Gotham BloGG Launches Series Previewing Presidential Convention Speeches With Top Political Speechwriters

“Unconventional Wisdom” kicks off with advice for Obama from author and former Clinton Administration scribe Michael Cohen

With the Democratic and Republican party conventions right around the corner, we are launching a new series on the Gotham BloGG today called “Unconventional Wisdom,” which will provide rare inside insights from seasoned speechwriters from both sides of the aisle into what the candidates should and will say in their high-stakes acceptance speeches.

The series kicks off with a preview of Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s historic address in Denver in two weeks from Gotham team member Michael Cohen. A former Clinton Administration scribe, Cohen is the author of Live From the Campaign Trail: The Greatest Presidential Campaign Speeches of the Twentieth Century and How They Shaped Modern America, which was released in July.

Gotham President Dan Gerstein, a veteran political speechwriter and commentator, said the inspiration for the blog series came in part from Obama’s ongoing call for change.

“Much as we do every four years, we will soon be treated to growing piles of punditry about what the two presidential candidates need to say and accomplish with their acceptance speeches. And as usual, almost all of this authoritative-sounding analysis will likely come from commentators and strategists who have never written a political speech,” Gerstein explained.

“We thought it might be refreshing to hear from a group of highly articulate people who have some meaningful experience and expertise in this area — and who are thus uniquely positioned to inform the public debate and enlighten viewers about the defining speeches Barack Obama and John McCain will be delivering in a few weeks.”

With that in mind, Gerstein said, the Gotham BloGG will temporarily be turned into a platform for top Democratic and Republic speechwriters to preview and predict what’s to come in the big addresses in Denver and the Twin Cities.

The Unconventional Wisdom series will include bylined commentaries from Gotham team members and other political speechwriters, as well a few unsigned posts from scribes who wish to remain anonymous for professional reasons, and run through the end of the Republican convention on September 4th.

“We hope that people who are interested in the campaign and the conventions can benefit a little from our accumulated knowledge and experience,” Gerstein said. “And who knows, maybe a few pundits will see the writing on our wall and be the wiser for it.”

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