Lyn Nofziger dies at 81

Lyn Nofziger aide and adviser to Ronald Reagan has died at age 81. I highly recommend that any communications person who handles issues related files should head on over to Amazon and dig up a copy of Nofziger's bio.

Nofziger was not only an outstanding political communications staffer, he knew the media and, most importantly, instinctively understood how people would react to an issue and could drive messages that resonated.

While he has many finest moments, perhaps the one he is best known for is being drawn in at the last minute to manage communications the day President Reagan was shot. Even though he wasn't working in the White House at that time, Nofziger offered his services and arrived amid the chaos at the hostpital. Grabbing some blank hospital forms, he had the terrific sense to jot down the quips the President was making with friends and staff before being taken into surgery.

Within the hour, Nofziger was the public face of the Reagan administration, briefing the media and country on what had happened to the President. Using the notes he'd taken he was able to reassure the country that the President was likely to be OK. Among the notes he'd taken:

- Reagan reassuring Nancy: "Honey, I forgot to duck."
- Reagan to his Chief of Staff: "Who's minding the store?"
- Reagan to doctors before surgery: "Please tell me you're Republicans."

While certainly rough around the edges, he was a skilled communicator. I had the fortune to exchange e-mail with him several years ago and found him to be everything that I imagined after reading his bio. With his characterisitic wit, I recall him ending a note to me expressing his sympathy that Canadians were living under a Liberal government.

Nofziger was also a blogger and I always enjoyed reading what he had to say. He will certainly be missed.

UPDATE: Washington Post obit link.