Following his years in public service, Gergen worked as a political journalist, commentator, and editor. After leaving the White House in 1977, he worked as a freelance writer and, in 1978, as the first managing editor of "Public Opinion", a magazine published by the American Enterprise Institute. From 1985 to 1986, he worked as an editor at "U.S. News & World Report", where he became editor at large following his service in the Clinton administration. There, he worked with publisher Mort Zuckerman to achieve record gains in circulation and advertising.