In this Book
- Speechwright: An Insider's Take on Political Rhetoric
- Book
- 2011
- Published by: Michigan State University Press
For almost thirty years, William F. Gavin wrote speeches at the highest levels of government. Speechwright is his insider’s view of politics, a shrewd critique of presidential and congressional rhetoric, and a personal look at the political leaders for whom he wrote speeches. While serving President Richard Nixon and candidate Ronald Reagan, Gavin advocated for “working rhetoric”—well-crafted, clear, hard-hitting arguments that did not off er visions of the unattainable, but instead limited political discourse to achievable ends reached through practical means. Filled with hard-earned wisdom about politics and its discontents, Speechwright describes Gavin’s successes, his failures, and his call for political rhetoric built on strong argument rather than the mere search for eloquence.
Table of Contents
- One: A Speech at the Beach
- pp. 3-18
- Two: A Speechwright’s Education
- pp. 19-32
- Three: Becoming a Speechwright
- pp. 33-40
- Four: On the Campaign Trail
- pp. 41-58
- Five: The White House
- pp. 59-72
- Six: A Brief Bureaucratic Interlude
- pp. 73-84
- Seven: Jim Buckley and Ronald Reagan
- pp. 85-102
- Eight: Bob Michel, Man of the House
- pp. 103-116
- Nine: Working with the Gipper, Again
- pp. 117-124
- Ten: Getting the Job Done
- pp. 125-134
- Acknowledgments
- pp. 147-149
Additional Information
Copyright
2011