January 20, 2009 –March 1, 2013
Jonathan Edward Favreau [1] ( / ˈ f æ v r oʊ / ; born June 2, 1981) [2] is an American political commentator, podcaster, and the former director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama . [3] [4] [5]
Kerry campaign, obama campaign, white house director of speechwriting (2009–2013), after the white house, controversies, personal life, external links.
After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross as valedictorian, [6] Favreau worked for the John Kerry presidential campaign in 2004, working to collect talk radio news for the campaign and was promoted to the role of Deputy Speechwriter. [7] Favreau first met Barack Obama, then a state senator from Illinois, while working on the Kerry campaign.
In 2005, Obama's communications director Robert Gibbs recommended Favreau to Obama as a speechwriter. [8] Favreau was hired as Obama's speechwriter shortly after Obama's election to the United States Senate . Obama and Favreau grew close, and Obama referred to him as his "mind reader". He went on the campaign trail with Obama during his successful presidential election campaign . In 2009, he was named to the White House staff as Director of Speechwriting. [9]
In January 2017, he co-founded liberal media company Crooked Media with fellow former Obama staffers Tommy Vietor and Jon Lovett , and began co-hosting the political podcast Pod Save America with Vietor, Lovett, and Dan Pfeiffer . [10]
Favreau was born at Winchester Hospital and raised in nearby North Reading, Massachusetts , [2] [11] the son of Lillian ( née DeMarkis), a schoolteacher, and Mark Favreau. His father is of French Canadian descent and his mother is of Greek descent . [12] His grandfather, Robert Favreau, was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and described by Favreau as a " New England Republican ." [13] [14] Favreau graduated from the Jesuit College of the Holy Cross in 2003 as his class's valedictorian , [15] [16] with a degree in political science . [17]
At Holy Cross, he was treasurer and debate committee chairman for the College Democrats , and studied classical piano. [15] From 1999 to 2000, he served on the Welfare Solidarity Project, eventually becoming its director. In 2001, Favreau worked with Habitat for Humanity and a University of Massachusetts Amherst program to bring visitors to cancer patients.
In 2002, he became head of an initiative to help unemployed individuals improve their résumés and interview skills. He also earned a variety of honors in college, including the Vanicelli Award; being named the 2001 Charles A. Dana Scholar; memberships in the Political Science Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha , the College Honors Program, the Sociology Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Delta , and was awarded a Harry S. Truman Scholarship in 2002. [15] He was an editor on his college newspaper, and during summers in college, he earned extra income selling newspapers as a telemarketer, while also interning in John Kerry's offices. [18]
He joined Senator John Kerry 's 2004 presidential campaign soon after graduation from the College of the Holy Cross. [3] While working for the Kerry campaign, his job was to assemble audio clips of talk radio programs for the Kerry camp to review for the next day. When the Kerry campaign began to falter at one point, they found themselves without a speechwriter, and Favreau was promoted to the role of deputy speechwriter. Following Kerry's defeat, Favreau became dispirited with politics, and was uncertain if he would do such work again. [16] Favreau first met Obama (then an Illinois State Senator running for the U.S. Senate), while still working for Kerry, backstage at the 2004 Democratic National Convention as Obama was rehearsing his keynote address . Favreau, then 23 years old, interrupted Obama's rehearsal, advising the soon-to-be-elected Senator that a rewrite was needed because Kerry wanted to use one of the lines. [18]
Obama communications aide Robert Gibbs , who had worked for Kerry's campaign, recommended Favreau to Obama as an excellent writer, and in 2005 he began working for Barack Obama in his U.S. Senate office before joining his presidential campaign as chief speechwriter in 2006. [19] His interview with Obama was on the Senator's first day. Uninterested in Favreau's résumé, Obama instead questioned Favreau on what motivated him to work in politics and his theory of writing. [16] He described this theory to Obama as, "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." [20]
Favreau led a speechwriting team for the campaign that included Ben Rhodes and Cody Keenan . [18] For his work with Obama in the campaign, he would wake as early as 5 a.m., and routinely stayed up until 3 a.m. working on speeches. [18] His leadership style among other Obama speechwriters was very informal. They would often meet in a small conference room, discussing their work late into the evening over takeout food. According to Rhodes, Favreau did not drive structured meetings with agendas. "If he had, we probably would have laughed at him," Rhodes said. Favreau was planning to hire more speechwriters to assist him, but conceded he was unsure of how to manage them. According to him, "My biggest strength isn't the organization thing." [20]
He has likened his position to " Ted Williams ' batting coach", because of Obama's celebrated abilities as a speaker and writer. Obama senior adviser David Axelrod said of Favreau, "Barack trusts him... And Barack doesn't trust too many folks with that—the notion of surrendering that much authority over his own words." [18] In Obama's own words, Favreau was his "mind reader". [21] He and Obama share a fierce sports rivalry between the Boston Red Sox , favored by Favreau, and the Chicago White Sox , favored by Obama. [2] When the White Sox defeated the Red Sox 3–0 in the 2005 American League playoffs , Obama swept off Favreau's desk with a small broom. [18] During the campaigns, he was obsessed with election tracking polls, jokingly referring to them as his "daily crack". At points during the campaign, he felt overwhelmed by his responsibilities and would turn to Axelrod and his friends for advice. [20]
Favreau has declared that the speeches of Robert F. Kennedy and Michael Gerson have influenced his work, [22] and has expressed admiration for Peggy Noonan 's speechwriting, citing a talk given by Ronald Reagan at Pointe du Hoc as his favorite Noonan speech. Gerson also admires Favreau's work, and sought him out at an Obama New Hampshire campaign rally to speak with the younger speechwriter. [23] Favreau was the primary writer of Obama's inauguration address of January 2009. The Guardian describes the process as follows:
"The inaugural speech has shuttled between them [Obama and Favreau] four or five times, following an initial hour-long meeting in which the President-elect spoke about his vision for the address, and Favreau took notes on his computer. Favreau then went away and spent weeks on research. His team interviewed historians and speechwriters, studied periods of crisis, and listened to past inaugural orations. When ready, he took up residence in a Starbucks in Washington and wrote the first draft." [21]
When President Obama assumed office in 2009, Favreau was appointed Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting. [3] He became the second-youngest chief White House speechwriter on record, after James Fallows . [19] His salary was $172,200 a year. [24]
Favreau has said his work with Obama will be his final job in the realm of politics, saying, "Anything else would be anticlimactic." [25] In regard to his post-political future, he said, "Maybe I'll write a screenplay, or maybe a fiction book based loosely on what all of this was like. You had a bunch of kids working on this campaign together, and it was such a mix of the serious and momentous and just the silly ways that we are. For people in my generation, it was an unbelievable way to grow up." [20]
In March 2013, Favreau left the White House, along with Tommy Vietor , to pursue a career in private sector consulting and screenwriting. [26] [22] Together, they founded the communications firm Fenway Strategies. From 2013 to 2016, Favreau wrote sporadically for the Daily Beast . [27] In 2016, after the November presidential election was won by Donald Trump , Favreau, Vietor and Jon Lovett founded Crooked Media . Favreau co-hosts Crooked's premier political podcast Pod Save America with Dan Pfeiffer , Vietor and Lovett. In the wake of the new Republican healthcare bill, the AHCA , he coined the term "Wealthcare".
He currently serves on the Board of Advisors of Let America Vote , a voting rights organization founded by fellow Crooked Media host Jason Kander . [28]
Favreau was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time magazine in 2009. [29] In the same year he was ranked 33rd in the GQ "50 Most Powerful in D.C." and featured in the Vanity Fair "Next Establishment" list. [30] [31] Favreau was one of several Obama administration members in the 2009 "World's Most Beautiful People" issue of People magazine. [32] Executive Producer for the podcast This Land , and was nominated for a 2021 Peabody Award .
On December 5, 2008, a picture of Favreau grabbing the breast of a cardboard cut-out of then-Senator Hillary Clinton was posted on Facebook. [33] Clinton had recently been announced as Obama's nominee for U.S. Secretary of State . [34] Favreau called Senator Clinton's staff to offer an apology. The senator's office responded by joking that "Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon's obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application." [35] [36] [22]
In June 2010, the website FamousDC obtained a picture of Favreau along with Assistant White House Press Secretary Tommy Vietor, playing beer pong after taking off their shirts at a restaurant in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. [37] This event attracted criticism from the press because of its timing during the height of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill . [38] [39] [40]
He is the older brother of Andy Favreau, a professional TV and movie actor. [41] On May 23, 2014, Favreau was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree by his alma mater, Holy Cross, where he also gave the commencement address. [42] On June 17, 2017, Favreau married Emily Black, daughter of federal Judge Timothy Black , at her family's vacation home in Biddeford Pool , Maine . [43] Their son, Charlie, was born in August 2020. [44] [45] Jon and his wife have had their second son, Teddy, in December 2023. [46]
In the United States, a designated survivor is a person in the presidential line of succession who is kept distant from others in the line when they are gathered together, to reduce the chance that everyone in the line will be unable to take over the presidency in a catastrophic or mass-casualty event. The person is chosen to stay at an undisclosed secure location, away from such events such as State of the Union addresses and presidential inaugurations. The designation of a survivor is intended to prevent the decapitation of the government and to safeguard continuity in the presidency if the president, the vice president, and others in the presidential line of succession die. The procedure began in the 1950s, during the Cold War, with the idea that nuclear attack could kill government officials and the United States government would collapse.
The following is a timeline of major events leading up to and immediately following the United States presidential election of 2008. The election was the 56th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008, but its significant events and background date back to about 2002. The Democratic Party nominee, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, defeated the Republican Party's nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona.
Kenneth S. Baer is an American political advisor and author who served as Associate Director for Communications and Strategic Planning and Senior Advisor for White House's Office of Management and Budget from 2009 to 2012. He is the founder and co-editor of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas . Baer is a former White House speechwriter, author, and analyst. And he is the CEO and Founder of the strategic communications firm, Crosscut Strategies.
Matthew N. Latimer is an American attorney, businessman, and former political speechwriter. Latimer is a founding partner of Javelin, a literary and creative agency located in Alexandria, Virginia that offers representation, digital, and public relations services. He also served in a variety of appointments during George W. Bush Administration.
" A More Perfect Union " is the title of a speech delivered by then-Senator Barack Obama on March 18, 2008, in the course of the contest for the 2008 Democratic Party presidential nomination. Speaking before an audience at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Obama was responding to a spike in the attention paid to controversial remarks made by Jeremiah Wright, his former pastor and, until shortly before the speech, a participant in his campaign. Obama framed his response in terms of the broader issue of race in the United States. The speech's title was taken from the Preamble to the United States Constitution.
Barack Obama, then junior United States senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for president of the United States on February 10, 2007, in Springfield, Illinois. After winning a majority of delegates in the Democratic primaries of 2008, on August 23, leading up to the convention, the campaign announced that Senator Joe Biden of Delaware would be the vice presidential nominee. At the 2008 Democratic National Convention on August 27, Barack Obama was formally selected as the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in 2008. He was the first African American in history to be nominated on a major party ticket. On November 4, 2008, Obama defeated the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, making him the president-elect and the first African American elected president.
Howard Daniel Pfeiffer is an American political advisor, author, and podcast host. He was senior advisor to President Barack Obama for strategy and communications from 2013 to 2015.
The keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention (DNC) was given by the Illinois State Senator, United States senatorial candidate, and future President Barack Obama on the night of Tuesday, July 27, 2004, in Boston, Massachusetts. His unexpected landslide victory in the March 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate Democratic primary made him a rising star within the national Democratic Party overnight, and led to the reissue of his memoir, Dreams from My Father . His keynote address was well received, which further elevated his status within the Democratic Party and led to his reissued memoir becoming a bestseller.
Robert A. Lehrman is an American novelist, commentator, speechwriter, and teacher.
Benjamin J. Rhodes is an American writer, political commentator and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting under President Barack Obama. With Jake Sullivan, he is the co-chair of National Security Action, a political NGO. He contributes to NBC News and MSNBC regularly as a political commentator. He is also a Crooked Media contributor, and co-host of the foreign policy podcast Pod Save the World .
Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Before his presidency, he served in the Illinois Senate (1997–2004) and the United States Senate (2005–2008).
Cody Keenan is an American political advisor and speechwriter who served as the director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama. Keenan studied political science at Northwestern University. After graduation, he worked in the U.S. senate office of Ted Kennedy, before studying for a master's in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. After graduation, he took a full-time position on Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008. In 2009, he assumed the position of deputy director of speechwriting. After Jon Favreau left the White House in 2013, Keenan took over as director of speechwriting.
Sarah Hurwitz is an American speechwriter. A senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama in 2009 and 2010, and head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama from 2010 to 2017, she was appointed to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by Barack Obama shortly before he left the White House.
Keepin' it 1600 was an American political podcast produced by The Ringer and hosted by former Barack Obama staffers Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, Jon Lovett, and Dan Pfeiffer. Its name is a reference to the saying " keep it one hundred " and the White House's address of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Jonathan Ira Lovett is an American podcaster, comedian, and former speechwriter. Lovett is a co-founder of Crooked Media, along with fellow former White House staffers during the Obama administration, Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor. Lovett is a regular host of the Crooked Media podcasts Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It . As a speechwriter, he worked for President Barack Obama as well as for Hillary Clinton when she was a United States senator and a 2008 presidential candidate. Lovett also co-created the NBC sitcom 1600 Penn , and was a writer and producer on the third season of HBO's The Newsroom .
Thomas Frederick Vietor IV is an American political commentator and podcaster. He was a spokesperson for President Barack Obama and the United States National Security Council from 2011 to 2012. He is a co-founder of Crooked Media with fellow former Obama staffers Jon Favreau and Jon Lovett, and co-hosts the podcasts Pod Save America and Pod Save the World .
Barack Obama's farewell address was the final public speech of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, delivered on January 10, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. EST. The farewell address was broadcast on various television and radio stations and livestreamed online by the White House. An estimated 24 million people watched the address live on television.
The White House Director of Speechwriting is a role within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The officeholder serves as senior advisor and chief speechwriter to the president of the United States. They are also responsible for managing the Office of Speechwriting within the Office of Communications.
Vinay Reddy is an American speechwriter and political advisor serving as the White House director of speechwriting. Reddy was chief speechwriter to Joe Biden during his second term as vice president. After the Obama administration, Reddy worked as vice president of strategic communications for the National Basketball Association.
Name | Term | Office | Name | Term | ||
2009–10 | 2009–10 | |||||
2010–11 | 2010–13 | |||||
2011–12 | 2013–17 | |||||
2012–13 | 2009–10 | |||||
2013–17 | 2010–13 | |||||
for Policy | 2009–11 | 2013–14 | ||||
2011–13 | 2015–17 | |||||
2013–15 | Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security | 2009–13 | ||||
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations | 2009–11 | 2013–17 | ||||
2011–14 | Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan | † | 2009–13 | |||
2014–17 | Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. | 2009–17 | ||||
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning | 2012–14 | Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff | 2009 | |||
2014–17 | 2009–10 | |||||
2011–13 | 2011–12 | |||||
2014–15 | 2009 | |||||
2009–11 | 2009 | |||||
2011–13 | 2009–13 | |||||
2013–15 | 2013–15 | |||||
2015–17 | 2015–17 | |||||
Senior Advisor to the President | 2009–10 | Deputy White House Communications Director | 2009–11 | |||
2015–17 | 2011–14 | |||||
Senior Advisor to the President and | 2009–17 | Amy Brundage | 2014–16 | |||
Assistant to the President for | Liz Allen | 2016–17 | ||||
Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs | 2009–11 | |||||
Director, | 2009–11 | 2011–13 | ||||
Jon Carson | 2011–13 | 2013–17 | ||||
Paulette L. Aniskoff | 2013–17 | Deputy Press Secretary | 2009–11 | |||
Director, | 2009–12 | 2011–13 | ||||
David Agnew | 2012–14 | 2014–17 | ||||
2014–17 | Director of Special Projects | 2010–11 | ||||
Director, | 2009–10 | Director, Speechwriting | 2009–13 | |||
2011–14 | 2013–17 | |||||
2014–17 | Director, Digital Strategy | 2009–13 | ||||
Chair, | 2009–10 | Chief Digital Officer | Jason Goldman | 2015–17 | ||
2010–13 | Director, Legislative Affairs | 2009–11 | ||||
2013–17 | 2011–13 | |||||
Chair, | 2009–11 | 2013–16 | ||||
Chair, | 2011–13 | Miguel Rodriguez | 2016 | |||
Director, | 2009–12 | Amy Rosenbaum | 2016–17 | |||
2012–17 | Director, Political Affairs | 2009–11 | ||||
Director, | 2009–13 | 2011–16 | ||||
2013–17 | Director, Presidential Personnel | Nancy Hogan | 2009–13 | |||
Director, | 2009–11 | Johnathan D. McBride | 2013–14 | |||
Director, | 2009–11 | Valerie E. Green | 2014–15 | |||
Grant N. Colfax | 2011–13 | Rodin A. Mehrbani | 2016–17 | |||
Douglas M. Brooks | 2013–17 | 2009–11 | ||||
Director, | 2009–10 | 2011–12 | ||||
Racquel S. Russell | 2010–14 | Douglas Kramer | 2012–13 | |||
Roy Austin Jr. | 2014–17 | Joani Walsh | 2014–17 | |||
Director, | 2009–11 | Director, Management and Administration | Bradley J. Kiley | 2009–11 | ||
2009–10 | Katy A. Kale | 2011–15 | ||||
2010–11 | 2015–17 | |||||
2011–14 | Director, Scheduling and Advance | 2009–11 | ||||
2014–17 | Danielle Crutchfield | 2011–14 | ||||
2009–13 | Chase Cushman | 2014–17 | ||||
2013–14 | Director, White House Information Technology | 2015–17 | ||||
2014–17 | Director, | Cameron Moody | 2009–11 | |||
Personal Aide to the President | 2009–11 | Beth Jones | 2011–15 | |||
2011–12 | Cathy Solomon | 2015–17 | ||||
Marvin D. Nicholson | 2012–17 | Director, | 2009–17 | |||
Director, | 2012–17 | 2009–12 | ||||
2009–11 | 2012–14 | |||||
2011–14 | 2014–17 | |||||
2014–17 | Director, | 2009–10 | ||||
2009 | 2010–12 | |||||
2009–11 | 2012–13 | |||||
2011–17 | 2013–14 | |||||
2009–10 | 2014 | |||||
2010–11 | 2014–17 | |||||
2011–15 | 2009–11 | |||||
2015–17 | 2011–14 | |||||
2009–11 | Tony Scott | 2015–17 | ||||
2011–13 | 2009–13 | |||||
2013–17 | 2013–17 | |||||
† | 2009–11 | Director, | 2009–14 | |||
2011–17 | 2014–17 | |||||
Director, | George Mulligan | 2009–13 | Chair, | 2009–14 | ||
Emmett Beliveau | 2013–15 | Michael Boots | 2014–15 | |||
Dabney Kern | 2016–17 | 2015–17 |
Personalities | |
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Shows | |
Speechwriter for president obama.
TRANSCRIPT: JON FAVREAU INTERVIEW
OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION
Jon Favreau working on a speech with President Barack Obama.
Jon Favreau is a political commentator, podcaster and the former Director of Speechwriting for President Barack Obama. Favreau first began writing for Obama in 2005 during his first term as a US Senator and held the role as head speechwriter throughout the 2008 campaign and presidency, until 2013. During Obama’s presidency, Favreau became the second-youngest chief White House speechwriter on record. Over the course of eight years, Favreau had a hand in crafting nearly every major speech Obama delivered. In 2017, a few years after leaving the White House, Favreau co-founded Crooked Media, where he is a co-host of Pod Save America and the host of The Wilderness.
"Half the people think I write Obama's speeches; the other half think I'm on 'Entourage.' So I'm at the level of fame where people kind of know who I am, but they confuse me with other people." Jon Favreau
John McCain’s Senior Advisor
Chair, My Brother’s Keeper
Lawyer, Businesswoman, Politician
Eleven years after delivering the valedictory address as a graduating senior, Obama’s former speechwriter returned to his alma mater to speak to the Class of 2014. Read the full speech.
President Boroughs, Members of the Board of Trustees, honored guests, faculty, family, friends, and the Class of 2014:
I’m so grateful and honored for the chance to share this day with you. Jeff, you gave an outstanding valedictory address. And unlike the speech I delivered in 2003, you managed to finish without describing people who solve problems as “Boo-Boo Fixers.” Yeah, that’s the kind of thing that follows you around for life. Really, my friends made T-shirts.
Since then, I’ve marginally improved my use of metaphor and spent the last decade working as a speechwriter , which means that not a spring has passed where I haven’t helped with somebody else’s commencement address. I say this less as a point of pride than a friendly warning: I have now trafficked in every cliché and life lesson known to man. I am like a human search engine of sentimental quotes and anecdotes. And if there are times today when I sound a bit too much like a middle-aged black man from Chicago, all I can say is that old habits die hard.
Of course, this commencement is very different for me—and very special. Eleven years later, I still have vivid memories of what it felt like to sit where you are right now. I especially recall the feeling I had after this ceremony was over, when my roommates and I took a long, rainy walk down Southbridge Street to the three-story tenement we called home. Actually, we called it the Crackhouse, a name we convinced our parents came from a large crack in the foundation. Honestly, the house didn’t even have a foundation. It barely had walls.
For the rest of that afternoon, as the 12 of us packed up our rooms for the last time, we barely spoke—and that’s because none of us had answers to the questions on everyone’s mind: What now? Where do we go from here? How are we supposed to figure out what to do with our lives? And how will anything top the experience we just had together?
Now, some of you might be sitting here today with a very detailed plan and no anxiety whatsoever. I want you to know that I find you annoying but wish you the best of luck. For the rest of you, I come bearing three quick pieces of advice—advice I offer as someone who has safely and happily made it to the other side of 30 with everything I could’ve hoped for except the grandchildren my mother keeps asking for. I can actually see her nodding her head from here.
My first piece of advice is about your career. A mentor of mine once told me there are two kinds of people: people who want to be something, and people who want to do something. For a long time, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn’t love studying law, and it wasn’t really my strong suit, but lawyers seemed important, impressive, and successful—three things I also wanted to be.
Law school was my plan until about 12 hours before Holy Cross graduation, when I received an offer to be the press office assistant on John Kerry’s presidential campaign for a salary of $20,000 a year. Now, I didn’t really want to be anyone’s assistant, nor did I want to be someone who made $20,000 a year. But the job involved writing, and writing was something I loved to do. It also involved campaigning, which was something I wanted to do. So two weeks later, I moved into a dingy basement apartment on Capitol Hill in a city where I had only one friend. It was the best decision of my life.
Plenty of considerations go into choosing a job, and sometimes the most important is simply the fact that you receive an offer and a salary that will pay off your loans. But the chase to be something—to be rich, famous, powerful, praised—that is a race without a finish line, because there will always be more money to make, or a fancier title to pursue, or a higher accolade to achieve. In my experience, you are far more likely to find lasting fulfillment if these fleeting pleasures are the byproduct of a decision to do something—something that interests you; something you’re good at; something your gut is just begging you to try.
Now, this advice comes with an important disclaimer: Just because a career is fulfilling doesn’t mean it will always be fun. I may never again be blessed with a job that brings me as much satisfaction as the one I had writing speeches for President Obama. I may also never have a job that I complain about as much. And long before I was hanging around the Oval Office, I was taking lunch orders in a press office, changing the batteries in people’s BlackBerrys, and compiling news clippings at 4 a.m. Once, as part of a campaign stunt to protest “Republican trash attacks,” I had to walk out from behind a Dumpster wearing a giant garbage bag, which made for an enjoyable segment on the news that night. Don’t bother trying to find the footage—my friends have been looking for years.
The point is, don’t let this fancy new degree fool you into thinking you’re somehow above the very menial and tedious work that the most rewarding careers often require—especially when you first start out. Older people who think they know better have labeled this generation entitled. Do us all a favor and prove them wrong.
My second piece of advice is about the people in your life. One of the most beautiful stories you’ll ever read is the interview the Telegram & Gazette did with Celtics legend and fellow Crusader Bob Cousy , shortly after his wife of 63 years passed away. Looking back on his younger, busier days, The Cooz said: “I thought putting a ball in a hole was important…I was always working. So Missie and I had the best and most romantic part of our marriage at the end. We literally held hands for the last 20 years.”
After a decade on the campaign trail and in the White House, the biggest regrets I have aren’t professional. I don’t stay up at night thinking about the bad speech reviews, or the time I put an awful joke about spilled milk in the State of the Union . What I regret is missing my buddy’s wedding right before the election. What I regret is not getting on the first plane out of D.C. the time my dad was really sick. I regret when I forgot to call home or catch up with an old friend. And while I’m pretty happy about today’s honor, I’m even happier it gave so many people I love and miss an excuse to get together again.
In a world on permanent hyperdrive, the pressure to succeed in your career will come from everywhere. The pressure to succeed in your friendships and relationships has to come from you. YOU have to return the calls and the emails and schedule the visits. YOU have to put away the distractions and be present in the lives of the people you love. And the older you get, the more you realize that this is the best, most important work you’ll ever do.
My final piece of advice is about the world you’re going to change. A few weeks ago, I was proud to see the NBC Nightly News profile the students who’ve taken part in Working for Worcester, a project that has helped rebuild lives and neighborhoods throughout this city. I was also reminded how painfully rare it is to come across a news story about the selfless devotion that quietly motivates so many people in so many places around the globe.
Never forget that such devotion exists. Never lose the palpable faith in human progress that is the greatest gift of a Jesuit education from Holy Cross. I understand that cynicism can seem like a logical response to the daily flood of headlines about problems that can’t be solved and people who behave badly—the celebrities and CEOs and politicians of both parties who are supposedly driven only by ego and greed and personal gain. It is hardly original to point out that trust in major institutions has declined, as more of their mistakes and deficiencies are revealed and reported and endlessly analyzed. But here’s the truth: So long as institutions like government, media, business, and faith are created by human beings, with all our faults and imperfections, they will frustrate us. They will disappoint us. They will let us down.
Cynicism is one response to this reality. If you want, you can approach the world with constant distrust and suspicion. You can be a critic who just throws rocks from the sidelines, which requires very little effort or creativity. Or you can disengage from the public debate altogether, leaving the big decisions about your future and your children’s future to somebody else.
But remember: Cynicism isn’t the only response to humanity’s inadequacies and limitations. Cynicism is a choice. It is just as much of a choice as service to others or faith in God. It is just as much of a choice as love—love that bears all things, believes all things, endures all things, hopes all things.
My wish today is that you choose to hope—hard and risky as it may be. My wish is that you choose to give others the same presumption of good faith that you want to be given. My wish is that despite all the sound and logical reasons not to, you choose to try.
The world beyond these gates is marked by too much suffering and need; it is challenged by too much inequality, and violence, and degradation. But it is also a world where fewer people are dying young, and more people are living longer. It is a world with less hunger, less poverty, and less deadly disease than at any time in history. It is a world with fewer nations at war and more democracies protecting more people’s basic human rights. It is a world where there are more girls in school, more adults who can read, more Americans graduating from high school, and yes, more of our citizens with health care.
All of these trends are real, and none are the result of vague forces or happy accidents. People made this progress. People chose to make this progress—many people, working many years. People in governments and nonprofits. People with great power and wealth, and people with very little of either. People who, despite all of their flaws and failings and shortcomings, decided to press forward with determination and honest effort, believing that there must be an upward trajectory to our divine and humble journey.
Life is a wonderful struggle. And the downside of getting advice from a 32-year-old is that I haven’t come close to figuring it out. There are days when I feel like I’m still standing in the Crackhouse, surrounded by boxes. I still wonder if I’m focused on what I want to do instead of what I want to be. I still wonder if I’m making enough time for the people I love. And every time I turn on the news, I fight the urge to be cynical. But in those moments, I often think about one of the most inspiring things I’ve experienced since leaving these gates.
It was the night of the 2008 election, but it wasn’t the moment they called the race for Barack Obama. It was earlier, as I was making edits to that night’s speech . The draft ended with a story we found about a woman from Atlanta named Ann Nixon Cooper, who had waited in line for three hours that day just her to cast ballot. And what made the story so special was the fact that Ann Nixon Cooper was 106 years old, born at a time when she wasn’t allowed to vote for two reasons—because she was a woman and because she was African-American.
As the election results started looking good, my friend pointed out that we should probably call Ann Nixon Cooper and let her know that she’s about to get a bit of a shout-out. So we find her number, and I tell this frail, lovely woman that a man who’s about to become the first black president of the United States wants to mention her in his victory speech.
There was a pause on the line, and I began to think about all that Ms. Cooper endured through a century marked by war and depression; brutal prejudice and discrimination; a century where she patiently pressed on as a tutor and a church volunteer and a civil rights activist; as a wife, and a mother, and a grandmother; a century where she somehow lived to see progress she must have only dreamed about as a child: women’s rights and voting rights and civil rights for all.
And just then Ann Nixon Cooper interrupted my thoughts with an important question about that night’s speech: “Will it be on television?” I told her yes, it would be on television. So she thought about that, paused for a while longer, and asked, “Which channel will it be on?” And I said “All the channels!” Then she said, “I’m so proud. I’m so happy. Finally.” And at that point, she started to cry. And I did, too. And right at that moment, they called Ohio, the race was over, everyone started cheering, and I hid under my desk so I could talk to Ann Nixon Cooper for a few more minutes.
Life is a wonderful struggle. And we are all very lucky that this special place on a hill has prepared us to live it well—with grace, love, patience, and above all, hope.
Congratulations to the Class of 2014, and may you be blessed with all the happiness and success the world has to offer.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here .
Jon Favreau '03, Hon. '14, Obama speechwriter and co-host of "Pod Save America," answers the HCM Questionnaire.
Just two years after graduating from Holy Cross, Jon Favreau ’03, Hon. ’14, became head speechwriter for then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. When Obama took office as president, Favreau became the second-youngest chief presidential speechwriter in White House history. In 2009, TIME magazine named him one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Favreau went on to co-found Crooked Media, a media company where he and three other former Obama aides co-host “Pod Save America,” a political conversation podcast. As he prepared for the June 2024 release of his new book with Crooked Media’s co-founders, “Democracy or Else: How to Save America in 10 Easy Steps,” Favreau answered our burning questions on everything from his go-to coffee order to what threatens our democracy today — and how to save it.
Where did you grow up?
North Reading, Massachusetts.
Where do you consider “home”?
I still can’t believe I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 10 years now, but I’d say it definitely feels like home.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up? I alternated between writer, lawyer, journalist and politician — so I guess it’s not too surprising where I finally landed.
What profession other than your own would you like to try?
During my freshman year at Holy Cross, when I was taking music theory and playing a lot of piano, I thought I might try to play professionally. Piano is still one of the only non-political things I do to relax.
What profession would you not like to try?
I would be absolutely terrible at anything finance-related.
What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Check my phone, open Twitter, go to Starbucks.
Top three most-used apps on your phone?
Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp.
How do you relax?
I’ll let you know when it happens.
What is something you can’t do but wish you could?
Quit social media.
What movie or TV show do you wish you could watch again for the first time?
“Succession.”
What is one item you must have on you at all times?
My phone is truly another appendage.
During your time at The White House, did you get to do any walk-and-talks like viewers saw on “The West Wing”?
No, though there were lots of sit-and-talks in windowless basement offices.
What is your go-to coffee order?
Woof, get ready: large iced French vanilla Dunkin’ Donuts with milk and Splenda. I know, it’s bad.
Call or text?
Text! Haven’t answered a call in years.
What moment would you most like to relive from your time working as speechwriter for former President Obama?
The night of the 2008 election.
What was the most surprising part about speechwriting for Obama?
How patient and collaborative he was — never lost his temper, never dismissed my suggestions out of hand, always willing to take suggestions, even as he was most always confident about what he wanted to say.
You’ve said you knew a speech was good when it came back covered in edits. What kinds of edits would the president make?
He would frequently add entire arguments I’d left out, sometimes adding a full page to the speech. As the speech got closer to the final draft, he’d change a lot of individual words and edit sentences for rhythm and flow as much as anything else.
What is the best writing tip he gave you?
Always think about the story you’re trying to tell.
What part of working at Obama’s White House do you miss the most?
The camaraderie with other colleagues, who in some cases had been friends for years.
Favorite speech you wrote during that time?
The second inaugural address.
You have said the most important thing Obama taught you was to believe, no matter what, in the possibilities of American democracy. What is the promise of democracy, and why is it worth saving?
Not sure if I’m supposed to give you guys an exclusive excerpt from the book, but here goes:
“The work of democracy is never over. And that’s a feature, not a bug. For centuries, there was nothing in the world like this. People organized themselves through power and violence. And then one day, people decided to take a chance on each other – on a government by the many, not the few, organized by laws, not kings.
Turns out, that’s a tough thing to pull off. At best, democracy is messy, contentious, and infuriating. Change will be slow because convincing a big group of people to do anything is slow. Have you ever watched a table for 12 try to order at a restaurant? It’s a nightmare.
But here’s the amazing part. Democracy isn’t just how we organize our government. It’s a way to see ourselves. In deciding that we are in charge – that we have agency – we are also deciding that each of us matters and deserves a voice, that all of us are worthy of dignity and respect. In empowering us, democracy changes us.”
You’ve said speeches should tell a story. What makes a compelling story?
A story that makes you feel empathy and inspires you to think or act differently as a result.
What are your top three favorite speeches of all time?
MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech, LBJ’s “We Shall Overcome” speech and RFK’s “Mindless Menace of Violence” speech. I think all three of them together tell an essential story about America — an imperfect union that can still be made better.
What word would you like to do away with?
When is your preferred time to write?
Late at night (though I can rarely stay up past 10 p.m. most nights) or on a flight with no Wi-Fi (that isn’t turbulent).
Favorite line you’ve ever written?
“In the unlikely story that is America, there’s never been anything false about hope.”
Ideal speech font, font size?
Times New Roman, 12pt.
Your new book, “Democracy or Else: How to Save America in 10 Easy Steps,” with Crooked Media’s co-founders and hosts of “Pod Save America” comes out in June. Who should read it?
Anyone who wants to get more involved in politics and organizing on any issue at every level. Whether you’re a political junkie or someone who barely votes, I think you’ll find some useful advice about how to participate in politics in a way that feels less scary, more fun and hopefully more impactful.
If it won’t spoil anything, can you share your favorite step of the “10 Easy Steps”?
Step 7: Give Yourself A Break (really!).
What is the greatest threat to American democracy today?
Same as it ever was: selfishness and cynicism; ignorance and indifference.
What is the best part of co-hosting “Pod Save America”?
I get to talk about something I really care about with people I really care about.
What is the most challenging part of co-hosting “Pod Save America”?
Have you seen the news lately?
Dream podcast guest?
Taylor Swift.
Where do you get your news?
Almost anywhere you could think of.
How do you recommend Americans today consume news?
I wouldn’t (kidding!). Read fact-checked, well-sourced journalism. Read the whole piece, not just the headline or the tweet or whatever 30-second clip you see on social media. If something seems surprising or enraging or too wild to be true, look for another source. Consume more news and less opinion. And do it all in moderation (advice to myself that I can’t seem to take).
What made you choose Holy Cross?
My first visit to campus — it just felt like the right place. Also, to be completely honest: My best friend from high school was going, and I got an academic scholarship.
How do you think you are different because of your education from Holy Cross?
What I value most about my Holy Cross education is that our professors exposed us to different points of view, taught us how to debate and disagree with empathy, and made sure we knew that the purpose of education isn’t just to improve our own lives, but to improve the lives of others.
What experience from the Washington Semester Program sticks out in your memory?
The first time I got to write a draft of an op-ed for Sen. John Kerry as a press intern. It’s when I knew I wanted to be a speechwriter.
What was the most impactful course you took at Holy Cross and who taught it?
Sociology 101 – The Sociological Perspective, with Professor Mary Erdmans.
You served as the opinion editor of The Crusader (now The Spire ) student newspaper. What advice would you give the staff today?
Write your opinion pieces with the goal of persuading someone who you know will disagree with your take. The point is not to make yourself feel good about how right you are — it’s to get other people to see things your way.
What is your favorite Holy Cross tradition?
Spring Weekend — is that still fun?
What is your favorite spot on campus?
Kimball — I could’ve sat at brunch on the weekends and avoided walking up that hill forever.
Favorite Worcester spots?
I honestly don’t think any of them exist anymore — Yong Shing, Cactus Pete’s, Plantation Club, Road Runner Pizza, a BYOB Mexican place that I’m blanking on (Tortilla Sam’s).
Who or what inspires you?
I absolutely would’ve cringed and rolled my eyes at this four years ago, but: our two sons, Charlie and Teddy. Parenting is incredibly exhausting and humbling, but also the most fulfilling challenge I’ve ever had, because when you’re trying to raise good humans, you’re constantly inspired to be a better human yourself.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
From David Axelrod: There are two kinds of people — people who want to be something and people who want to do something. Strive to become the second kind of person
WSB Exclusive Speaker
Founder, Crooked Media, Host of Pod Save America; Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting for President Barack Obama (2009-2013)
A mastermind in crafting the most evocative and unforgettable speeches of our time, Jon Favreau, shares his insights and experiences from working alongside the President and provides inspiration to future leaders entering lives of public service.
Jon Favreau'S SPEAKING FEE Under $25,000
Presidents’ words can move people, persuade a country and define their place in history. As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, “Speech is power.” President Barack Obama’s director of speechwriting, Jon Favreau, not only rose to the challenge of being the second-youngest chief speechwriter in White House history but crafted some of the most evocative and unforgettable speeches of our time, unleashing the voice of a new generation. Considered one of the President’s most trusted and influential staffers, often referred to as his “mind reader,” Favreau played an indispensable role in the development—and success—of his most pivotal speeches. He began working with then-Senator Obama in 2005 as his speechwriter and transitioned to the 2008 presidential campaign. From the iconic “Yes We Can” 2008 New Hampshire primary night speech to the historic inaugural addresses of 2009 and 2013, Favreau’s work captured the historical significance of Barack Obama’s presidency, while connecting the zeitgeist of a nation with the message of its leader. Featured in TIME magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” and in GQ’s “50 Most Powerful People in D.C.,” Favreau is the co-founder of communications firm, Fenway Strategies, co-host of one of America’s most popular podcasts, Keepin’ It 1600 , and a columnist for The Ringer . Providing audiences with an intimate glimpse of his experiences in the White House, Favreau shares his unique insights that will compel future leaders in their fields to reach their full potential.
Jon Favreau and Wesley Morris on the 2016 Election
Jon Favreau | Life as Obama’s Speechwriter
Jon Favreau (May 9, 2016) | Charlie Rose
The journey into a life of public service.
When Jon Favreau—director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama (2009-2013)—joined the White House at age 27, he became the second-youngest chief speechwriter in United States history. Sharing illuminating anecdotes from a career spent working alongside the Commander in Chief on the two most pivotal presidential campaigns in recent history, in the West Wing and throughout the world, Favreau conveys his own life experiences, his aspirations to balance idealism with the reality of politics and insights to inspire others to consider public service and develop their skills as future leaders.
The significance of meaningful and effective words cannot be overrated, especially when a critical message is needed to stand out in a 24/7 news cycle and break through the constant noise of social media. Jon Favreau—director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama (2009-2013)—knows this all too well as he has worked on some of the most important communications coming from the OvalOffice. According to Obama chief advisor David Axelrod, he has had his “stamp on all the great speeches from 2005 to early 2013” and always sought to tell a compelling story rather than string together a collection of sound bites. However, it is not simply a sheer talent with words that has made Favreau a success. While his rhetorical prowess has played a role, what sets Favreau above the rest is his unique ability to “see” or get behind the words—to capture the essence of an issue and create dialogue that clearly and powerfully articulates what it is about that issue that matters and why we should care. As former right-hand man and “mind reader” to arguably one of the greatest orators in United States history, Favreau offers his audiences valuable insight on how precisely—from conception to delivery—to “get behind the words we speak.” In the process, he discusses the significance of “mining” resources for inspiration, creating scripts that speak from and to the heart and “walking the walk” of talk.
What other organizations say about Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau is such an amazing person! Today was one of the most beautiful graduations that Greengates has ever had. Our students, teachers and parents were more than impressed. Jon’s speech was perfect, he was perfect! Education Programs
Jon Favreau was fantastic and a huge hit with our crowd! I think everyone was impressed with how smart and down-to-earth he is. He was incredibly gracious to take pictures and chat with several speechwriters before his presentation. Publishing
Thank you so much for your work to make the Jon Favreau lecture possible! We had a fantastic experience, and the students in attendance really enjoyed his speech. Jon was very engaging with our students at dinner and the reception following the lecture, and they are still talking about how much they liked him! Universities & Colleges
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President Obama's ex-speechwriter talks about one of the campaign basics.
— -- One man who knows a thing or two about stump speeches is Jon Favreau, a former speechwriter for President Barack Obama.
Favreau, 35, got his start working for John Kerry's failed presidential campaign in 2004 and met Obama during the Democratic National Convention that year. Favreau went on to work for Obama when he was a senator and played a pivotal role in his 2008 election and the first years of his administration.
The stump speech is a campaign tool that Favreau — and every other presidential speechwriter — knows well.
"These speeches are their argument for why they should be president," he said.
Part of the beauty of a stump speech is that it "can be reused again and again, anytime, anywhere," Favreau said.
Learn more about the utility and history of the stump speech in the video above.
24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events
WASHINGTON — Jon Favreau’s career took off when, at age 23, he interrupted U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama during a speech rehearsal to offer some suggestions for improvement.
That cheeky move led to a seven-year tour as Obama’s lead speechwriter, an assignment that ends March 1 as Favreau considers trying his hand at another form of drama — as a screenwriter, perhaps in Los Angeles.
The departure subtracts a vivid personality from the president’s operation, defined since the beginning by Obama’s spoken words and the team that wrote them.
After Favreau landed in the White House four years ago, he became the most recognizable in a coterie of young staffers. Sporting aviator sunglasses and a buzz cut, he occasionally lit up social media with his antics.
PHOTOS: President Obama’s past
People magazine named him one of the world’s most beautiful people. He went out with actress Rashida Jones, best known for her role in “The Office.” One night, as he and some friends played a shirtless game of beer pong in Georgetown, someone snapped a photo that ended up on the blog FamousDC, with the headline: “White House Gone Wild.”
But about the writing, Favreau was always serious, telling peers it was a solemn responsibility to remain in sync with the president’s thinking.
“When they’re working together, it’s like watching two musicians riff,” said David Axelrod, Obama’s longtime advisor. “Jon’s stamp is on all of the great speeches, from 2005 until now.”
Favreau will turn over his seat to Cody Keenan, a Chicago native who is taking the lead on writing the State of the Union address. Keenan is an original member of the team of twentysomethings that Favreau assembled for a tough assignment: writing for a writer with exacting standards.
Favreau declined Monday to discuss his departure.
PHOTOS: Armed presidents
In a statement, Obama said, “He has become a friend and a collaborator on virtually every major speech I’ve given in the Senate, on the campaign trail and in the White House.”
They didn’t start off as collaborators. Obama was an Illinois state senator running for the U.S. Senate when they met in 2004. He was preparing to deliver the Democratic National Convention speech that would launch his national career. Favreau was working as a junior speechwriter for the party’s presidential nominee, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who is from Favreau’s home state.
Kerry’s staff had spotted an overlap between Obama’s speech and the one their boss planned to deliver, and they sent Favreau to tell Obama to trim his text.
“It was an unbelievably cruel thing to do, to send the 23-year-old in to do that job,” Axelrod joked.
After Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate, he hired Favreau. Favreau then moved to Obama’s 2008 campaign and into the White House, where he earned a reputation as someone who could write speeches and parry with senior officials and Cabinet secretaries who wanted to put their fingerprints on the work.
If there were any doubts about him, Favreau quickly dispelled them when he wrote the first inaugural address and the president’s healthcare speech to Congress, said David Plouffe, a longtime Obama advisor.
PHOTOS: President Obama’s second inauguration
“Jon wasn’t going to come in with a draft that was not Barack Obama-like,” Plouffe said. “The president never has to worry that he’s going to get something and have to say, ‘This isn’t my voice.’”
Keenan is known for his handling of heartbreak and sadness. He was the lead writer on Obama’s speech at the Tucson memorial after the shooting of then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).
Favreau plans to stay in Washington for a while, but he has often told friends that he wants to pursue screenwriting, as did former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett, the co-creator of the new comedy “1600 Penn.”
His time in the White House should serve Favreau well, Plouffe said.
“He can write comedy, history, drama, suspense,” he said. “He’s got the whole range.”
Aug. 20, 2024
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Event Program
TUE, JUN 25
Jon Favreau , Jon Lovett , Alyssa Mastromonaco , and Tommy Vietor
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Jon Favreau served as Barack Obama’s head speechwriter from 2005-2013, a role that was far more senior and influential than Jon Lovett’s. In 2017, he co-founded Crooked Media, where he’s a co-host of Pod Save America , host of Offline with Jon Favreau , and host of The Wilderness . His first book, Democracy or Else , which he co-authored alongside his Crooked Media co-founders, will be released on June 25, 2024. Jon lives in Los Angeles with his wife Emily, their sons Charlie and Teddy, and their dog Leo.
Jon Lovett is a podcast host, former presidential speechwriter, and straight shooter widely respected on both sides. In 2017, he co-founded Crooked Media, where he co-hosts Pod Save America and hosts Lovett or Leave It , two beloved podcasts that are very good. His first book, Democracy or Else , which he co-authored alongside his Crooked Media co-founders, will be released on June 25, 2024. Before Crooked, he served as a speechwriter in the Obama White House and for Hillary Clinton, co-created a comedy on NBC called 1600 Penn (canceled after one perfect season), wrote for The Newsroom with Aaron Sorkin, and posted many perfect tweets before deleting the app forever.
Alyssa Mastromonaco is the New York Times bestselling author of Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? and So Here's the Thing , and co-host of Hysteria , Crooked Media's all-woman-produced podcast. She also contributes to Crooked Media's Pod Save America , is a contributing editor to Marie Claire , and serves as Senior Advisor and spokesperson for NARAL Pro-Choice America. She previously was the youngest woman ever to serve as Deputy White House Chief of Staff of Operations and kept our country running through a government shutdown, natural disasters, national tragedies, and history-making events. Before serving as Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Alyssa held several positions in President Barack Obama's administration, campaign, political action committee, and Senate office.
Tommy Vietor is a cofounder of Crooked Media, cohost of Pod Save America , and the host of the foreign-policy-focused Pod Save the World . His first book, Democracy or Else , which he co-authored alongside his Crooked Media co-founders, will be released on June 25, 2024. In a past life, he worked for President Obama for nine years, including a stint as White House National Security Spokesman. Originally from outside Boston, Vietor now lives in Los Angeles with his wife Hanna, their kids Lisette and James, and dog Lucca.
Former White House aides during the Obama administration, Jon Favreau , Jon Lovett , and Tommy Vietor are the hosts of the widely popular podcast Pod Save America . A no-bullshit conversation about politics, Pod Save America cuts through the noise to break down the week's news and helps listeners figure out what actually matters and how they can help. The hosts are regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders.
Crooked Media , founded by former Obama administration officials Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor, publishes books under the Crooked Media Reads imprint. Crooked Media Reads is dedicated to publishing nonfiction and issue-driven fiction that informs, entertains, and inspires action, sparking the debates we need to have right now.
This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of Susan Bay Nimoy, Estate of Douglas M. Matheson, Seedlings Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Charina Endowment Fund, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Mustang Foundation, Michael Tuch Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, and The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America.
This program is also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
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This a about the speechwriter, for the American actor see Category:Jon Favreau
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Jonathan Edward Favreau [1] (/ ˈ f æ v r oʊ /; born June 2, 1981) [2] is an American political commentator and podcaster and the former director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama. [3] [4] [5]After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross as valedictorian, [6] Favreau worked for the John Kerry presidential campaign in 2004, working to collect talk radio news for the campaign ...
SUBSCRIBE for more speakers http://is.gd/OxfordUnionOxford Union on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoxfordunionOxford Union on Twitter: @OxfordUnionW...
In 2009, at age 27, Jon Favreau became the second-youngest chief presidential speechwriter in White House history. Despite his youth, he seemed to have the utter trust of President Obama, who ...
Fourth was the need for honesty and authenticity: be personal and be courageous. The last lesson was to maintain idealism: cynicism and hope are both choices, so choose hope, he said. Favreau also shared meaningful experiences through personal anecdotes, such as a phone conversation with Ann Nixon Cooper, a 106 year-old civil rights veteran.
On March 1, White House wunderkind Jon Favreau will retire his position as President Obama's chief speechwriter. According to several outlets, the 31-year-old is planning to pack up his ...
Jon Favreau, Speechwriter "For the first time, Obama sees it and he's like, 'I actually don't have that many edits'." Published Jan 12, 2016
Jon Favreau left the White House earlier this year after serving as President Obama's Director of Speechwriting since 2005. A member of the President's closest group of advisors on the Hill and in the White House, Favreau was a fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics last spring, and is currently building his own communications strategy firm, Fenway Strategies, in Washington.
To understand the Obama presidency, one must understand Jon Favreau (not to be confused with his namesake, the Hollywood actor and Iron Man director). Tall, gap-toothed, recognisable by his ...
Early life and education. Favreau was born at Winchester Hospital and raised in nearby North Reading, Massachusetts, [2] [11] the son of Lillian (née DeMarkis), a schoolteacher, and Mark Favreau. His father is of French Canadian descent and his mother is of Greek descent. [12] His grandfather, Robert Favreau, was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and described by Favreau ...
US President Barack Obama's former chief speechwriter Jon Favreau was presented with the James Joyce Award from the UCD Literary & Historical Society, Univer...
While preparing to leave his post as President Obama's head speechwriter, a position he has held for the past eight years, Jon Favreau '03 reflected on his time at the White House in an interview on NBC's TODAY show. Having started his tenure at just 22 years old, Favreau is among the youngest to ever hold the position of chief ...
Jon Favreau is a political commentator, podcaster and the former Director of Speechwriting for President Barack Obama. Favreau first began writing for Obama in 2005 during his first term as a US Senator and held the role as head speechwriter throughout the 2008 campaign and presidency, until 2013. During Obama's presidency, Favreau became the ...
The Journey Into a Life of Public Service When Jon Favreau—director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama (2009-2013)—joined the White House at age 27, he became the second-youngest chief speechwriter in United States history.
Eleven years after delivering the valedictory address as a graduating senior, Obama's former speechwriter returned to his alma mater to speak to the Class of 2014. Read the full speech. Jon Favreau
During a single hour-long conversation, former director of speechwriting for President Obama and current podcast celebrity Jon Favreau "03 covered myriad topics: the strengths and failures of the new Democratic House majority, 2020 presidential candidates, his tense first encounter with Obama at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and his gratitude for Holy Cross.
Just two years after graduating from Holy Cross, Jon Favreau '03, Hon. '14, became head speechwriter for then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. When Obama took office as president, Favreau became the second-youngest chief presidential speechwriter in White House history. In 2009, TIME magazine named him one of the "100 Most Influential ...
Since teaming with then-freshman senator Barack Obama shortly after his college graduation, Jon Favreau has been President Obama's speechwriter and right-han...
Jonathan Kolia Favreau was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, on October 19, 1966, [1] the only child of Madeleine, an elementary school teacher who died of leukemia in 1979, and Charles Favreau, a special education teacher. [2] His mother was Ashkenazi Jewish [3] [4] [5] and his father is a Catholic of Italian and French-Canadian ancestry. [6] [7] [8] Favreau dropped out of Hebrew school to ...
When Jon Favreau—director of speechwriting for President Barack Obama (2009-2013)—joined the White House at age 27, he became the second-youngest chief speechwriter in United States history. Sharing illuminating anecdotes from a career spent working alongside the Commander in Chief on the two most pivotal presidential campaigns in recent ...
ABC News. -- One man who knows a thing or two about stump speeches is Jon Favreau, a former speechwriter for President Barack Obama. Favreau, 35, got his start working for John Kerry's failed ...
Favreau plans to stay in Washington for a while, but he has often told friends that he wants to pursue screenwriting, as did former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett, the co-creator of the new comedy ...
Jon Favreau served as Barack Obama's head speechwriter from 2005-2013, a role that was far more senior and influential than Jon Lovett's. In 2017, he co-founded Crooked Media, where he's a co-host of Pod Save America, host of Offline with Jon Favreau, and host of The Wilderness.His first book, Democracy or Else, which he co-authored alongside his Crooked Media co-founders, will be ...
English: Jon Favreau (b. 1981), White House speechwriter. Français : Jon Favreau (né en 1981), responsable des discours de la Maison Blanche. Jon Favreau, April 2009. Jon Favreau and Barack Obama in the Oval Office, April 2009. President Barack Obama reads over his remarks regarding the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize with Senior Advisor David Axelrod ...