Merrie Spaeth

Merrie Marcia Spaeth (born August 23, 1948) is an American public relations and communications consultant.

Merrie Spaeth
Merrie Spaeth while working
at the White House in 1984
White House Director of Media Relations
In office
1983–1985
PresidentRonald Reagan
Personal details
Born
Merrie Marcia Spaeth

(1948-08-23) August 23, 1948
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Robert S. Thanhauser Jr. (divorced)
Tex Lezar
​
​
(m. 1984; died 2004)​
Alma materSmith College (BA)
Columbia University (MBA)

Early life and education

Spaeth is the daughter of Dr. Philip G. Spaeth and Marcia Ryan Spaeth. She attended Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. In 1970, Spaeth graduated with honors from Smith College and later earned an MBA from Columbia Business School, where she graduated cum laude.

Career

At the age of 15, Spaeth was cast to play Marian "Gil" Gilbert in The World of Henry Orient.

Between 1970 and 1978, Spaeth wrote for numerous print publications and was a reporter for several local television stations. Additionally, Spaeth was a speechwriter for William S. Paley, founder and chairman of CBS. In 1978 Spaeth hosted and produced a nightly television show in Columbus, Ohio, for Warner-Amex Cable. In 1979, Spaeth was a producer for 20/20, where she produced segments on Liberace, gifted children and motorcycle gangs.

In the early 1980s, Spaeth was accepted to the White House Fellows program where she was assigned to work under FBI Director William Webster as his special assistant, after which she worked for two years as director of public affairs for the Federal Trade Commission. In 1983, she became White House Director of Media Relations in the administration of Ronald Reagan, serving until 1985.[1]

After moving to Dallas with her husband, Spaeth founded Spaeth Communications in 1987. In the 1990s, Spaeth taught BLC (business leadership center) seminar classes at the Cox School of Business.

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

During the 2004 presidential campaign, Spaeth advised the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group that questioned the Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s Vietnam War record. Since the 2004 election, the term "Swift Boating" (or "swiftboating") has become a common expression for a campaign attacking opponents by questioning their credibility and patriotism in a dishonest manner. The term is most often used with the pejorative meaning of a smear campaign.[2] Spaeth has referred to her involvement in this campaign as her “biggest regret.”[3]

Work with Ken Starr

Spaeth was hired as a communications consultant to Ken Starr, an attorney who served as Solicitor General of the United States under George H. W. Bush and Special prosecutor for the Whitewater controversy during the Clinton Administration. Starr was then serving as President of Baylor University during the Baylor University sexual assault scandal. As president, Starr had received email messages from a female student who claimed that she had been raped, though he later denied receiving the messages. In a television interview with KWTX-TV, Spaeth was present and periodically stopped the interview to coach Starr on his answers about the controversy.[4][5]

Publications

Spaeth contributed to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity from 2006 to 2010 writing columns on executive communication. Additionally, Spaeth has written for HR Executive, PRWeek, Bank Marketing, Public Diplomacy, Modern Healthcare, PRSA Strategist, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She has written three books: Marketplace Communication, Words Matter, and You Don’t Say!

Personal life

Spaeth was previously married to Robert S. Thanhauser Jr.[6] In 1984, she married "Tex" Lezar, who served as a counselor to William French Smith and later as United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy. They have three children. Lezar died on January 5, 2004.[7] Spaeth is a Republican.[8]

References
  1. "Spaeth, Merrie: Files, 1983-1985 – Reagan Library Collections" (PDF). The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
  2. John Kerry military service controversy
  3. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-star-is-born-lost-and-found
  4. "Ken Starr interview halted after question about alleged rape victim's email". WFAA. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  5. Czarnecki, Sean. "Candid camera: PR vet interrupts TV interview with former Baylor University president". www.prweek.com. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  6. "Merrie Spaeth, Ex‐Actress, Is a Bride". The New York Times. May 14, 1973. p. 25. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  7. Lezar, Harold Joseph. "Guide to the Papers of Harold J. "Tex" Lezar, 1961-1998". legacy.lib.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  8. Colapinto, John (2012-04-03). "A Star is Born, Lost, and Found". The New Yorker (Serial). ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
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