James Brady

James Brady (1981)

James Scott “Jim” Brady (born August 29, 1940, Centralia, Illinois) is a former Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary under U.S. President Ronald Reagan. After nearly being killed and becoming permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on Reagan in 1981, Brady became an ardent supporter of gun control.

Biography

Early career

Brady is an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts of America. In 1962, Brady graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. At Urbana-Champaign he was initiated into the Sigma Chi fraternity. Brady began his career in public service as a staff member in the office of Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen. During the summer of 1962, he was an Honor Intern at the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division.

He held many positions in the private sector, including faculty member at Southern Illinois University (1964–1965), Assistant National Sales Manager and Executive Manager to the President of Lear-Seigler (1965–1966), Director of Legislation and Public Affairs for the Illinois State Medical Society (1966–1968), Whitaker and Baxter's Chicago Office Manager (1968–1969), and Executive and Vice President of James and Thomas Advertising and Public Relations (1969–1973).

Brady then moved to the public sector. In 1970 he was the campaign manager for Phyllis Schafly's run for congress in a southern Illinois district. In the next few years, he served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1973–1975), Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (1975–1976), Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld^[1](1976–1977), member of the staff of Senator William Roth (1976–1977). He also served as Press Secretary to then presidential candidate John Connally in 1980.

Chaos outside the Washington Hilton Hotel after the assassination attempt on President Reagan. James Brady and police officer Thomas Delahanty lie wounded on the ground.

Shooting

Brady was among those shot during John Hinckley, Jr.'s March 30, 1981, assassination attempt on Reagan, suffering a serious head wound. During the confusion that followed after the shooting, all major media outlets erroneously reported that Brady had died. Later, when ABC News anchorman Frank Reynolds (a friend of Brady's) was forced to retract the report, he angrily stated on-air to his staff, "C'mon, let's get it nailed down!"^[2] — resulting in Ted Koppel joining him after commercial. During the hours-long operation, surgeon Dr. Arthur Kobrine was informed of the media's announcement of Brady's death, to which he retorted, "No one has told me and the patient."^[3]

Although Brady survived, the wound left him partially paralyzed for life; he requires the full-time use of a wheelchair. Brady was unable to continue as Ronald Reagan's press secretary, but he retained that title for the duration of Reagan's presidency, with Larry Speakes and Marlin Fitzwater performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis.

Handgun control advocate

Brady subsequently led lobbying efforts for stricter handgun control and is in the leadership of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, also known simply as the Brady Bill, was named in his honor.

He and his wife, Sarah, have founded the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Sarah and James Brady were each awarded a doctorate degree (of Humane Letters) by Drexel University in 1993.

In 1996, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, the highest civilian award in the United States.^[4]

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

President George W. Bush hosts seven White House Press Secretaries, including James Brady (second from the right) with his wife Sarah Brady (far right), before the Press Briefing Room underwent renovation (August 2, 2006).

In 2000, the Press Briefing Room at the White House was renamed after Brady as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

References

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