Please don't anyone take this comment the wrong way, it is not meant as a Barack slam - or anyone else.

I was just reading the transcript of Barack Obama's speech and I have to say those words are a powerful speech. Absolutely wonderful and put me in mind of a few other wonderful phrases such as

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" from JFK

and Winston Churchills
"We shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender"

and many other wonderful motivational speeches..

My point is, we all know who made those speeches and we all equally know that speechwriters are employed by all political parties etc. We never actually know who wrote the speech, just who delivered it.

I for one would love to know who actually WRITES the speeches, words like that deserve accreditation and also, I'd like to look for other stuff written by them.


What do you think? Should the writers of some of our most famous phrases remain anonymous or would anyone else but me like to know? Or should I just shut up and stop thinking up this crap?! LOL

wrote on Nov 6^th, 2008 at 12:30pm:

What do you think? Should the writers of some of our most famous phrases remain anonymous or would anyone else but me like to know? Or should I just shut up and stop thinking up this crap?! LOL

But Helen, then that would mean the Presidential candidates would have to tell their supporters that they are plagarizing. :-?  

I don't think that would go over well, LOL.

Ref:  The John Kennedy speech...

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Interesting question, Helen, and it's got me looking around.  

Here's the genesis of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address:

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Best,

George

Get the SPEECH WRITERS on the ballot.......the Witch just might have something there.......

Guiseppi

In Lincoln's Gettysburg Address the phrase, "Of the people, by the people, and for the people" was part of a quotation that the Rev. Parker and Lincoln would have both been familiar with.  It originated with John Wickliffe, the first to translate the Bible into English.  He wrote in the flyleaf of the Wycliffe English Bible that "This book will make possible a government of the people, by the people and for the people."  This was between 1382 and 1384.  The Wycliffe Bible was still in fairly common use in the US in the early 1800's and Lincoln was known to read it.

Jerry

There was a rumor about Churchill not writing much of his speeches but I believe it was disproved. From what I understand, he's responsible for just about everything he said.

JFK and another worked his acceptance speech from what I understand.

Reagan is said to get some credit for editing a lot of his speech writers' stuff.

Obama was pretty good. Jeeze that guy is smooth in front of a microphone.

It's not fair. What a difference it will be.....

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Nov 7^th, 2008 at 1:40am:

It's not fair. What a difference it will be..... Charlie

No joke.  No matter who Obama eventually turns out to be, it'll be a pleasure to hear a decent speech now and then.  I'm tired of switching off the radio when the POTUS gets on the air, just because I get a pain between my ears from listening to him.  Yeesh.

::)   ;)

Best,

George

All I meant to happen by quoting Churchill and JFK was to give evidence of how some phrases become so so famous and so a part of who and what we are as nations. It could have been any speech at any time. I can remember several phrases from Thatcher and Giuliani amongst others too for instance.

I didn't mean Churchill and JFK didn't write their own stuff - but I'm pretty certain others haven't! We have enough jokes about speechwriters saying "you're on your own now" to prove that.

I just find it kind of sad that the people who wrote some of the most stirring words ever MAY not be the people who delivered them and in that case, don't get the recognition they so rightly deserve.

You're right, Helen.  I guess the part we will never know is, did that politician have that Sentiment, and a lucky/good speechwriter spin it into something worthy of history books, or did that stirring statement come directly from a Politician who is truly passionate?
Comedians have joke writers-the comedian is responsible for the delivery, and a reputation for being funny..........
Hmmmmmmm...I  dunno!

Cathi