Institute of Politics

IOP Pritzker Fellow Nancy French on "The Ethics of Voice: Ghostwriting & Political Scapegoating"

THIS SEMINAR IS OPEN TO CURRENT UCHICAGO STUDENTS ONLY

Monday, February 9

12:30-1:45pm

When I was a conservative ghost writer writing for conservative pundits, politicians and leaders, I was able to surreptitiously shape the national conversation - even provoking the President to act - while wearing pajamas in my rural Tennessee home. I’ll describe what I did when I discovered my clients were lying to me, when my clients plagiarized and when my clients wanted to hide the truth. Also, I’ll talk about what happened when the definition of “conservative” changed beneath my feet. I found myself on Donald Trump’s plane wanting nothing more than to get off. So that’s what I did.

I reveal the underbelly of political ghostwriting – what it is, why it’s good and why it can sometimes be bad.

Suggested Readings:

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem erroneously describes meeting with Kim Jong Un in new book | Stephen Groves, Associated Press via PBS
Ghost in the Machine: A Washington ghostwriter Gets caught in the Clinton scandal complex | Laura Miller, Slate
Pretend I'm Not Here: How I Worked with Three Newspaper Icons, One Powerful First Lady, and Still Managed to Dig Myself Out of the Washington Swamp | Barbara Feinman Todd
The Presidency: Speaking Out of Turn | Hugh Sidley, Time Magazine (about President Reagan’s communication director making up quotes without Reagan’s knowledge)

Pritzker Fellows seminars are off the record and open to current UChicago students only. Seating in the IOP Living Room is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact Ella Kumano-Maloney (ikmaloney@uchicago.edu).