J. F. terHorst

I recognize these days not all that many people may have ever heard of J. F. terHorst, who passed away at the age of 89 a few days ago. I also recognize that even if someone had noticed the stories of his passing that appeared in numerous media outlets, the chances are great they may simply have shrugged and moved onto something else. To those realities I express a bit of sadness because in the world of communication and public relations he was a significant figure on the basis of one singular act of integrity. It happened almost exactly thirty-six years ago at a key time in our nation's history. It began with Richard Nixon's resignation.

When Nixon stepped down in August, 1974, his appointed vice president, Gerald Ford, assumed the presidency. One of Ford's first decisions was to name a press secretary. That person was terHorst, a newspaper man who had worked in the Washington, D.C. bureau of the Detroit Free Press. As Ford had served for many years as a United States Ccongressman from Michigan, he and terHorst had known each other for a good while. The appointment was seen as a good one as terHorst was highly regarded by his peers and, as a result, was viewed as a most welcomed replacement for Rod Ziegler, Nixon's highly-panned press secretary. By the time Ziegler stepped down, to say he had absolutely zero credibility as a spokesperson would have been a great understatement.

One month into his tenure as president, Ford made his decision to pardon Nixon. He consulted only a few people before making this decision. terHorst was not one of them. When told of the decision terHorst was livid. As press secretary, it was his job to explain the decision to the national press, defend it, and help take heat for his boss for the inevitable criticism and outrage that was anticipated. terHorst looked in the mirror and made his own decision - one month after his appointment - that he could not in all good conscious do this. He could not defend something with which he greatly disagreed. His boss, a person who he liked and admired, had asked him to do something in violation of his own core principles and values. He said no and then resigned. terHorst's act, of course, added fuel to the fire of criticism against Ford. terHorst knew that would happen. But at the same time he could not compromise his own sense of right and wrong. How many times since then has that happened? None. How many times have we had press secretaries twist the truth and defend acts of questionable truth. Too many. Yet it was this newspaper man who was the one who drew a line in the sand and refused to step over it. I salute his act of integrity and honor his memory.