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While reporters seldom question his sure political instinct, his honesty or his refusal to play favorites among the press, newsmen occasionally complain that Hagerty is not equipped to analyze the Administration's ideas or provide interpretative background on policy questions. Hagerty's strength lies in his mastery of technicalities, both political and journalistic, and his closeness to. the President.
Soon after his election, Ike told Hagerty to "come in any time you think it's necessary," has given him greater latitude in releasing White House news than has ever previously been extended to a presidential press secretary. As a result, Hagerty has greatly liberalized White House news coverage, e.g., he introduced regular TV, still-photo and radio coverage of Eisenhower's news conferences, now permits full, direct press quotation of the President for the first time. Hagerty's proudest boast: "I have never attempted to tell a reporter how to write a story."
Nor does anyone in Washington try to run Jim Hagerty's business. On one occasion soon after he joined Eisenhower's campaign staff, Hagerty's temper got him into a hot argument with Ike. Finally Eisenhower walked over to Hagerty, clapped a hand on his shoulder and said: "You don't scare easy, do you?" Eisenhower confided that when he was on Gen eral Douglas MacArthur's staff (1935-39), he had made a point of speaking up when he disagreed with MacArthur, told Hagerty: "You be the same way with me and we'll get along all right."
A Fair Break. In Denver, Hagerty's dander has been sorely tried. For example: On Ike's birthday, United Press Photographer Stan Tretick and International News Photos' Maurice Johnson disguised themselves as patients in blue denim uniforms. They waited on the fifth-floor sundeck, and as Eisenhower was wheeled to the railing on the eighth-floor deck, they whipped out their cameras and took the first closeups of Ike since his attack. The pictures were confiscated. Snapped Hagerty: "If one of those Secret Service boys saw the glint of a camera and fired, no one would have blamed him a bit."
But when things are done Hagerty's way. he makes sure that the President will be pleased and that newsmen will get a scrupulously fair break. Last week, when doctors finally allowed Ike to pose for pictures (see NATIONAL AFFAIRS), Hagerty mapped the photo session with military precision. Photographers were told sternly that they could move sideward or backward, but no closer than 9 ft. from a taped line marking the President's position. They were also warned not to raise their voices, give instructions to the President or take last-minute shots after the session ended.