Lee Greif has engaged in many different careers throughout his life, none of which he recalls more fondly than his five year stint in politics. Although they were tumultuous and filled with some heavy tension, the early 1970s were an amazing time to be in the political arena and Greif is extremely appreciative that he could be a part of it. He was first hired in 1971 by Peter Peyser. Peyser was a congressman of New York who had recently won the election in New York’s congress race. Peyser chose Greif to be his chief of staff. This was a decision that he would not go on to regret as Grief would later go on to run two successful campaigns for his reelection.
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.
Grief’s position as a chief of staff during the early 1970s was ideal for Grief to build on-the-job experience. One event he remembers particularly fondly is a dinner party, held by President Nixon at the White House, he attended with three other congressman and their chiefs of staff. He also got to take part in various political briefings with the Secretaries of State and Defense. The period during which Grief was in Washington was also one of great political conflict, and he was forced to defend many unpopular policies– most notably because he was working for a Democrat during the Vietnam War and for a Republican during the Watergate scandal. He notes those two occasions as having required him to stand behind particularly unpopular decisions made by his superiors.
Lee Greif was acting as a chief of state in Washington in the early 1970′s. It was here where he met Randee, the woman who would be his first wife. Randee was working in Washington as a chief of staff for Missouri senator Thomas Eagleton. Greif and Randee became good friends with Eagleton. He was considered an upstanding gentleman and spent much time with Greif and Randee. Greif’s friendship with Eagleton was also a huge asset, as Eagleton was a dedicated public servant. Greif began to see him as a sort of role model and source of inspiration. Eagleton would eventually go on the ballot as Vice President for McGovern. The five years Grief was in Washington as chief of state for Peter Peyser served as an important and joyful time. He would apply the skills and knowledge he learned here to all other challenges in his life.
