Jon Favreau '03 lectures on Kerry campaign experience
Dan Kittredge
Issue date: 12/10/04 Section: News
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Jon Favreau '03 returned to the College on Dec. 2 to talk about his experience working as a speechwriter for the John Kerry presidential campaign in a lecture entitled "Politics as a Vocation: 2004 Campaign." Favreau spoke before a crowd in the Rehm Library.
Professor Donald Brand, chair of the political science department, introduced Favreau. He noted that it is the goal of the department to instill in students the characteristics of a good citizen, and said that Favreau "understands this better than most."
"It's great to be back at Holy Cross," said Favreau upon taking the podium, adding, "I had hoped it would be more triumphant."
Favreau said that he first became associated with Senator Kerry during his time in the Washington Semester Program. He worked as a press assistant in the Senator's office, and became close to the press director during this time. On the eve of his commencement, he received a call from the press director inviting him to be a press assistant on the Kerry's presidential campaign, which he accepted.
His duties as a press assistant, Favreau said, involved getting up at 4 a.m. each morning and assembling the news stories of the day, and then travelling to the office to do more work. He continued in this capacity through the summer and fall of 2003.
During this period of time, Favreau sat next to Kerry's head speechwriter, and the two got to know each other. He said that one day his commencement address came up, and Favreau jokingly sent the speechwriter a copy. The address impressed the speechwriter, he said, and when a position opened up shortly thereafter he got a new position as a deputy speechwriter.
In his new role with the campaign, Favreau said, he got to travel to Iowa and was present at many of the primary victories. He said he was also present when President Bush called to congratulate Senator Kerry on clinching the Democratic nomination. Then, when the head speechwriter took a new position at the Democratic National Committee, Favreau assumed the role of head speechwriter.
Professor Donald Brand, chair of the political science department, introduced Favreau. He noted that it is the goal of the department to instill in students the characteristics of a good citizen, and said that Favreau "understands this better than most."
"It's great to be back at Holy Cross," said Favreau upon taking the podium, adding, "I had hoped it would be more triumphant."
Favreau said that he first became associated with Senator Kerry during his time in the Washington Semester Program. He worked as a press assistant in the Senator's office, and became close to the press director during this time. On the eve of his commencement, he received a call from the press director inviting him to be a press assistant on the Kerry's presidential campaign, which he accepted.
His duties as a press assistant, Favreau said, involved getting up at 4 a.m. each morning and assembling the news stories of the day, and then travelling to the office to do more work. He continued in this capacity through the summer and fall of 2003.
During this period of time, Favreau sat next to Kerry's head speechwriter, and the two got to know each other. He said that one day his commencement address came up, and Favreau jokingly sent the speechwriter a copy. The address impressed the speechwriter, he said, and when a position opened up shortly thereafter he got a new position as a deputy speechwriter.
In his new role with the campaign, Favreau said, he got to travel to Iowa and was present at many of the primary victories. He said he was also present when President Bush called to congratulate Senator Kerry on clinching the Democratic nomination. Then, when the head speechwriter took a new position at the Democratic National Committee, Favreau assumed the role of head speechwriter.
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