(Albert) Merriman Smith (February 10, 1913 – April 13, 1970) was a wire service reporter, notably serving as White House correspondent for United Press International and its predecessor, United Press.
He was born in Savannah, Georgia.
Known by his middle name, Merriman Smith covered US presidents from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Richard Nixon and originated the practice of closing presidential news conferences with "Thank You, Mr. President," which was the title of his 1946 book, written during his coverage of the Harry Truman administration. [1]
That honor, accorded the senior wire service reporter present at presidential news conferences, became more popularly known when it was continued by Smith's UPI colleague Helen Thomas.[2]
In 1964, Smith won the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. He first used the term grassy knoll regarding the assassination.[3]
Smith was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967.
In the 1960's, Smith was a frequent guest on television interview programs hosted by Jack Paar and Merv Griffin
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He died at his home in Washington, D.C. from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His grave is in Section 32 of Arlington National Cemetery (next to his son) by special permission by the Commanding General of the Military District of Washington.