VICTORIA CLARKE

(Redirected from Torie Clarke)

'Victoria C. "Torie" Clarke' (March 1959 in Pittsburgh) is an American public relations consultant who has served in the private sector and in three Republican presidential administrations, most notably as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under Donald Rumsfeld.
Clarke is a graduate of George Washington University and began her career as a photographer for the now defunct Washington Star. She was President of Bozell Eskew Advertising, Vice President of the National Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Manhattan office director for the public-relations firm of Hill & Knowlton. She has served as the PR chief to Senator John McCain and held positions on the staff of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Clarke joined the staff of Vice President Cheney in early 2001. She subsequently moved to the Pentagon to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs during President George W. Bush's first term in office, under Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
It is reported that Clarke was fired from her position due to the dramatization of Private Jessica Lynch's rescue from Iraq. "With media pressure mounting at the Pentagon for some truthful answers, just two weeks later Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke - best known for her Captain Kangaroo suits - resigned 'for personal reasons,' effective immediately"[1].
During Clarke's term as the General Manager of Hill & Knowlton's Washington, DC office, the infamous "Nurse Nayirah" scandal took place during the run up to the first Gulf War in late 1990, in which her public relations firm produced a false 15 year old witness to the United Nations who fabricated atrocities committed by Iraq towards Kuwaiti children. It is believed that this emotional but fabricated testimony had a large part in shaping public opinion for the war. [2]
Clarke has been a close colleague of Mary Matalin and Peggy Noonan since the Reagan administration. Clarke often filled in for Matalin on the show ''Equal Time'' during its run on CNBC in the 1990s.
She is the author of ''Lipstick on a Pig: Winning In the No-Spin Era by Someone Who Knows the Game'' (2006, ISBN 0-7432-7116-5), about spin in politics. Clarke appeared on the February 7, 2006, episode of ''The Daily Show'' to promote it.
Clarke is a pro-feminist, pro-choice Republican. She is married to former Fannie Mae executive Brian J. Graham, a Democrat. She is the mother of three children (two sons and a daughter). She and her family live in suburban Washington, D.C.
Victoria (Torie) Clarke currently serves as the Senior Advisor of Communications and Government Relations for Comcast Corporation. Torie helps to lead Comcast’s integrated strategic communications and government affairs efforts, including helping to coordinate Comcast’s efforts in the communications and government affairs arena with other members of the cable industry.
Prior to joining Comcast, Torie was the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, where she played an integral role in shaping the public’s understanding of the war on terrorism and worked closely with Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. Torie accompanied Rumsfeld on official visits to every continent, including trips to Kabul, Baghdad, Moscow and the Balkans. Her televised press briefings—as well as appearances on programs ranging from 60 Minutes to Good Morning America to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart—have made her a recognized public figure as well.
During the 1992 presidential election, Torie served as President George H.W. Bush’s press secretary. In addition, she was a close advisor to Arizona Senator John McCain from the earliest days of his Congressional career. As Assistant U.S. Trade Representative during the first Bush Administration, Torie worked extensively with journalists from around the world and ran a comprehensive private sector liaison program.
In addition, Torie has held positions as President of Bozell Eskew advertising, head of the Washington office of the internationally known public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton and Vice President of the National Cable Telecommunications Association, where she helped to develop the first television ratings system and the cable industry’s first on-time guarantee.
Her innovative communication strategies and public service have brought her many awards including the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, presented by Secretary Rumsfeld; The Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award, presented by then General Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the 2003 Matrix Award for Professional Achievement, presented by the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications; and The 2003 Gill Robb Wilson Award recognizing outstanding contributions in arts and letters, presented by the Air Force Association.
Torie is a graduate of George Washington University. She lives in suburban Washington with her husband, Brian Graham, and her three children.

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External links

★ [3]

★ Profile of Clarke

★ Torie Clarke's campaign contributions

★ Torie Clarke's personal website

Citation

★ [http://www.politicalstar.com/jessica-lynch-book.html [1] Jessica Lynch's Book]

★ [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0305/S00029.htm [2] Weapons of Mass Distraction]