--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always believed as a speechwriter that…" description: "\"I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed to the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg" --- # I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could… ![“I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed to the ideas that underlay those words.” quote by David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg) > “I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed to the ideas that underlay those words.” [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Persuasion works when a leader publicly embraces specific language, creating personal accountability to the underlying ideas. **In simple terms:** Commitment through speech binds belief to action. Key Takeaway Words spoken publicly create personal stakes. Themes persuasion leadership communication psychology politics Mood strategic insightful Type advice observation When to use this quote - political speechwriting - policy advocacy - campaign messaging Key Concepts commitment public speaking influence Practical Applications - drafting speeches - strategic messaging Questions to Reflect On - How does public language shape private belief? - Can commitment to words drive policy change? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed/) [Believed Speechwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-speechwriter-434144/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Commit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commit/) [Committed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed/) [Committed Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed-ideas-434148/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/himself/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Persuade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade/) [Persuade President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade-president-434146/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Commit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-commit-434147/) [Speechwriter Persuade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speechwriter-persuade-434145/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the-2/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [When evangelical leaders can persuade the president to be concerned about what's happening in Sudan, or sex trafficking around the world, or HIV-AIDS, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wallis/when-evangelical-leaders-can-persuade-the-president-to-be-concerned/) [Jim Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-wallis/) > [It was not hard to persuade people that the market was sound; as always in such times they asked only that the dispiriting voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/it-was-not-hard-to-persuade-people-that-the-market-was-sound-as/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Even within the band, if I cannot manage to persuade the members of what I see to be the next course of action, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fripp/even-within-the-band-if-i-cannot-manage-to-persuade-the-members-of/) [Robert Fripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fripp/) > [I would rather try to persuade a man to go along, because once I have persuaded him, he will stick. If I scare him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-would-rather-try-to-persuade-a-man-to-go-along-because-once-i-have/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I know people who will gently persuade you to be forthcoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-know-people-who-will-gently-persuade-you-to-be-forthcoming/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [For thousands of years, humans have used the art of storytelling to motivate and persuade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-soltis-anderson/for-thousands-of-years-humans-have-used-the-art-of-storytelling-to/) [Kristen Soltis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-soltis-anderson/) > [I have noticed that no sooner do people embark on a course of action which they do not find wholly satisfactory than they muster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morice/i-have-noticed-that-no-sooner-do-people-embark-on-a-course-of-action/) [Anne Morice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morice/) > [ I like \[Barak\] Obama. I like him. So how far does rationality help to persuade anybody? You know, I'm not so sure. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-like-barak-obama-i-like-him-so-how-far-does-rationality-help-to/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Convince is for thought; persuade is for action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-wood/convince-is-for-thought-persuade-is-for-action/) [Monica Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-wood/) > [One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears by listening to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-rusk/one-of-the-best-ways-to-persuade-others-is-with-your-ears-by/) [Dean Rusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-rusk/) > [Presidents are evaluated not by what they did by the stroke of their own pen; it's what they persuade Congress to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/presidents-are-evaluated-not-by-what-they-did-by-the-stroke-of-their/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [“And if I am asked today to advise a young writer who has not yet made up his mind what way to go, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/and-if-i-am-asked-today-to-advise-a-young-writer-who-has-not-yet-made/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [To design is much more than simply to assemble, to order, or even to edit: it is to add value and meaning, to illuminate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rand/to-design-is-much-more-than-simply-to-assemble-to-order-or-even-to/) [Paul Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rand/) > [“Don't think you can persuade me with appeals to my intellectual vanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/don-t-think-you-can-persuade-me-with-appeals-to-my-intellectual-vanity/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) ## More by David Frum > [While there is an attempt by the Trump people to say that California isn't really America. California certainly seems like America to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/while-there-is-an-attempt-by-the-trump-people-to-say-that-california/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One of the things we're all going to have to discover, establishment is just an abusive term for institutions. It's institutions that keep us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-we-re-all-going-to-have-to-discover-establishment/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One of the things that really has gone wrong in modern politics, one of the things that made Trump possible was that many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-that-really-has-gone-wrong-in-modern-politics-one/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [People who want to wage cultural wars ought to keep in mind that cultural views often don't move at all for a very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/people-who-want-to-wage-cultural-wars-ought-to-keep-in-mind-that/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [A generation ago, or two, when there were three channels, plus PBS, and when you needed - when you needed 15 million people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/a-generation-ago-or-two-when-there-were-three-channels-plus-pbs-and/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Trump is not just unlike a Republican, he's unlike a presidential candidate. The whole elaborate presidential process is designed to screen out people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/trump-is-not-just-unlike-a-republican-he-s-unlike-a-presidential/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [More Irishmen died fighting for Britain in World War I than died fighting against her in all of Ireland's bids for independence combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/more-irishmen-died-fighting-for-britain-in-world-war-i-than-died/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Donald Trump, as a businessman, he's not much of a builder and he's not much of dealmaker and he certainly isn't very good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/donald-trump-as-a-businessman-he-s-not-much-of-a-builder-and-he-s-not/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The system we have is one that protects my rights under a president I don't approve. That tomorrow we'll do the same for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/the-system-we-have-is-one-that-protects-my-rights-under-a-president-i/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [ \[democrats\] hated Richard Nixon, and no wonder. It was Nixon who sent Alger Hiss to jail, and Nixon who waged the Vietnam War after… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/democrats-hated-richard-nixon-and-no-wonder-it-was-nixon-who-sent/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Crown Prince Rupprecht, the heir to the throne of Bavaria who commanded the army group facing the British at the Somme, was the senior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/crown-prince-rupprecht-the-heir-to-the-throne-of-bavaria-who/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Partly because of the desperate economic situation in the country, what were once the leading institutions of conservatism are constrained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/partly-because-of-the-desperate-economic-situation-in-the-country/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [ \[In politics,\] when there is no reason to speak, there is a reason not to speak. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/in-politics-when-there-is-no-reason-to-speak-there-is-a-reason-not-to/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Look, the media are trapped by changes in the technology and business of their industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/look-the-media-are-trapped-by-changes-in-the-technology-and-business/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [We, as conservative intellectuals, should not be in the business of making excuses for bad parliamentary decisions by Republican leaders in Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/we-as-conservative-intellectuals-should-not-be-in-the-business-of/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) [Explore all 130 David Frum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed to the ideas that underlay those words.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Frum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/david-frum-3455_always_i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that_33585.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain…” — David Frum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Frum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always believed as a speechwriter...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```