Bush speechwriter talks GOP future

The Republican Party is more united than Michael Gerson has ever seen it.

Gerson, President George W. Bush’s speech writer from 2000 to 2006 and a columnist for the Washington Post, spoke at IU Thursday night.

Covering a variety of topics from his background in campaigns to his hope for the future of the GOP, Gerson presented an analysis of the current political landscape under President Barack Obama.

“Barack Obama was elected, you’ll remember, largely on tonal rather than political reasons,” Gerson said. “How did this tonal candidate become so tone-deaf?”

Gerson said there are two Obamas: the campaigner who spoke words of unity and the Chicago politician. During the past year, Gerson said Obama’s tone has phased into a more bitter, brittle form as the Chicago politician in him steps forward.

Following Obama’s win in 2008, commentators were ready to resign the GOP to the political dust bin and usher in an era of a permanent democratic majority. However, as Obama’s tone shifts and his popularity in the polls decreases, Gerson said the GOP is uniting and gathering strength.

“I do think, in general, that the kind of bloody battles we see in the immediate aftermath of electoral loss, that we did see, the party is very much beyond that,” he said.

In order to continue to gain strength, Gerson said the party must expand its base and work to regain the Latino vote.

“That’s just a reality. There’s no way around it,” he said. “You don’t have to comprise your identity, you just have to appeal to new voters.”

Gerson also spoke of his time as a speech writer and adviser for President Bush.

Gerson moved to Austin, Texas, in 1999 to start working with Bush during the early stages of his campaign.

“He was outgoing, social, athletic, likeable,” Gerson said. “I’m actually none of those things.”

IU College Republicans Chairman Justin Hill said they brought Gerson to campus because of his experience with policy and his six years as Bush’s speech writer.

“I was actually kind of surprised he said he’d be a speech writer for Condoleezza Rice,” he said. “That kind of caught me off-guard.”

Regardless, Hill thought Gerson was a great person to speak about the political landscape.

Senior Jeff Fraser said he was thoroughly impressed by Gerson, who he views as a leader in the Republican Party who everyone can respect.

“I was interested in learning from someone who’s very knowledgeable and worked closely with the president and understands he’s a sincere person of courage,” Fraser said.