David Franklin Demarest Jr. (born October 8, 1951) is a former Vice President for Public Affairs,Stanford University and a formerRepublican operative who worked forPresidentsRonald Reagan andGeorge H. W. Bush.

David Demarest began his Washington, D.C. career in the late 1970s, working with state and local political candidates on behalf of theRepublican National Committee. Before 1977, he participated in several congressional campaigns in New Jersey. During theReagan administration, he served in theOffice of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he was Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Public, Intergovernmental, and Private Sector Affairs. He was later AssistantSecretary of Labor for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.^[1]

In 1988 Demarest was the communications director on theBush-Quayle presidential campaign. He then served four years as member of the White House senior staff. AsWhite House Communications Director, he worked directly with the President, the White House Chief of Staff, and the Cabinet, and in that capacity managed a broad range of White House communications activities, including presidential speechwriting, public liaison, media relations, and intergovernmental affairs.^[1]

Demarest was instrumental in directing theWillie Horton message during the1988 presidential campaign and in setting up thecrack buy inLafayette Park that kicked off President Bush'swar on drugs.^[2][3]

After Demarest left the White House, he became Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications atBank of America. In 1999, David became Executive Vice President for Global Corporate Relations atVisa.^[1]

David Demarest is the father of two daughters.

• Appearances onC-SPAN

• 1951 births
• Drew University alumni
• George H. W. Bush administration personnel
• Living people
• New Jersey Republicans
• People from Glen Ridge, New Jersey
• Stanford University people
• Upsala College alumni
• White House communications directors

• Use mdy dates from June 2019
• People appearing on C-SPAN