The Political Speechwriter's Companion

The Political Speechwriter's Companion guides students through a systematic "LAWS" approach (language, anecdote, wit, and support) that politicians can use to persuade their audiences into taking action. In the highly anticipated Second Edition, esteemed speechwriter and author Robert A. Lehrman has teamed up with one of the "go-to-guys" for political humor, Eric Schnure, to offer students an entertaining yet practical introduction to political speechwriting. This how-to guide explains how speakers can deliver:

language the audience will understand and remember, anecdotes that make listeners laugh and cry, wit that pokes fun at opponents but also shows their own lighter side, and support in the way of statistics, examples, and testimony.

Packed with annotated speeches from the most recent elections, technology tips, and interviews from speechwriting luminaries, this edition offers the most practical advice and strategies for a career in political communication.

“"This solid guide for speechwriters and speechgivers, written by a pair of the top practitioners of the art, makes both the philosophical case of why speechwriting matters and the very practical one of precisely how to make a speech work."”

"The Political Speechwriter's Companion is the first book on speechwriting I ever read, and it's the first one I recommend to anyone seriously interested in speechwriting as a craft. If you work in political communications (or really any type of communications) this belongs in your office." -- David Litt -- Susan Page "By far the best book on speechwriting I have ever read:" -- Dan Pink "A classic for anyone who cares about speech, or covers it."

-- Al Hunt "All of us who write and speak and try to help others do so should be grateful." -- Lamar Alexander

Robert A. Lehrman served as Chief Speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore and, in 2004, as Chief Speechwriter for the Democratic National Committee during his more than three decades of experience writing speeches. He has written for political figures, celebrities, heads of nonprofits, and corporate CEOs, most recently as speechwriter to the Chairman and CEO of Pfizer. He created and co-teaches the political speechwriting course at American University, where he was awarded the 2010 University Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in an Adjunct Appointment. He speaks often at other campuses, conferences, and associations, on the topic of political speechwriting. Author of a number of award-winning novels and coauthor of a highly acclaimed non-fiction book for young adults, Lehrman has a B.A. from Tufts University and an M.F.A. from the University of Iowa's Writer's Workshop, where he studied with Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Yates

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