Political Speechwriters

History is filled with politicians who were renowned as great orators. But what about those who helped them write the compelling and memorable speeches? Undoubtedly, all politicians have had some help with writing their speeches through history. The first president of the United States, George Washington, is said to have received help with his speeches from Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Judson Welliver is generally considered to be the first person employed as a speechwriter for a U.S. president, serving Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s. Nowadays, full-time speechwriters employed in the official White House Office of Speechwriting help the president craft memorable speeches. Presidents are not the only ones who sometimes need help creating a captivating and inspiring speech—politicians at every level and branch of government utilize speechwriters to communicate their ideas to a variety of audiences.