David Demarest
Encyclopedia
David Demarest is the Vice President for Public Affairs, Stanford University
and a former Republican
operative who worked for Presidents
Ronald Reagan
and George H.W. Bush.
. Before 1977, he participated in several congressional campaigns in New Jersey. During the Reagan
administration, he served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he was Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Public, Intergovernmental, and Private Sector Affairs. He was later Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.
In 1988 Demarest was the communications director on the Bush-Quayle
presidential campaign. He then served four years as member of the White House senior staff. As White House Communications Director
, he worked directly with the President, the White House Chief of Staff, and the Cabinet, and in that capacity managed a broad range of White House communications activities, including presidential speechwriting, public liaison, media relations, and intergovernmental affairs.
Demarest was instrumental in directing the Willie Horton
message during the 1988 presidential campaign
and in setting up the crack
buy in Lafayette Park
that kicking off President Bush's war on drugs.
After Demarest left the White House, he became Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications at Bank of America
. In 1999, David became Executive Vice President for Global Corporate Relations at Visa.
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and a former Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
operative who worked for Presidents
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and George H.W. Bush.
Career
David Demarest began his Washington, D.C. career in the late 1970s, working with state and local political candidates on behalf of the Republican National CommitteeRepublican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
. Before 1977, he participated in several congressional campaigns in New Jersey. During the Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
administration, he served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he was Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Public, Intergovernmental, and Private Sector Affairs. He was later Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.
In 1988 Demarest was the communications director on the Bush-Quayle
United States presidential election, 1988
The United States presidential election of 1988 featured no incumbent president, as President Ronald Reagan was unable to seek re-election after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the...
presidential campaign. He then served four years as member of the White House senior staff. As White House Communications Director
White House Communications Director
The White House Director of Communications, also known as Assistant to the President for Communications, is part of the senior staff of the President of the United States, and is responsible for developing and promoting the agenda of the President and leading its media campaign...
, he worked directly with the President, the White House Chief of Staff, and the Cabinet, and in that capacity managed a broad range of White House communications activities, including presidential speechwriting, public liaison, media relations, and intergovernmental affairs.
Demarest was instrumental in directing the Willie Horton
Willie Horton
William R. "Willie" Horton is an American convicted felon who, while serving a life sentence for murder, without the possibility of parole, was the beneficiary of a Massachusetts weekend furlough program...
message during the 1988 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1988
The United States presidential election of 1988 featured no incumbent president, as President Ronald Reagan was unable to seek re-election after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the...
and in setting up the crack
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
buy in Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park may refer to a location in the United States:*Lafayette Park, Detroit, Michigan, a park, development, and neighborhood*Lafayette Park Historic District, a historic district in Albany, New York...
that kicking off President Bush's war on drugs.
After Demarest left the White House, he became Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications at Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
. In 1999, David became Executive Vice President for Global Corporate Relations at Visa.