Ghosts in the White House: The People Behind Presidential Speeches


ID : 2716   

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Have you ever wondered who writes presidential
speeches? This course traces the evolution of
speechwriting from George Washington’s
administration to today. Yes, Hamilton helped draft
Washington’s Farewell Address, but no, Lincoln did
not scribble the Gettysburg Address on an envelope.
We will study the writing process presidents used
and examine drafts from FDR, Truman, Eisenhower,
Kennedy, Carter, and George H.W. Bush. We will
view clips from speeches and from former White
House speechwriters describing the process.

Diana Carlin, PhD is Professor Emerita of communication at Saint
Louis University. For 30 years, she has taught courses on and
written about First Ladies. She is the co-author of U.S. First Ladies:
Making History and Leaving Legacies and Remember the First
Ladies: America's History-Making Women. Carlin has published
articles and book chapters on a variety of First Ladies and
researches and writes on the topics of women in politics,
presidential communication, and political debate.

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Class Details

6 Session(s)
Weekly - Mon

Location
NA - Online

Instructor
TBD Instructor 

 

Notice

Please read:  ONLINE: This course meets online through the Osher Online platform.

Fee: 

$75.00

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
3/30/2026 - 5/4/2026 Weekly - Mon 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM N/A - Online TBD Instructor 

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