Clark Clifford | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, c. 1947 | |
| 9th United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office March 1, 1968 – January 20, 1969 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Deputy | Paul Nitze |
| Preceded by | Robert McNamara |
| Succeeded by | Melvin Laird |
| Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board | |
| In office April 23, 1963 – February 29, 1968 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | James Rhyne Killian |
| Succeeded by | Maxwell D. Taylor |
| 2nd White House Counsel | |
| In office February 1, 1946 – January 31, 1950 | |
| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Samuel Rosenman |
| Succeeded by | Charles S. Murphy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Clark McAdams Clifford December 25, 1906 Fort Scott, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | October 10, 1998 (aged 91) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Margery Pepperell Kimball
(m. 1931) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Washington University (BA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
| Rank | Captain |
Clark McAdams Clifford (December 25, 1906 – October 10, 1998) was an American lawyer who served as an important political adviser to Democratic presidents Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Jimmy Carter. His official government positions were White House Counsel (1946–1950), Chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board (1963–1968), and Secretary of Defense (1968–1969);[1] Clifford was also influential in his role as an unofficial, informal presidential adviser in various issues.[2] A successful Washington, D.C., lawyer, he was known for his elite clientele, charming manners, and impeccable suits.[2]
All four Democratic presidents of the Cold War era employed Clifford's services and relied on his counsel, marking him as one of the ultimate Washington insiders.[3] Emblematic of Clifford's influence in postwar Democratic presidential administrations was that after Jimmy Carter won the 1976 presidential election, his transition team was adamant that Clifford, as a symbol of the Washington, D.C., establishment, should not have any influence whatsoever, declaring that "if you ever see us relying on Clark Clifford, you'll know we have failed", yet Carter eventually came to rely on him nonetheless.[3]
In his later years, Clifford became involved in several controversies. He was a key figure in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International scandal, which led to a grand jury indictment.
- ^ "Clark M. Gifford - Lyndon Johnson Administration". Office of the Secretary of Defense - Historical Office. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
- ^ a b John Acacia, Clark Clifford: The Wise Man of Washington
- ^ a b Edwin M. Yoder Jr., "Government tasks will test Trump's skill" Archived September 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine