James Brady
Brady in August 2006
15th White House Press Secretary
In office 1981–1989
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Jody Powell
Succeeded by	Larry Speakes
Personal details
Born	James Scott Brady August 29, 1940 Centralia, Illinois, U.S.
Died	August 4, 2014 (aged 73) Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Sue Beh (m. 1961–68) (divorced) Sarah Brady (m. 1973–2014) (his death)
Alma mater	University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign

James Scott "Jim" "Bear" Brady (August 29, 1940 – August 4, 2014) was an assistant to the U.S. President and White House Press Secretary under President Ronald Reagan. After nearly being killed and becoming permanently disabled as a result of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan in 1981, Brady became an ardent supporter of gun control.

Early life

Brady was born in Centralia, Illinois, in 1940 to George Joseph Brady and to Emily Mae (née Sherman).

Brady graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign as a member of Sigma Chi with a Bachelor of Science in political science in 1962.

Early career

Brady began his career in public service as a staff member in the office of Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen (R-IL). In 1964, he was the campaign manager for Wayne Jones of Paris, Illinois in the race for US Congressman in the 23rd District. He again directed a campaign in the 23rd Illinois Congressional District in 1970 for Phyllis Schlafly.

He went on to hold various positions in the private sector and in government, including service as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, James Thomas Lynn; Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; Assistant to the Secretary of Defense; and member of the staff of Senator William V. Roth, Jr. (R-DE). He also served as Press Secretary to then-presidential candidate John Connally in 1979.

After Connally dropped out of the race, he eventually became Director of Public Affairs and Research for the Reagan-Bush Committee, and then Spokesperson for the Office of the President-Elect. After Reagan took office, Brady became White House Press Secretary.[1]

Shooting

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

Brady was among the four people shot during John Hinckley, Jr.'s March 30, 1981, attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, suffering a serious head wound. During the confusion that followed the shooting, all major media outlets erroneously reported that Brady had died. When ABC News anchorman Frank Reynolds, a friend of Brady, was later forced to retract the report, he angrily said on-air to his staff, "C'mon, let's get it nailed down!",[2][3] resulting in Sam Donaldson joining him after the commercial.[4] 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."[5][6]

Although Brady survived, the wound left him with slurred speech and partial paralysis that required the full-time use of a wheelchair.[7] Kobrine, his neurosurgeon, described him as having difficulty controlling his emotions while speaking after the shooting, saying "he would kind of cry-talk for a while", and suffering deficits in memory and thinking, such as failing to recognize people. However, Kobrine said that 30 years later, Brady could walk and had recovered almost all speech and cognitive function.[8]

Brady was unable to work as the White House Press Secretary but remained in the position until the end of the Reagan Administration with Larry Speakes and Marlin Fitzwater performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis.

Handgun control advocate

With his wife Sarah, who served as Chair of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence—formerly known as Handgun Control, Inc., co-founded by N. T. "Pete" Shields—Brady subsequently lobbied for stricter handgun control and assault weapon restrictions. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, also known as "the Brady Bill", was named in his honor.

Brady received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois, in 1982. Sarah and James Brady were each awarded a doctorate degree (of Humane Letters) by Drexel University in 1993. In 1994, James and Sarah received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.[9] In 1996, Brady received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, the highest civilian award in the United States.

James S. Brady press briefing room

President George W. Bush hosts six 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.

Personal life

Brady married Sue Beh in 1961. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1968. Brady married Sarah Brady in 1973. Brady had two children, Scott and Melissa.

Death

Brady died in Alexandria, Virginia, from an unspecified cause. His family announced his death on August 4, 2014. He was 73.[10]

Portrayals in film

Brady's recovery after the shooting was dramatized in the 1991 HBO film Without Warning: The James Brady Story, with Brady portrayed by Beau Bridges.

References