The words a president chooses can shape how we see ourselves, how we understand our past, and how we face the future.
For eight years, President Barack Obama has led us during significant moments in American history. Whether it was the economic crisis, the Supreme Court decision to support marriage equality, the passage of the Affordable Care Act, or the unimaginable horror at Newtown, time and again, the President found the right words to meet the moment.
Behind those words is a group of speechwriters who have worked closely with the President to craft important messages to the American people. It’s meant countless drafts and rewrites, late nights, and last-minute edits from the motorcade. As his time in office comes to a close, the President’s speechwriters — past and present — took a look back at eight years of remarks to share some of the words, speeches, and memories that stand out to them.
Take a look at a few of the President’s top speeches as chosen by his speechwriters.
