Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

His words, the president's voice
Chicago Tribune ^ | Mike Dorning

Posted on 03/09/2009 3:11:26 AM PDT by cdchik123

WASHINGTON — The new president's first address to Congress loomed and Barack Obama had convened a few trusted advisers in the Oval Office.

Seated in a chair beside the fireplace, Obama turned his attention to a 27-year-old with close-cropped hair among the aides perched on the office couch. His instructions were familiar.

"You and I always tell a story pretty well. I still want to make sure we do that here," Obama said, according to one participant.

Behind a president defined more by his oratory than any political figure in a generation is chief speechwriter Jon Favreau, whose work with Obama began soon after the Illinois senator arrived in Washington four years ago and who knows the president's ideas and rhythms so well that Obama has called him a mind-reader.

Throughout the grueling, nearly two-year-long presidential campaign, Favreau lived a life of constant deadlines and caffeine-fueled nights, carrying Obama's 1995 autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," and committing to memory the 2004 Democratic convention speech that introduced Obama to the country. He now works one floor below the president, in a basement office in the West Wing.

Favreau, or "Favs" to his friends and co-workers, is the second-youngest person ever to work as chief White House speechwriter. Only James Fallows was younger—by a mere two months—when he started as Jimmy Carter's top speechwriter.

Though Favreau mostly works out of the limelight, he had an unwelcome brush with celebrity in December after a Facebook photo surfaced of him at a party groping a cardboard cut-out of Hillary Clinton—a bit of clowning for which he quickly apologized.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: favreau; jonfavreau; obama

1 posted on 03/09/2009 3:11:26 AM PDT by cdchik123
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: cdchik123
Young, desperate and out of control. That about sums up this administration...
2 posted on 03/09/2009 3:20:39 AM PDT by Jagman (POTUS Interruptus: The natural way to prevent unwanted stimulus packages!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cdchik123
And they said George Bush needed gravitas?

Break out the propellor beanies.

Cheers!

3 posted on 03/09/2009 3:53:35 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers

> And they said George Bush needed gravitas?
The current administration is all fluff-itas.


4 posted on 03/09/2009 4:00:39 AM PDT by BuffaloJack (To stand up for Capitalism is to hope Obama fails.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: cdchik123

5 posted on 03/09/2009 4:07:28 AM PDT by Reeses (Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cdchik123

“His words” the president’s voice did he write 57 states statement?


6 posted on 03/09/2009 4:29:03 AM PDT by Vaduz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson