Reeves’ path shows that deep analysis can be rooted in journalistic experience. He moved from daily journalism to long-form biography without abandoning insight into current events.

2. Make history human
   By focusing on personalities, decisions, and conflicts, Reeves made political history approachable to many readers.

3. Use voice consciously
   He acknowledged his own biases openly—rather than masking them—and turned them into a conversational device with readers.

4. Adapt across media
   His transition from print to television and documentary work shows the value of versatility in communicating ideas.

Conclusion

Richard Reeves was a bridge between the day-to-day politics of journalism and the long arc of American history. His work required both immediacy and perspective, and he left behind books, columns, and films that continue to inform how we view the presidency, media, and civic life.