(7 of 10)
The decision to shuttle Cabinet officers like badminton birds between Washington and Denver was made by the White House staff as a whole. But Hagerty, who does not consider it his duty to stress the dark side of presidential life, certainly saw to it that the visiting dignitaries, and the routine papers they brought for the President to sign, were heralded in headlines. He produced them for interviews and at least once handed a Cabinet member a statement to read about how well Ike looked—before the man had even been in to see the President.
Remember the Major. Hagerty's skillful handling of the Denver crisis deepened his association with President Eisenhower. Before Denver, although holding profound respect for Hagerty's professional ability, Ike had referred to him as "my technician." After Denver the phrase was "my friend." More and more often Ike would pop his head out of his office, look around and inquire: "Where's Jim?" Says another White House staffer: "He just wants to know where Jim is because, I guess, he feels better when Jim is around." Usually Hagerty still has to check with the President before answering press questions on substantive issues. "But," he says, "I think I know the President's feelings and philosophy so well that many times I can speak for him without checking. Remember, you live with the man."
Part of living with the man is knowing how to approach him: Hagerty remembers that the President once told him: "When I was a young major in the Philippines, I worked for a general [Douglas MacArthur] with strong opinions. But when I felt it was my duty to argue, I never hesitated." Today, when Hagerty feels it his duty to argue, he asks the President: "Do you remember that young major?" Sighs Dwight Eisenhower: "Yeah. What is it now?"
Broken Logjam. Less than a year after the Denver coronary President Eisenhower underwent surgery for ileitis at Washington's Walter Reed hospital. Hagerty set up a special phone connection outside the operating room, had the report of a successful operation to reporters three minutes after the surgeons had finished and 16 minutes before the President was wheeled back to his hospital room. In 36 hours Hagerty held 14 press conferences, but he generally kept newsmen and doctors apart, was by no means so lavish with medical details as in Denver. Says Hagerty: "A presidential heart attack is the property of the people. But we did not consider the ileitis something that endangered the President's life."