SAN DIEGO — Memorial services were held Tuesday for former Nixon aide and Union-Tribune executive Herb Klein.
The memorial was held on the flight deck of the USS Midway on San Diego Bay.
Herbert G. Klein died July 2nd at age 91.
He served as Richard Nixon's ex-White House director of communications and a former editor for Copley Newspapers.
Klein died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in the San Diego suburb of La Jolla, family members told the Union-Tribune.
Friends and family remember Herb Klein during a memorial aboard the USS Midway. (Photo: Scott Baird)
Klein became a special correspondent for Copley after serving with the Navy in World War II. He covered Nixon's 1946 congressional campaign for Copley, starting an association that would eventually lead him to the White House.
Klein accompanied Vice President Nixon to Moscow in 1959 for historic meetings with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. The next year, he represented Nixon in setting the terms for his debate with John F. Kennedy — the first televised debates between presidential candidates.
Klein resigned as Nixon's communications director in 1973, one year before the Watergate scandal forced the president to step down.
Klein was Nixon's press secretary in three campaigns: the unsuccessful 1960 run for the White House, the 1962 race for California's governorship and his second presidential bid in 1968.
He later joined Metromedia Inc., a national non-network broadcasting group. In 1980, he went back to Copley Newspapers as editor in chief. He helped guide the chain's editorial positions, while maintaining contacts in politics and sports. He served a combined 52 years with Copley.
(Photo: L.A. Times)
Klein is survived by a brother, daughter, three grandsons, and two great-grandsons.
Elex Michaelson's Klein Memories
While a student at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism, I was honored to be named the "Herb Klein Scholar". The award was recognition for outstanding political reporting--one of the many great passions of Klein's life.
Klein had served as a sports editor and columnist for USC's Daily Trojan before his graduation in 1940. He remained a devoted member of the Trojan family for the rest of his life, including serving on the University's Board of Trustees. USC President Steven B. Sample called him a "statesman, a journalist, an author and a leader...a superstar in the Trojan Family."
Serving as the Klein Scholar at USC not only provided me with VERY generous financial support to continue my studies, but also the opportunity to meet with Klein one-on-one and talk journalism. Even towards the end of his life, he was focused on the future of the field. Despite the fact that we all knew where he stood on the political spectrum, he most prioritized fairness and accuracy. This is why so many people from both parties had so much affection for him; Klein never attacked personally and always cared for people on both sides of the aisle.
No where was the love for Klein more obvious than at his 90th birthday celebration in La Jolla. I've never seen anything like it in my life. Several of the Hilton's ballroom were rented out and it seemed like everyone in there was a VIP. Speakers included: Tom Brokaw, Diane Sawyer, former California Governor Pete Wilson, former Congressman Jack Kemp, then-White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, Mayor Jerry Sanders, USC President Steven B. Sample and on and on. Perhaps best of all (at least in my biased view :), the night also included the USC Marching Band playing their signature "fight on" tune for Klein and also leading the crowd in Happy Birthday.
How great is it that Klein had the ability to see so much appreciation BEFORE he passed away. Everyone had their own story that all included the goodness of Klein's heart and his giving nature. To see how he impacted so many generations of leaders was inspiring and a daunting challenge.
As Congressman Brian Bilbray told me on San Diego 6 in the Morning Weekend Edition (watch below), now it is our turn to learn from Klein's example and our challenge to make our city, state, and country better--just like he did.
