The Speechwriter: A Brief Education in Politics

The Speechwriter: A Brief Education in Politics

Barton Swaim was struggling to find an academic jobâ€”heâ€™d recently received a PhD in Englishâ€”when he sent his resume to Mark Sanford, the conservative and controversial governor of South Carolina. He thought he could improve the governorâ€™s writing and speeches.

On the surface, this is the story of Sanfordâ€™s rise and fall. But itâ€™s really an account of what happens when a band of believers attach themselves to an ambitious narcissist. Everyone knows this kind of politicianâ€”a charismatic maverick who goes up against the system and its ways, but thinks he doesnâ€™t have to live by the rules. Swaim describes what makes people invest in their leaders, how those leaders do provide moments of inspiration, and then how they let them down.

The Speechwriter is a funny and candid introduction to the world of politics, where press statements are purposefully nonsensical, grammatical errors are intentional, and better copy means more words. Through his three years in the governorâ€™s office, Swaim paints a portrait of a man so principled heâ€™d rather sweat than use state money to pay for air conditioning, so oblivious heâ€™d wear the same stained shirt for two weeks, so egotistical heâ€™d belittle his staffers to make himself feel better, and so self-absorbed he never once apologized for making his administration the laughing stock of the country. In the end, itâ€™s also an account of the very human staffers who risk a life in politics out of conviction and learn to survive a broken heart.
Country USA
Manufacturer Simon & Schuster
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2015-07-14
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Simon & Schuster
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2015-07-14
Format	Kindle eBook

The Speechwriter: A Brief Education in Politics

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