In His Candidate’s Voice

 

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Together they had just three weeks to work on Obama's game-changing speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Iowa and even less time to work on Obama's victory speech last week. Weaving together lines from previous speeches—and even Obama's books—the team now knows the themes and language that reflect the candidate's voice.

"Even if we had finished third, we would go on to New Hampshire," says Favreau of the victory speech plan. "I had a winning and a keep-fighting speech, but in the end they weren't that different. The message out of Iowa was one of unity and reaching out across party lines. We knew we were going to do well with independents, young people and first-time voters. We knew the message was similar to what he said at the 2004 convention."

The result was a speech with a light touch on the most striking point about Obama's victory: the historic nature of a black candidate's win in the almost entirely white state of Iowa. "The first line was simply, 'They said this day would never come'," says Favreau. "Even when we do speeches to African-American crowds, it's hinted at and it's understood. It's not hammered over the head."

So how hard is it to write for someone who has written his own books and speeches to critical acclaim? "People say that, but it's actually a dream come true," says Favreau. "You always hope that the person can match the lofty moment that the writer dreams up. To have someone who can do that makes it a joy to work with him."

Sensing the hype, Favreau catches himself quickly. "I looked at the Edwards people in 2004 and thought they were such Kool-Aid drinkers. Now I'm one of them myself."

© 2008

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 10/10/2009 12:57:13 AM

    Here it is , October of 09 and Obama STILL isn't for real. We have teleprompter "it's gonna" "we're gonna" I'm gonna" and his ME,MY, I as he spends. Iraq is not concluded yet--just removed from press coverage. He was going to get the terrorists in Afgahnistan but now--NOPE! Stay tuned!
    The health care bid isn't in writing..he wont share it on the web...and it's about lawyers making money any way! not health care!
    Spend money! The economic stimulus didn't ,and cash for clunkers was a clunker way to stimulate or auto industry.
    Cap and trade is a major tax to come! Only that and we now see ACORN was vote rigging on a grand scale! We only touched the tip of the iceberg on this!
    Now he got the Nobel Peace prize and maybe he should give it to the person who really won it!
    The Obamaprompter is a stuffed suit! More Americans will catch on in the months ahead!
    HEY! Has anyone been saving our oil industry with tire gauges,out there? How's it working?

  • Posted By: Hagbard Celine @ 08/20/2009 12:34:24 PM

    Take your meds.

  • Posted By: Hagbard Celine @ 08/20/2009 12:34:04 PM

    "If some one in the Obama administration had experience doing anything REAL it's possible N. Korea and Iran would not be saber sharpening and our economy a bit better off!"

    Uh huh. Who was president when North Korea tested their first nuke?

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