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The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Ep. 361 — Sarah Hurwitz

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

CNN

News

4.67.7K Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2019

⏱️ 60 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Sarah Hurwitz, former head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama and senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama, joins David to discuss her early career in politics, the art of speechwriting, and the spiritual journey that culminated in her new book: Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life-- in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There). To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Music

0:06.0

And now, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN Audio, the Axe Files with

0:12.5

your host, David Axelrod.

0:15.0

I first met Sarah Herwitz in 2008.

0:21.0

She had been the Chief Speechwriter for Hillary Clinton in her campaign for President.

0:26.0

I was the Chief Strategist for Barack Obama.

0:28.6

When Obama won that primary, Sarah came over and joined our speech writing staff and wrote

0:33.8

some of the most memorable speeches for Michelle Obama then and throughout the eight years that

0:39.3

Obama was President of Brilliant Writer who writes with great humanity in her speeches.

0:44.0

You see it in her new book called Here All Along Finding Meaning Spirituality and a Deeper

0:49.3

Connection to Life in Judaism.

0:51.9

A book about her own later in life journey to connect with her faith.

0:56.5

And on that subject, let me say happy Hanukkah, Mary Christmas, happy holidays to all of you.

1:07.0

My old friend Sarah Herwitz, we're recording this podcast in my old offices.

1:17.0

You must have been in here back in the day.

1:19.1

I think I was back in O'Aing.

1:20.9

It's great to see you again.

1:25.6

Now in author, here All Along Finding Meaning Spirituality and a Deeper Connection to Life

1:32.0

in Judaism where I got to get the parentheses as well.

1:36.1

And finally choosing to look there.

1:38.7

We're going to get to all of that.

1:40.2

But it's actually a good place to start.

...

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