Voir Dire

The New York Times’ Deborah Solomon hits Ted Sorenson with ten questions; some on presidential speeches. Here are some choice Q & As:

You served John F. Kennedy for 11 years, as his counselor, adviser and legendary speechwriter. Why did you choose to be so modest in your forthcoming memoir, “Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History,” in which you decline to take the least credit for anything he achieved? I’m glad to hear you say that becauseI’m afraid people will read this book and say, “Oh, Sorensen did it all, or he claims he did it all.”

As the so-called poet of Camelot, are there any lines or phrases even one you are willing to claim authorship of? I acknowledge that I played a large part in the American University commencement speech on peace on June 10, 1963. “What kind of a peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war.”

What do you make of Hillary’s comment that Obama’s promises and speeches are “just words”? Kennedy’s rhetoric when he was president turned out to be a key to his success. His mere words about Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba helped resolve the worst crisis the world has ever known without the U.S. having to fire a shot.

Nowadays, the words of politicians seem more about constructing images than resolving issues. We have a president now who doesn’t know the meaning of retreat. In fact he doesn’t know the meanings of lots of words.

What about Bill Clinton’s oratorical abilities? Bill’s not quite the persuasive communicator he used to be.