Posted on 01/09/2005 12:24:46 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
President Bush will start his second term with many of his closest and longtime aides by his side including chief of staff Andrew Card, senior adviser Karl Rove and Communications Director Dan Bartlett. Although the visual picture will largely look the same after Jan. 20, Bush's words may sound very different. Michael Gerson, Bush's chief speechwriter, who has helped craft nearly every one of Bush's speeches during his first term, is leaving his job. Gerson is expected to move into the policy arena and be replaced as head speechwriter by Wall Street Journal editorial-page writer William McGurn. Gerson's job change cements the breakup of Bush's speechwriting team that included deputies John McConnell and Matthew Scully.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I've often wondered just how much input the president (any president) really gets in these speeches. Can the top man actually say what HE wants to say, or is it all just written for him, and he has to go along with it?
I think most presidents know what they want to say, these guys are used to "turn a phrase." Look back on some of Reagans handwritten notes of speech drafts and you'll see him mark stuff out, etc. One doesn't get to the point of this kind of leadership and then quit leading.
""Gerson is expected to move into the policy arena and be replaced as head speechwriter by Wall Street Journal editorial-page writer William McGurn. Gerson's job change cements the breakup of Bush's speechwriting team that included deputies John McConnell and Matthew Scully."
Looks like David Frum is out.
Frum has been out for about three years now. Ever since his wife publicly took credit for his "Axis of Evil" phrase.
Too bad.
I believe W involves in the writing of his speechs, not simply read them. IIRC, Frum was surprised when once he wrote a speech, Bush sent it back to him with a personal note on 'how to write a good speech', a theory he got from his Yale professor.
I love his note! Thanks for the info.
President Reagan did with his line, "Mr. Gorbechov, tear down this wall." That line was red-lined many times by his speech writers. Ronnie seemingly became fed up, and made that statement in one of his speeches.
I was once on the receiving end of a note similar to that when I wrote a history mid-term paper while in college in 1968. I had made a grammatical error. The professor asked me to resubmit the entire paper, or I would not pass.
I don't know much about William McGurn, but I believe that Gerson has served Bush well. Gerson, a Wheaton grad, ably communicated the President's spiritual convictions in various speeches. ("Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.") I hope Mr. McGurn can do the same.
I didn't know that---see--when one hangs with Freepers, one learns lots of interesting things! Thanks.
You are welcome, Friend. There is one hell of a lot of talent here. I am guessing that the majority of us are in our 40-60s. Many are ex-vets, many combat vets, wounded, etc.
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Relax, sit back, pour a cup of coffee in the AM, or have a beer in the PM.
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Watch for the lurkers... we play games with the leftie jerks and then the Admin guys start the ZOT routine. It's too bad the lefty lurkers get ZOTted, just when we start inflicting damage on their logic.
Cheers!
I think if I hadn't found FR in those days, I would have gone nuts--LOL!
Well Gerson certainly did a magnificent job today!
And W was outstanding!
Excellent speech!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Oh well, it was a fine (and downright soaring in parts) speech!
Yes, the mention of the Koran didn't sit well with me either. LOL
But overall it was a very ambitious and powerful speech.
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