Why Candidates for Local Office Need Speechwriters

Every Two-minute Speech Counts

Endorsement Night
I recently had the honor and privilege of attending a local political club’s Endorsement Night.

Truly, it was an event that made you feel good about democracy. It was a week night; people came right after work, some of them still in uniform, many of them having skipped dinner to make it on time. 

The meeting was held in a local fire house, and the place was packed. College kids wore bright t-shirts, promoting their favorite candidates. Local yokels passed out flyers—some glossy, some handmade. Candidates walked up and down the rows, shaking hands, introducing themselves and mopping their brows.

You see, it was hot in there. Sweltering, even. But people had come out to choose the candidates they’d endorse in the upcoming primary, and they weren’t going to leave until the results were in. The whole atmosphere reminded you that it might be small, casual, and local—but it was important. And people knew it.

But perhaps the candidates didn’t.

The Two-Minute Speech
Every candidate was given two minutes to speak before the crowd. Some were seasoned politicians, used to giving little extemporaneous spiels. But others were novices, earnestly seeking to serve, and easily tongue-tied under pressure.
One candidate spent the bulk of his time talking about brochures that he waived around, but did not explain. He seemed like a nice guy; I’d like to tell you his name, but he never mentioned it. Nor did he remember to mention what office he was running for.

Another candidate, this one a judge, forgot his audience. He told the assembled crowd, who patiently listened while fanning themselves with brochures, that they should vote for the person with the most experience, not the person who went to the most club crab feasts.

The people sitting on either side of me visibly recoiled.