Lee Greif - Role In Politics
October 22nd, 2008Though he had many different careers in his life, Lee Greif recalls his five year turn in politics with the most fondness. First hired in 1971 by new Congressman of New York Peter Peyser, Greif was chosen by Peyser to be his chief of staff. The early 1970s was a tumultuous time to be in politics, but it was obvious Peyser did not regret picking Grief as his chief of staff because he ran two successful campaigns for reelection. Throughout this period, despite the high tension of the era, Grief was extremely grateful to be involved in the political arena as he found it very interesting.
Grief had a way of taking a difficult goal and achieving it, not matter what. His bosses took note of that, assigning him some very high-profile tasks that only bettered his reputation. It wasn’t just his talent or work ethic that often helped him. He had connections. Among them was Peter Peyser, a notable political player as well. The Republican congressman, who served Westchester County, a suburb of New York, had strong ties to Nelson Rockefeller, both professionally and personally. They were friends, but they also combined forces to craft some important public policies. Through his relationship with Peyser, Grief used the Rockefeller connection to open some doors.
There were a lot of opportunities for Greif to be involved in a hands-on way while he was chief of staff in the early 1970s. Along with three congressional chiefs of staff, he was on the scene for one of Nixon’s dinner parties at the White House, and he got experience briefing many high-ranking officials, including state and defense department secretaries. But working for a Democrat during two periods of crisis — Watergate and the Vietnam war — Greif wasn’t always well liked by everyone, and sometimes he had to tout controversial ideas and policies. He remembers at least twice having to stand up for administration proposals that didn’t have a lot of public support.
Lee Grief first met Randee, the woman who would become his first wife, while he was working as a Chief of Staff in Washington, DC in the early 1970s. At the time, she was also working as a chief of staff, for Missouri senator Thomas Eagleton. Lee, Randee, and Senator Eagleton all became very good friends; the couple thought he was a wonderful person and often spent time with him. Further, since Eagleton was a hard-working public figure, his political support was invaluable to Lee’s career. He came to be a role model and enormous inspirational force in Lee’s life. Eagleton even, later in his career, ran for Vice President under George McGovern. Grief’s five years working for Peter Peyser in Washington would prove to be a time crucial to his career, and one he remembered very happily later in life. The experience he gained in that time proved to be invaluable as his career progressed.