The Book: "White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters" by Robert Schlesinger

Here is another title for political aficionados, and although it's not well written, much of the information is new and well researched.

It is astounding how many "fly by the seat of your pants" speeches are written at one time or another for most presidents. The public personas of the men are, strangely to me, the private personas.

The title is terribly wrong for a reader who might spot it on the shelves or on the table at a book store, and likely consider it another in the innumerable books about
"ghosts in the White House." The cover is a jumbled mess.

When was the last time you read a non-fiction book which gave you cold chills? It happens in the section on JFK. His Berlin speech. Truly, incredible.

Another speech he delivered on civil rights was not ready until seconds before he went live on the air. Robert Kennedy and JFK both believed JFK would have to speak extemporaneously since Ted Sorenson, JFK's speechwriter, was still plowing away at the speech, only having received a few hours' notice that it was scheduled.

Not until late in President Eisenhower's term does the book really take off. (It begins with President Roosevelt.) I never knew quite the bore Eisenhower was. Did you know he had a stroke in office? Truman was a man of his own.

Increasingly, I have come to admire and respect LBJ. This book reinforces my impressions. He demanded speeches which captured headlines, and his speechwriters generally succeeded.

Jimmy Carter was quite the control freak, and his dull speeches reflect it.
Ronald Reagan is the "happy go lucky" guy you know. Bush I is the same guy you always liked, no matter what your political persuasions: One who shuns "I" and is quite emotional.

Bill Clinton was often unprepared but was successful ad-libbing many speeches. On the way to deliver a speech in Annapolis, he spilled coffee on his shirt and took a loaner shirt right off the back of a Secret Service agent. Accidents happen.

Was there an editor? It is doubtful that any editor had much time with this book since it is rushed and crammed. "Forth Worth" (p. 163), "he had been snuck" (p. 352), "upon which he had campaign" (p. 405).

The book opens closed doors and provides good background information on "modern-day" presidents, their staffs, their skills and resources. It gives a reader appreciation for the many talents employed in speech writing. Some readers will be surprised to learn that not all presidential speeches are thought out. Some must be "vetted" up to 20 times by agencies, eyes, and departments, input which often damages the finished product.

The book peters out towards the end with the advent and reign of Bush II, and it seems to close too quickly, as if Mr. Schlesinger was hurried, but, after all, the final subject is unattractive and chilling, and who wants to dwell on the devil?

The speeches prepared for reasons and justification to attack Iraq are sickening, but who in the Bush administration is counting deaths and injuries? Present official numbers are 4,146 American soldiers who have died, and 30,561 American soldiers, wounded. Estimated are 100,000 American soldiers wounded but only 1,252,595 Iraqi civilians killed as the result of our attack on Iraq. Who reads books in the Bush administration anyway?