After briefly serving as President Ford 's personal press secretary in 1977 , Speakes ventured into the private sector as vice president of the international public relations firm of Hill & Knowlton until 1981 . After the 1980 presidential campaign , he worked on the staff of the Reagan-Bush team , helping to " straighten out " the press operation , eventually becoming deputy spokesman for the President-elect during the transition . Before the 1988 presidential election , Speakes had considered working for the campaigns of George H. W. Bush , Jack Kemp , and Alexander Haig ; however , Bush 's people never got back to him , Speakes decided that Kemp was " too hot " ( meaning too quick with an answer ) for television , and was advised by another Washington insider , " You can do that join the Haig team if you want to , but let me tell you one thing : Al Haig ai n't going to be President . " When James Brady was shot in the assassination attempt on President Reagan on March 30 , 1981 , he was unable to return to work , though he retained the title of " Press Secretary " for the duration of Reagan 's presidency . In Brady 's absence , Speakes took over the job of handling the daily press briefings
assassination attempt
Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan
Larry Speakes