Editing David Gergen (section)

==Life and career==
[[File:Ronald Reagan and David Gergen.jpg|thumb|right|Gergen with [[President of the United States|President]] [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1984]]
[[File:David Gergen and Bill Clinton.png|thumb|right|Gergen with [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]] in 1993]]
[[File:David Gergen.jpg|thumb|right|Gergen at the 2008 {{no wrap|[[World Economic Forum]]}}]]
For three summers, Gergen was an intern in the office of North Carolina [[Terry Sanford|Governor Terry Sanford]], where he became deeply involved in civil rights efforts. Gergen has called this work his “most satisfying experience in public service.”<ref>{{cite news |url=http://cnnradio.cnn.com/2012/09/21/cnn-profiles-the-real-david-gergen/ |work=CNN |title=CNN Profiles: The real David Gergen |date=September 21, 2012}}</ref> He served in the [[U.S. Navy]] for three-and-a-half years and was stationed on a ship home-ported in [[Japan]]. Gergen writes in his book of his time as a damage control officer on a repair ship, [[USS Ajax (AR-6)|USS ''Ajax'']]: “Learning to control damage, it turned out, was the best possible preparation for my coming years in the White House”.<ref name="Gergen, David 2000"/>

===Political activity===
Gergen began his political career in 1971 when he went to work for [[Richard Nixon]] as a staff assistant in the speech-writing office headed by [[Ray Price (speechwriter)|Ray Price]]—a group that included [[Pat Buchanan]], [[Ben Stein]], and [[William Safire]]. Two years later, he rose to director of speechwriting.<ref name="David Gergen, Master of The Game"/>

In 1974 Gergen took a brief hiatus from the [[White House]] to write speeches for [[Treasury Secretary]] [[William E. Simon]]. Gergen writes in his book, "For me it was a great trade—the Treasury team taught me all about free markets and fiscal discipline." Gergen returned to the [[White House]] in 1975 as [[director of communications]] for President [[Gerald Ford]].<ref name="fordlibrarymuseum.gov">{{Cite web|url=http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/guides/findingaid/gergendfiles.asp|title = Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum}}</ref> In 1980, Gergen was an adviser to the [[George H. W. Bush]] presidential campaign and went on to join the Reagan White House in 1981. Beginning as a staff director, he eventually became director of communications. In 1993 Gergen returned to the White House, serving as counselor to President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Warren Christopher.<ref name="Gergen, David 2000"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/31/magazine/david-gergen-master-of-the-game.html |title=David Gergen, Master of THE GAME |date=31 October 1993 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/06/29/gergen-move-to-state-leaves-officials-spinning/ |title=Gergen move to State leaves officials spinning |work=tribunedigital-baltimoresun|date=29 June 1994 }}</ref>

===Journalism===
Currently, Gergen is a senior political analyst for [[CNN]] and often appears on ''[[Anderson Cooper 360]]'' and ''[[Erin Burnett OutFront]].''

Following his years in public service, Gergen worked as a political journalist, commentator, and editor. After leaving the White House in 1977, he worked as a freelance writer and, in 1978, as the first managing editor of ''Public Opinion'', a magazine published by the [[American Enterprise Institute]]. From 1985 to 1986, he worked as an editor at ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'', where he became [[editor at large]] following his service in the [[Clinton administration]]. There, he worked with publisher [[Mort Zuckerman]] to achieve record gains in circulation and advertising.<ref name="David Gergen, Master of The Game"/>

Gergen's career in television began in 1985, when he joined the ''[[MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour]]'' for Friday night discussions of politics, where he remained a regular commentator for five years.<ref name="David Gergen, Master of The Game"/>

Currently, in addition to CNN, he has been a frequent guest on [[NPR]] and [[CBS]]’ ''[[Face the Nation]]''. He has written for ''[[Parade Magazine]]'' and has been published in an array of other publications including ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''[[Newsweek]]''.<ref name="David Gergen Biography"/>

Twice he has been a member of election coverage teams that won [[Peabody Award|Peabody awards]] in 1988 with ''[[MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour]]'', and in 2008 with CNN.

===Academia===
Gergen taught at [[Duke University]] from 1995 to 1999 and then joined the [[Harvard University]] faculty in 1999. He is currently a professor of public service at the [[Harvard Kennedy School]], where he teaches courses on leadership, public service, and U.S. politics.<ref name="HKS Faculty Biography">{{cite web|url=http://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/david-gergen/|title=HKS Faculty Biography|author=Harvard Kennedy School|access-date=2009-02-24|archive-date=2011-08-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811064635/http://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/david-gergen|url-status=dead}}</ref> During election years, he co-teaches a course called Contemporary Issues in American Elections with [[Elaine Kamarck]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/teaching-courses/course-listing/dpi-329|title=Harvard Kennedy School - Contemporary Issues in American Elections|author=Harvard Kennedy School|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref> In January 2014 he taught a Harvard short-term course in [[New York City]] titled "Leadership for a Livable City."<ref name="MLD 332m course page">{{cite web |url=http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/teaching-courses/course-listing/mld-332m |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222231108/http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/teaching-courses/course-listing/mld-332m |archive-date=2014-02-22 |title=MLD-332M: Leadership for a Livable City|work=2013-2014 Course Listing|publisher=[[Harvard Kennedy School]] |access-date=November 21, 2014}}</ref>

At Harvard Kennedy School, he served as the co-director of the [[Center for Public Leadership|Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership]], which seeks to enhance leadership teaching and research.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centerforpublicleadership.org/|title=Center for Public Leadership - Harvard Kennedy School |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305230859/http://www.centerforpublicleadership.org/|archive-date=2013-03-05}}</ref> The Center helps to provide scholarships to 100 fellows a year, preparing them to serve as leaders for the common good.

Gergen served as the inaugural Isabella Cannon Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership at [[Elon University]] and was a fellow at Harvard University's [[Harvard Institute of Politics|Institute of Politics]] in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elon.edu/e-web/pendulum/issues/2004/1_22/news/gergen.xhtml|title=Gergen advises emerging leaders|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iop.harvard.edu/david-r-gergon|title=David R. Gergon|work=The Institute of Politics at Harvard University}}</ref>

===Books===
Gergen is the author of the [[New York Times bestseller|''New York Times'' bestseller]] book ''Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton'', published in 2000. The book recounts his time in the Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton administrations. Gergen argues that, as the 21st century begins, the success of the United States as a country will depend heavily upon the success of a new generation in power. Drawing upon his many experiences in the White House, he offers seven vital elements that future leaders must possess: inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; an ability to work within the system; a sure, quick start; strong, prudent advisers; and a passion that inspires others to carry on the mission.<ref name="Gergen, David 2000"/>  In 2022, Gergen was working on a new book about renewing America's political culture.<ref name="David Gergen Biography"/>  His 2nd book, ''Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made'', was published in May 2022.

* {{cite book
  | last = Gergen
  | first = David 
  | title = Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton 
  | publisher = Simon & Schuster
  | date = September 6, 2000
  | isbn = 978-0-684-82663-9
}}

* {{cite book
  | last = Gergen
  | first = David 
  | title = Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made 
  | publisher = Simon & Schuster
  | date = May 10, 2022
  | isbn = 978-1-982-17057-8
}}