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David Gergen

Author

Senior Political Analyst, CNN

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About

Gender: Male

Nationality: United States

Languages: English

Travels from: United States

Engagement Types

Themes

Websites

Website

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biography Highlights

A trusted advisor to four presidents and to both political parties, David Gergen offers a bipartisan analysis of recent political history, the Trump administration, and what today’s headlines mean for the future of America.

Biography

A true public servant, David Gergen put his country above his personal politics, serving as an advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and then Clinton. Today he helps audiences break through ideological barriers to recognize simple and lasting political truths and to reflect on the practice of leadership. Gergen’s unique vantage point—serving as an Oval Office insider to presidents from different political parties—provides him with insights that few others can match. For more than 30 years, Gergen has been an active participant in American political life. Since leaving government, he has served as editor-at-large of U.S. News & World Report and as the founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Now, he is a Professor of Public Service at the Kennedy School and a Senior Political Analyst for CNN.

Gergen’s New York Times best-seller Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton, offers an inside glimpse into the corridors of power and the leadership challenges presidents face, bringing clarity to the most complex international and domestic issues. His newest book, Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made, calls to younger generations to pursue lives of service and public leadership — along with a practical playbook on how they can succeed, and was released in May 2022.

Videos

Media, podcast appearances and interviews

Topics

What’s Next for America?

With major dramas still unfolding in Washington, many Americans are asking what’s ahead for the U.S. — both here and abroad. A trusted White House adviser to four presidents of both parties and a leading commentator for more than three decades, David Gergen is one of the most experienced, fair minded and wisest voices in the country. For decades, he has been highly regarded for his capacity to translate what is happening in political life into how it will affect audiences across the spectrum. Since the year 2000, David has also been a professor of public service at Harvard, preparing younger generations for lives of service and leadership. He holds 27 honorary degrees.

Available: In person, Virtually

Eyewitness to Power: Leadership in America

From Nixon to Clinton, Watergate to Whitewater, few Americans have observed the ups and downs of presidential leadership more closely over the past thirty years than David Gergen. A White House adviser to four presidents, both Republican and Democrat, he offers a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of their struggles to exercise power and draws from them key lessons for leaders of the future. As the world’s economic and political dynamics continue to evolve, a new age is ahead for America, but its realization will depend heavily upon the success of a new generation at the top. Drawing upon all his many experiences in the White House, he offers seven key lessons for leaders of the future. What they must have, he says, are: inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; skills in working within the system; a fast start; a strong, effective team; and a passion that inspires others to keep the flame alive.

Available: In person, Virtually

David'S

TESTIMONIALS

David Gergen was incredible. He spoke with enormous passion about the state of the Union. David was funny, he was realistic and he left us with reasons for optimism during difficult days. He charmed in one-one-one chats with a dozen of our most senior executives and clients.

Financial Services

[David Gergen] was amazing. The most powerful keynote speaker we’ve had in a while. Masterful, humane, eloquent and witty – it was a memorable speech.

Financial Services

David Gergen was great. His presentation was thoughtful, substantive, informative and interesting. He addressed the issues of concern to our audience. On top off all that he was charming and a pleasure to be with. Thanks to him our event was a big success

Non-Profit

We set a lecture series record with 450 attendees and several hundred had to be turned away at the door due to reaching capacity (a half hour before the lecture began). Mr. Gergen was extremely well received and provided great insight to the current political landscape.

Non-Profit

Eight years and 50+ speakers later I can vouch that David Gergen is the best of the best. Hugely insightful, an absolutely pleasure to spend time with, interested in his audiences and their opinions – a very very special person. You are lucky to represent him.

Open-Ticketed

The audience appreciated the thoughtful manner in which David Gergen laid out the nation’s challenges and linked the importance of changing politics with energy policy, climate change, and national security. He brought an important independent view to sup

Utility

David Gergen was fabulous. He was warm, friendly, accommodating, incredibly insightful, brilliant in his analysis and willing to make every person feel valued. He has such a gracious manner and a warm, caring temperament. He runs with the high and mighty and is one himself but has never lost the common touch. He was my favorite political analyst coming in and he is now one of my all time favorite human beings.

Universities and Colleges

He placed the current political situation in its historical context and provided the students with specific suggestions about what they can and should focus on to become engaged citizens, improve the political process, and make the nation a better and more unified place. His emphasis on working together through a shared commitment to service with people of different backgrounds, political views, and races as a way of gaining respect and appreciation for others was timely and powerful.

Education Programs

Books

Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders are Made

To uncover the fundamental elements of effective leadership, Gergen traces the journeys of iconic leaders past and present, from pathbreakers like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Lewis, John McCain, and Harvey Milk to historic icons like Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, and Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, to contemporary game changers like Greta Thunberg, the Parkland students, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Eyewitness To Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton

Few Americans have observed the ups and downs of presidential leadership more closely over the past thirty years — from Nixon to Clinton and Watergate to Whitewater — than David Gergen. A White House adviser to four presidents, both Republican and Democrat, he offers a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of their struggles to exercise power and draws from them key lessons for leaders of the future. Taking us inside the administrations of Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton, Gergen reflects on everything from why Nixon was the best global strategist among recent presidents to how the Bill-and-Hillary seesaw rocked the White House during Clinton’s tenure as president.

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David Gergen

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