The American Dream: A Personal Story
Good afternoon. It is a great honor to be invited to speak to you today. Thank you so much for the invitation. As I was considering what topics would be …
Speechwriting, to code
You’re a master carpenter. You’ve built a hundred houses. You show up at Job #101 and the homeowner mentions he wants all the nails pointy side up. Yes, that’s right, …
Rhetorical Recap: A Man in Continous Motion
I don’t know whether Beto O’Rourke keeps a diary. Seems old-fashioned, but you never know. If he does, here is what may have raced through his mind and onto an …
What’s the difference between a senior speechwriter and an executive communicator?
A veteran corporate communications headhunter is on her first search for a pure exec comms role,and asks: “Is there a preferred title for executive communications professionals? Do they prefer to …
Rhetorical Recap: Good Speech, Bad Timing
Of all the days for Attorney General Barr to release his summary of the Mueller Report, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand could not have wanted March 24. That news all but eliminated …
Four speechwriters sought
Carnegie Mellon seeks an executive communications manager for the president. “In this new role, you will bring together the vision and the guiding principles of leadership for a variety of audiences.” Google …
She inspired us anyway
Isabelle Gaudeul-Ehrhart suggested back in January that we invite Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg to speak at the World Conference of the Professional Speechwriters Association. Justice Ginsburg published a collection of …
Public Service in Divisive Times
Thank you for that kind introduction and for giving me the opportunity to visit Seaver College again. It is funny. I have briefed Presidents, I have negotiated with Afghan warlords, …
For Speechwriters, a Cautionary Tale
U.S. speechwriters: If you’re writing for a foreign official, pay heed: West Wing Writers’ managing partner Vinca LaFleur played by the rules when she went to write speeches and other communications …
Humor in Speeches: Another Double Standard
The Harvard Business Review reports that audiences admire male speakers who make jokes, but find women wags wanting. “We find that when men add humor to a business presentation, observers view …