Margaret D. Tutwiler

Margaret Tutwiler
Margaret Tutwiler
Born	December 28, 1950 (age 75); Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Political figure, diplomat
Known for	Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Ambassador to Morocco, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

Margaret DeBardeleben Tutwiler (born December 28, 1950) is a U.S. political figure who has occupied several positions within the United States Department of State.

Early life and career

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Tutwiler is the daughter of Temple Tutwiler II and Margaret (DeBardeleben) Tutwiler. She pursued studies at Finch College in New York City and later at the University of Alabama. Following her education, she served as secretary to the chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

At the age of 26, Tutwiler joined James A. Baker III’s team during Gerald Ford’s 1976 presidential campaign. In 1980, she became part of Baker’s staff managing George H. W. Bush’s bid for the Republican nomination. After Bush was defeated by Ronald Reagan for the nomination, Baker took charge of Reagan’s campaign and brought Tutwiler along to support his political efforts.

Reagan White House

Following Reagan’s election victory and Baker’s appointment as White House Chief of Staff, Tutwiler requested to join him, expressing, "Until we figure it out, can’t I just be your jack of all trades?" One of her responsibilities included handling calls from members of Congress or media when Baker was unavailable.

Over time, she earned a reputation as Baker’s trusted aide and close confidante. During the 1984 presidential campaign, Baker assigned her to serve as a liaison to Reagan’s re-election effort partly to oversee Ed Rollins, who had been critical of Baker.

After Reagan’s successful re-election, Baker became Secretary of the Treasury and brought Tutwiler along as his chief political assistant, initially holding the title Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.

H.W. Bush White House

When George H. W. Bush assumed the presidency in 1989 and Baker was named Secretary of State, Tutwiler joined the State Department as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. Although she was initially uneasy about managing daily briefings due to limited experience, she embraced the role.

During the Tiananmen Square protests in June 1989, Tutwiler oversaw press briefings for the State Department and challenged the administration’s cautious approach to China’s crackdown, urging Baker to issue a public rebuke. She initially declined to present briefings that aligned with the administration’s stance until personally directed by Baker.

Tutwiler suggested that Baker invite Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze to his Wyoming ranch in September 1989, an initiative that helped strengthen U.S.-Soviet diplomatic ties.

She was part of the delegation accompanying Secretary Baker to President Bush’s December 1989 summit with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in Malta.

On August 13, 1992, when Baker left his post at the State Department to become White House Chief of Staff and lead Bush's re-election campaign, Tutwiler returned to the White House alongside him. Following Bush’s defeat in the election, a special prosecutor investigated allegations that the campaign had sought information from Bill Clinton's passport records; although no charges were filed, Tutwiler and other aides retained legal representation during this inquiry.

In 1996, as Baker considered a challenge against Clinton for the presidency, he consulted with Tutwiler and had her review drafts of his memoirs.

2000 Election and the Bush Administration

During the disputed 2000 United States presidential election in Florida, Baker took charge of George W. Bush's legal team within the state, working closely with Tutwiler, who organized staff from a strategic base located in the state Republican Party headquarters.

On August 25, 2002, prior to the onset of the Iraq War, Baker authored an opinion piece encouraging President Bush to obtain a United Nations Security Council resolution that would authorize military action to ensure Iraq’s adherence to inspection requirements. Although Tutwiler supported a more assertive approach toward the conflict, Baker chose not to publicly challenge the administration’s policy.

Within the Bush administration, Tutwiler held the position of Ambassador to Morocco from 2001 until 2003. Subsequently, she was appointed Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, serving from December 16, 2003, through June 30, 2004. Following her Senate confirmation on December 9, 2003, she took over from Charlotte Beers and directed initiatives aimed at improving the U.S. government's global public relations efforts.

Career in the Private Sector

In July 2004, Tutwiler moved into corporate communications at NYSE Euronext. Her professional association with NYSE CEO John Thain facilitated her appointments as head of communications at Merrill Lynch in December 2007 and subsequently at CIT Group in August 2010.

Additionally, she holds a position on the board of directors for the International Republican Institute, where she contributes to its leadership and strategic planning.

External links

Margaret Tutwiler Diaries housed at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University
Interview featured in Frontline Diplomacy: The Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training
Profile within the Alabama Academy of Honor

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