White House reporter for AP

Frances Lewine, 86, a White House correspondent for the Associated Press during the administrations of six presidents, from Eisenhower to Carter, died at her Washington, D.C., home of a probable stroke Saturday, the day before her 87th birthday.

Lewine joined the Washington bureau of the AP in 1956 to cover general assignments, including White House social events and other activities of the first family. But despite her sometimes glamorous assignments, she often expressed frustration that she was relegated to social and family stories and sidebars while male colleagues covered the president.

Lewine’s coverage of first families was deeply appreciated, however, by Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson.

“Fran was a professional journalist of the highest caliber who didn’t compromise the quality or accuracy of her story, but also didn’t compromise common decency,” Johnson said. “I loved her. I’ll miss her.”

Lewine was president of the Women’s National Press Club at a time when some major journalistic organizations excluded women or limited their participation.

The efforts of Lewine and other reporters eventually led groups including the National Press Club and the Gridiron Club to open their membership to women.

Lewine left the AP in 1977 to join the Carter administration and became deputy director of public affairs for the Transportation Department.

When Carter left office in 1981, she moved to the fledgling Cable News Network as an assignment editor and field producer.

Born Jan. 20, 1921, in New York City, Lewine grew up in Far Rockaway on Long Island.

Upon graduation from Hunter College, she worked as a reporter for the Plainfield, N.J., Courier-News and the Newark, N.J., bureau of the AP before moving to the AP’s Washington bureau.