Obama’s write-hand man

By Michelle Dustin

It’s nearly 3 a.m. Holed up in his stark one-bedroom condo with the only piece of furniture—a blow-up mattress—he’s fueled by caffeine and an impending deadline as his fingers diligently strike the keys on his laptop computer. He’s been at it for hours; painstakingly scrutinizing each word, each sentence. His only respite: occasionally sneaking in a quick game of Rock Band.

Does this evoke images of the archetypal college student jacked up on Red Bull, cramming till the wee hours?

Upon first glance, the life of Jon Favreau, or “Favs” as his peers affectionately call him, may read like your average twenty-something frat boy. Rather than pulling all-nighters writing term papers and scholarly essays, Favreau is skillfully authoring some of the most momentous speeches of our day.

This 27-year-old wordsmith was recently appointed the Director of Speechwriting for US President, Barack Obama–the second youngest person in history designated as such. In this role, Favreau oversees a handful of writers who meticulously construct Obama’s notably eloquent public addresses.

Before Barack Obama steps up to the podium to deliver one of his poignant speeches, he meets Favreau to discuss ideas and objectives. Once the requisites are established, Favreau formulates a first draft, which is then personally reviewed and critiqued by the President. The two then work closely to perfect the finished product. Obama, acclaimed author of New York Times’ bestsellers, Dreams from my Father and The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, and his chief speechwriter have achieved such synchronicity that Obama has jokingly dubbed Favreau his mind reader.

Favreau’s advantageous first encounter with Obama (then-Democratic candidate for US Senate) came while he was fresh out of college and working on John Kerry’s campaign. Backstage at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Favreau overheard Obama rehearsing a speech and boldly interrupted the future president to suggest a stylistic revision. His confidence must have impressed Mr. Obama.

When Obama needed to hire a speechwriter, he recalled this impactful meeting. Favreau was brought in for an interview on Barack’s first day in office. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Obama asked the young writer, “What’s your theory on speechwriting?” Favreau answered, “A speech can broaden the circle of people who care about this stuff. How do you say to the average person that’s been hurting: ‘I hear you, I’m there’? Even though you’ve been so disappointed and cynical about politics in the past, and with good reason, we can move in the right direction. Just give me a chance.” Obama replied, “I think this is going to work.”

Valedictorian, College of the Holy Cross, class of 2003, Favreau boasts an illustrious academic career. He immersed himself in a variety of philanthropic pursuits: from 1999-2000 he served on the Welfare Solidarity Project, later becoming its director; in 2001 he combined forces with Habitat for Humanity and the University of Massachusetts in an initiative to encourage visitation with cancer patients; and in 2002, Favreau headed a program which taught resume writing and interviewing skills to the unemployed. In addition, he was a member of several distinguished organizations such as: the Political Science Honor Society, the College Honors Program, the Sociology Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Delta and Pi Sigma Alpha.

The speechwriter who is credited with popularizing the Obama presidential campaign slogan “Yes We Can,” nearly marred his distinctive reputation in late 2008. A photo of Favreau facetiously groping the breast of a cardboard cut-out of Hillary Clinton sparked controversy when it emerged on Facebook. An embarrassed Favreau issued apologies to Obama and Clinton immediately after the photo went public; both parties laughed off the incident. Clinton’s camp responded in an issued statement, “Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon’s obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application.”

In the world of politics, a little controversy goes a long way. But so far it seems that Jon Favreau remains unscathed. Nonetheless, Favreau adamantly claims this will be his last job in politics. He’d like to someday write for himself, in his own voice, but admits the challenge therein: “On a lot of issues, I’m so closely aligned with what Barack believes anyway, that it’s much easier. I’ve been doing it so long that if I were to go write for someone else, I wonder if I would write like I do now. If I wrote for myself, what would my voice sound like? You kind of forget.”