Presidential Presidential SpeechwritingSpeechwriting

Performance or Personal?Performance or Personal?

Ten Myths that Plague Modern Ten Myths that Plague Modern SpeechwritingSpeechwriting

Martin MedhurstMartin Medhurst

““In the good old days, presidents always In the good old days, presidents always wrote their own speeches”wrote their own speeches”

2)2) ““Franklin Roosevelt was the first modern Franklin Roosevelt was the first modern president to use speechwriters on a regular president to use speechwriters on a regular basis”basis”

3)3) ““The people who write speeches for the The people who write speeches for the president of the U.S. have always been president of the U.S. have always been called speechwriters”called speechwriters”

4)4) ““Presidential Speechwriters – whatever title they Presidential Speechwriters – whatever title they might have – are always employed as members might have – are always employed as members of the White House.”of the White House.”

5)5) ““Speechwriters merely reflect what the Speechwriters merely reflect what the president’s policies are. Their role is one of president’s policies are. Their role is one of ornamentation and amplification, not invention.”ornamentation and amplification, not invention.”

6)6) ““Speechwriting reduces presidents to marionette Speechwriting reduces presidents to marionette who merely mouth the words that others write who merely mouth the words that others write for them.”for them.”

7)7) “ “ The most successful presidential speechwriters The most successful presidential speechwriters have displayed a passion for anonymity.”have displayed a passion for anonymity.”

8)8) ““Presidential discourse would be better if we Presidential discourse would be better if we could eliminate speechwriters and let the could eliminate speechwriters and let the presidents write their own speeches.”presidents write their own speeches.”

9)9) ““The practice of speechwriting makes it The practice of speechwriting makes it impossible to judge what presidents really impossible to judge what presidents really believe by examining their speeches believe by examining their speeches because their words are not their own.”because their words are not their own.”

10)10) ““Speechwriting is a relatively minor part of Speechwriting is a relatively minor part of the larger policy-making process and the the larger policy-making process and the further we can keep the speechwriters away further we can keep the speechwriters away from policy discussions the better off we will from policy discussions the better off we will be.be.

Speechwriting in ActionSpeechwriting in Action

““Message in a Message in a Bottle”Bottle”

Gerald FordGerald Ford

Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter

George H.W. BushGeorge H.W. Bush

Attached less importance to speechmaking than Attached less importance to speechmaking than their predecessors, yet spoke more frequentlytheir predecessors, yet spoke more frequently

Used professional wordsmiths to write speeches Used professional wordsmiths to write speeches instead of collaborating on speeches with senior instead of collaborating on speeches with senior aidesaides

Kept speechwriters at a distance and allowed them Kept speechwriters at a distance and allowed them little involvement in policy. As a result collaboration little involvement in policy. As a result collaboration with speechwriters, when it did occur, was symbolic with speechwriters, when it did occur, was symbolic rather than substantiverather than substantive

Speeches lacked consistent thematic concepts, and Speeches lacked consistent thematic concepts, and stylistic features.stylistic features.

Administrations plagued by squabbles between Administrations plagued by squabbles between speechwriters and staff which were reflected in a speechwriters and staff which were reflected in a sense of incoherency and inconsistancy in their sense of incoherency and inconsistancy in their speechesspeeches

““Speechmaking Re-Speechmaking Re-invention”invention”

William Jefferson ClintonWilliam Jefferson Clinton

Never had a speechwriter until his 1992 Never had a speechwriter until his 1992 campaigncampaign

For the first two years he used his For the first two years he used his speechwriters more for outlines than full speechwriters more for outlines than full text, often choosing to improvise off of their text, often choosing to improvise off of their work. work.

Frequently rewrote entire speeches himself.Frequently rewrote entire speeches himself. 1994 Republican Revolution created a 1994 Republican Revolution created a

change in Clinton and a need for better change in Clinton and a need for better communicationcommunication

Moved the speechwriting team into the Moved the speechwriting team into the White House, so that they become more White House, so that they become more involved with policy. involved with policy.

Used public opinion polling more than any Used public opinion polling more than any other President.other President.