#ron nessen

[geminicollisionworks]

Easter, 1976.

President Ford's press secretary Ron Nessen hosts Saturday Night Live, and the writers and cast take the opportunity to make the show as vulgar and offensive as they can, knowing the President, who they hate, will be watching.

Musical guest is the Patti Smith Group, performing this classic cover just as the show passes midnight into Easter Sunday.

[todaysdocument]

President Gerald R. Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, Pearl Bailey, E. B. Smith, Ron Nessen, and others dancing the Hustle in the Grand Hall following a state dinner honoring the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, 12/6/1976

Series: Gerald R. Ford White House Photographs, 8/9/1974 - 1/20/1977

Collection: White House Photographic Office Collection (Ford Administration), 12/6/1973 - 1/20/1977

Image description: The people named in the caption hold hands as they form a side-to-side line and dance the Hustle. The men wear tuxedoes; Mrs. Ford is wearing a floor-length, swishy cream or very pale pink colored dress with shimmery trim. Ms. Bailey is wearing a long, black, fringed dress and pearl jewelry. In the background we can see other guests smiling and dancing.

[fordlibrarymuseum]

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat...this is #ArchivesGameNight!

The first Friday of each month the @usnatarchives hosts an Archives Hashtag Party exploring highlights from archival collections around a different theme. Come hang out on social media with all of the archives, libraries, galleries, and museums participating so far! October’s theme is #ArchivesGameNight.

White House photographer David Kennerly captured the highs and lows of playing board games during the Fords’ Christmas vacation to Vail, Colorado. Mike Ford celebrated his triumph and White House Press Secretary Ron Nessen slumped in despair while facing off in a football themed game on December 25, 1975.

Images for gif: White House photographs A7777-23 and A7777-25

[fearofpop]

Nobody believes the official spokesman but everybody trusts an unidentified source.

Former White House Press Secretary Ron Nessen

[ourpresidents]

An Explanation of "On the Record," "Off the Record," and Everything in Between 

Press Secretary Ron Nessen gave the press guidance on developments at the White House, but also gave the White House staff guidance on dealing with the press. In this memo Nessen describes five levels of attribution: on the record, on background, on deep background, off record, and for guidance. These options range from permitting direct quotation to allowing general identification as White House staff to providing information without any attribution. When speaking to reporters staff members needed to be aware at which level their statements would be used. May 7, 1975 Memo from the Ron Nessen Papers, Box 134, folder “White House Staff – General”

-from the Ford Library