speechwriter

13 Stories

Bush's 9/11 Condolences Came From Him
Bush's 9/11
Condolences
Came From Him
OBITUARY

Bush's 9/11 Condolences Came From Him

Presidential speechwriter, 'Washington Post' columnist Michael Gerson dies at 58

(Newser) - "This world He created is of moral design. Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance, and love have no end. And the Lord of life holds all who die and all who mourn." Those words spoken by then-President George W. Bush in the...

Pitt Attributes Speeches to 'Real Work,' 'Funny Friends'

Oscar winner managed to overcome his nerves

(Newser) - Brad Pitt's speechwriting is apparently as worthy of applause as his acting. There was much discussion about Pitt's ghostwriter after a round of impressive award show speeches. But there is no ghostwriter, Pitt told Variety on Sunday as he took home the Oscar for best supporting actor . "...

WH Speechwriter Steps Down, Ex Says: I Feared for My Life

David Sorensen is 2nd WH staffer to resign in recent days amid domestic violence accusations

(Newser) - The White House, still reeling from criticism on how it handled domestic abuse allegations against ex-staff secretary Rob Porter, has a new headache. Per the Washington Post , David Sorensen, a speechwriter reporting to senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, stepped down from his role Friday after his ex-wife, Jessica Corbett, to...

2 People Surprised at Melania Speech: Original Writers

Matthew Scully, John McConnell's draft was gutted after they submitted it

(Newser) - With the Trump campaign still stinging from allegations that Melania Trump cribbed from a 2008 Michelle Obama speech, various news outlets are beginning to piece together how the gaffe happened. At this point, one thing is clear: You can't blame the original speechwriters. As ABC News reports, the Trump...

The Scariest Speech I Ever Wrote for Obama

Failure to raise debt ceiling would mean 'economic shutdown': Jon Favreau

(Newser) - In 2011, White House speechwriter Jon Favreau penned some ominous words predicting the disastrous effects of a failure to raise the debt limit, including indefinite delays on Social Security checks and halted troop pay and veterans' benefits. President Obama never had to give the speech, because the debt ceiling was...

Obama's Wunderkind Speechwriter Leaving

Jon Favreau may head to Hollywood after 7 years with president

(Newser) - Yet another departure from Obama's first term team : Jon Favreau, the president's wunderkind head speechwriter , is moving on. Fittingly, considering with whom he shares his name , Favreau is interested in screenwriting and may end up in Hollywood, the Los Angeles Times reports. Favreau was known for some of...

Obama Speechwriter Takes Comic Act to Hollywood

But Jon Lovett knows Washington writers tend to tank in LA

(Newser) - "Washington speechwriter sick of submerging his comic identity in alpha politicians seeks job in television. Willing to move to West Coast!" So might Jon Lovett's classified ad read, if Hollywood worked like Craigslist. But the Obama speechwriter and standup comic will have to actually move to LA...

JFK Speechwriter Theodore Sorensen Dies

'Ask not' poetic knight of Camelot helped shape history

(Newser) - The man who crafted among the most compelling speeches of political history for President John F. Kennedy has died. Theodore Sorensen, 82, passed away in a Manhattan hospital following a stroke. He was the last poetic knight of Camelot, the youngest top official in the White House who served as...

Bush Speechwriter Nails Jon Stewart
 Bush Speechwriter 
 Nails Jon Stewart 
thanks for talking over me

Bush Speechwriter Nails Jon Stewart

Marc Thiessen to 'Daily Show' host: 'You did most of the talking!'

(Newser) - To say Jon Stewart doesn’t quite agree with former George W. Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen is a bit of an understatement. Things got heated between the two last night on the Daily Show , as Thiessen discussed his new book Courting Disaster and the lawyers he calls the “al-Qaeda...

John Edwards Cut 'I Lied' From Confession

His former speechwriter reflects on her 'sorrow' and 'disgust'

(Newser) - John Edwards watered down the self-criticism in his recent admission of paternity , says the disillusioned former speechwriter who helped him write his confession. "It was very different compared to the one he and I had worked on over the summer," writes Wendy Button. "Gone were the words...

What Happened to Obama the Orator?
 What Happened to 
 Obama the Orator? 
OPINION

What Happened to Obama the Orator?

Empathy is absent from Obama speeches, writes Michael Gerson

(Newser) - The golden age of presidential oration President Obama's more fervent supporters predicted has completely failed to materialize, writes former George W. Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson. Obama's speechmaking—once seen as his greatest strength—has been so uninspired and unmemorable that it now seems like a major weakness, Gerson writes in...

Pundits Lie, Numbers Don't: Women Despise Palin

Frum: So stop telling us how popular she is with 'the people'

(Newser) - Former Bush speechwriter David Frum is sick and tired of hearing the punditocracy gush over how much everyone loves Sarah Palin, and, armed with fistfuls of polls, reminds us: Her fan club is conservative men, and women of all stripes despise her. “If you like Palin,” he writes...

Bush Disses Obama, Palin in Aide's Book

Obama 'has no clue,' while Palin isn't 'remotely prepared'

(Newser) - George Bush apparently didn't think much of Barack Obama as a candidate. “This is a dangerous world, and this cat isn’t remotely qualified to handle it," he's quoted in a new book as saying. "This guy has no clue, I promise you.” GQ has excerpts...

13 Stories
Most Read on Newser