Pierre Salinger

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Revision as of 01:20, 19 August 2007

Pierre Emil George Salinger (June 14, 1925-October 16, 2004) was a White House Press Secretary to U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. He also was an ABC News correspondent.

Born in San Francisco, California, Salinger attended the University of San Francisco. Following his service in the Kennedy administration, he was appointed as a Democratic United States Senator from California to fill the vacancy resulting from the July 30, 1964 death of Senator Clair Engle. Salinger took office on August 4, 1964. In his bid for a full six-year term in the 1964 election, he was defeated by George Murphy following a campaign in which Salinger's recent move to California, following many years living elsewhere, became an issue. He resigned from the Senate on December 31, 1964, only three days before his term was to expire. Senator-elect Murphy, who was to take office on January 3, 1965, was appointed to fill the remaining two days of Salinger's term.

In January 1989, Salinger began a three-year investigation with ABC News into the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During this time, according to an article by Christopher Bryon in the American Spectator, Salinger passed confidential ABC News memos on the bombing to the CIA. Salinger admitted doing this to Byron, saying he was only trying to help. Those who worked with Salinger believe he later passed ABC News information on the bombing to Colonel Gadaffi of Libya. Two Libyans were indicted over the terrorist attack but Salinger believed Libya had been set up. In a 1989 ABC Prime TIme Special, he named the so-called "Kenyan Three" as the masterminds of the bombing: three Palestinians no one else had ever heard of. Although there was no evidence to support this widely ridiculed claim, the program won an Emmy, much to the disgust of other journalists who had worked on the PA 103 story.

Salinger later became known for his claims in November 1996 that friendly fire from the United States Navy was the cause of the TWA Flight 800 crash, based on what was later seen as an Internet hoax. He lent his name to the Pierre Salinger syndrome, the tendency to assume everything written on the Internet is true.

In November 2000, Salinger embarrassed himself further by refusing to step down from the witness box in the Netherland court where the two Libyan intelligence officers were on trial for PA 103. Salinger shouted incoherently that he knew who the real bombers were and had to be asked to leave the stand by the judge, lest the Kenyan Three make another unexpected appearance.

Salinger died near his home in Le Thor, France, after a decade or more of suffering from dementia, which may have been the real reason for his 1996 TWA claims and Lockerbie court outburst.

Books:

With Kennedy
America Held Hostage
Secret Dossier: The Hidden Agenda Behind the Gulf War
Je Suis un Americain
La France et le Nouveau Monde
P.S.: A Memoir, 1995

Preceded by:
Clair Engle

United States Senators from California

Succeeded by:
George L. Murphy

de:Pierre Salinger

fr:Pierre Salinger nl:Pierre Salinger

Categories: 1925 births | 2004 deaths | United States Senators | White House Press Secretaries

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 [[image:PierreSalinger.jpg|right|Pierre Salinger]]
-'''Pierre Emil George Salinger''' ([[June 14]], [[1925]]-[[October 16]], [[2004]]) was a [[White House Press Secretary]] to [[President of the United States of America|U.S. Presidents]] [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Lyndon Johnson]]. He also was an [[American Broadcasting Company News|ABC News]] journalist.
+'''Pierre Emil George Salinger''' ([[June 14]], [[1925]]-[[October 16]], [[2004]]) was a [[White House Press Secretary]] to [[President of the United States of America|U.S. Presidents]] [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Lyndon Johnson]]. He also was an [[American Broadcasting Company News|ABC News]] correspondent.
 Born in [[San Francisco, California]], Salinger attended the [[University of San Francisco]]. Following his service in the Kennedy administration, he was appointed as a [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[California]] to fill the vacancy resulting from the [[July 30]], [[1964]] death of Senator [[Clair Engle]].  Salinger took office on [[August 4]], 1964.  In his bid for a full six-year term in the 1964 election, he was defeated by [[George Murphy]] following a campaign in which Salinger's recent move to California, following many years living elsewhere, became an issue.  He resigned from the Senate on [[December 31]], 1964, only three days before his term was to expire.  Senator-elect Murphy, who was to take office on [[January 3]], [[1965]], was appointed to fill the remaining two days of Salinger's term.
-He later became known for his claims in November [[1996]] that [[friendly fire]] from the [[United States Navy]] was the cause of the [[TWA Flight 800]] crash, based on what was later seen as an Internet [[hoax]]. He lent his name to the [[Pierre Salinger syndrome]], the tendency to assume everything written on the [[Internet]] is true.
+In January 1989, Salinger began a three-year investigation with ABC News into the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During this time, according to an article by Christopher Bryon in the American Spectator, Salinger passed confidential ABC News memos on the bombing to the CIA. Salinger admitted doing this to Byron, saying he was only trying to help. Those who worked with Salinger believe he later passed ABC News information on the bombing to Colonel Gadaffi of Libya. Two Libyans were indicted over the terrorist attack but Salinger believed Libya had been set up. In a 1989 ABC Prime TIme Special, he named the so-called "Kenyan Three" as the masterminds of the bombing: three Palestinians no one else had ever heard of. Although there was no evidence to support this widely ridiculed claim, the program won an Emmy, much to the disgust of other journalists who had worked on the PA 103 story.
-He died of heart failure near his home in [[Le Thor, Florida|Le Thor]], [[France]].
+Salinger later became known for his claims in November [[1996]] that [[friendly fire]] from the [[United States Navy]] was the cause of the [[TWA Flight 800]] crash, based on what was later seen as an Internet [[hoax]]. He lent his name to the [[Pierre Salinger syndrome]], the tendency to assume everything written on the [[Internet]] is true.
+In November 2000, Salinger embarrassed himself further by refusing to step down from the witness box in the Netherland court where the two Libyan intelligence officers were on trial for PA 103. Salinger shouted incoherently that he knew who the real bombers were and had to be asked to leave the stand by the judge, lest the Kenyan Three make another unexpected appearance.
+Salinger died near his home in [[Le Thor, Florida|Le Thor]], [[France]], after a decade or more of suffering from dementia, which may have been the real reason for his 1996 TWA claims and Lockerbie court outburst.
 Books: