Personally I'd love to say, but um, there's a reason it's called "ghost" writing.....and not "publicly known pinch hitting." But there's three, and two related to politics you have 100% heard of....one of which you've 100% heard speak my words at some time....and one guy you've never heard of probably. Of the two in politics, one is a major, and I mean MAJOR media figure...the other was a Presidential candidate.
Just poking my proboscis in here for a moment to say (to Fresh Wind) that C. Edmund isn’t blowing smoke here, I’m aware of who he has ghostwritten for, and while I likewise cannot go into detail due to confidentiality issues, the man is on the level and I more than respect what he has accomplished in his ‘outside-FR’ life. ;)
MeGYN Kelly and McCain, then. Great.
A mole, a troll, or just an ___hole?
More clearly stated, you are operating under a non-disclosure agreement. That's understandable.
But in general, I believe that an author who uses a ghost writer, particularly when the result is a tangible work (book, article, etc.) published and sold under his/her name, and who doesn't reveal the ghost writer's contribution, is clearly being dishonest to anyone who might read that work.
The case of a political speechwriter is different, since it's widely known and assumed that politicians routinely farm out their speeches to contract writers.
When a ghost is involved, there is always the question as to whose thoughts you are actually reading, as you alluded to in your original comment about Trump's book, and that's a fair point to make.
But at least Trump is honest enough to disclose his ghost writers for most (if not all) of his books. And that's more than you can say for people like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.