Reaching Americans in Turmoil with Cody Keenan

Story in the Public Square

Often, politics can feel like a thankless and often futile undertaking. But White House chief speechwriter Cody Keenan tells his readers that occasionally, through long and sustained effort, the world moves.

Keenan began his political career as an intern and legislative aide to senator Edward M. Kennedy. He earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he studied speechwriting and delivery. After a speechwriting internship on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign working under White House Director of Speechwriting Jon Favreau, Keenan returned as a full-time staffer on Obama’s presidential campaign. In 2013, Keenan took the lead in writing the State of the Union Address just prior to Favreau’s departure from the White House. He became the White House Director of Speechwriting in March 2013. Among his many notable speeches, Kennan wrote Obama’s speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 2015. An expert on politics, messaging, and current affairs, he now serves as a partner at leading speechwriting firm Fenway Strategies and teaches political speechwriting at his alma mater Northwestern University.

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