Oral history transcript, Joseph Laitin, interview 1 (I), 2/2/1976, by Michael L. Gillette

Laitin's career history and how he went to work in the government; how Laitin became George Reedy's Assistant Press Secretary; meeting LBJ; Mac Kilduff; Laitin's first press briefing; George Reedy and his departure as press secretary; Lillian Reedy; press secretaries; George Christian; editing press conference transcripts; LBJ's relationship with Reedy; telling LBJ what he wanted to hear; Walter Pincus; planting questions; John Pomfret; Peter Lisagor; LBJ dealing with the press; Jim Marlow; Jim Deakin; comparing LBJ and JFK's press relations; LBJ's relationship with Moyers; Laitin's involvement with Christmas bombing halt press coverage; withholding information from LBJ; sharing gossip with LBJ; giving tips to certain reporters; press coverage of LBJ's gall bladder surgery; how LBJ's treatment of individual reports affected their stories; television coverage of a White House event regarding a Rural Electric Association meeting; press coverage of NASA events; the difficulty in denying rumors.