Lawrence L. Knutson, a journalist and writer, retired in 2002 after a thirty-seven-year career with the Associated Press, mostly in Washington. As an AP reporter, he covered the White House, Congress, the State Department and national political campaigns and witnessed every presidential administration from Lyndon B. Johnson to George W. Bush. And he frequently observed presidents on vacation.

Always interested in the historical background of the news, he wrote a column centered on the history of Washington. It touched on a wide range of historical events, figures and places, including the presidency, Congress and the White House. Knutson is the author of the historical essay, "Truman Beach: The 33rd president at Key West," which appeared in White House History.