Does it matter that most politicians don't write their speeches?

James · #1 09-01-2004, 09:23 PM

We are always like, I was surprised or impressed with the content of someone's speech. But if someone else did most of the research and wrote it, then shouldn't we be more impressed with their delivery?

honeychile · #2 09-01-2004, 09:43 PM

I honestly don't think the majority of Americans even realize that the politician doesn't write the speech, but hires (or has someone hire) the speechwriters.

If more people realized that, I think there would be a lot less "Presidential" quotes, and a lot more real people getting credit for their writing skills. Seriously, how many non-political science majors know that Pierre Salinger is responsible for the "Ask not what your country can do for you..." speech?

Of course, the delivery is important - but the content is still important, or the speaker wouldn't be bothered with it.

James · #3 09-01-2004, 09:48 PM

Maybe we should elect the speech writers

Edited to add: All specches by politicians should be referred to like: LAst night's speech by so and so written by blank.

honeychile · #4 09-01-2004, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James
Maybe we should elect the speech writers

Edited to add: All specches by politicians should be referred to like: LAst night's speech by so and so written by blank.

I agree wholeheartedly!

(Didn't see that one coming, did you?

)

James · #5 09-01-2004, 09:51 PM

Of course I did, I wasn't aware it was possible to disagree with me and still be right.

Quote:

Originally posted by honeychile
I agree wholeheartedly!

(Didn't see that one coming, did you? )

wrigley · #6 09-01-2004, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James
Maybe we should elect the speech writers

Edited to add: All specches by politicians should be referred to like: LAst night's speech by so and so written by blank.

That's a good idea.

valkyrie · #7 09-02-2004, 12:23 AM

I don't think it matters, but it's part of the reason why I almost never listen to political speeches. The rest of the reason is that none of them ever say anything of substance anyway.

AXOjen · #8 09-02-2004, 08:16 AM

I'd vote for Peggy Noonan in a heart beat! I wish she had written the Bush twins' speech. I bet right now they do, too.

Kevin · #9 09-02-2004, 09:13 AM

I think the Bush twins did write their own speech. If not, it was the intern speechwriter.

Anyhow, I'm not so sure it's such a big deal. Yes, everything is preplanned, etc. However, one can safely assume that if the politician is reading certain things in their speech, that's what they believe in -- at least at that time.

Didn't Clinton do a lot of his own speechwriting?

DeltAlum · #10 09-02-2004, 10:17 AM

I don't think they wrote it themselves. I heard one of the network anchors refer to the writer who did.

When you think about it, that would be a pretty tough job for someone who is used to writing speechs for "professional" politicians, and then turn around and have to write one that sounds like a 22 year old.

ETA, the last guy I know for sure wrote his own speech was named Lincoln on a train to Pennsylvania.