Speech orders: Short and relatively sweet

By Ron Fournier
The Associated Press

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Each speech is read and re-read, edited and rehearsed as part of a tightly controlled process designed to impress independent voters who are tired of negative politics. Mindful of polls showing voters say they need more information about Kerry, the team also is ensuring that speeches are laced with the candidate's biography and policies.

Campaign spokeswoman Debra DeShong said speakers are getting clear direction from the Kerry team "because we do have a very clear message that John Kerry and John Edwards will make us stronger at home and respected in the world. Our speech process is helping people get comfortable with that message."

For most speakers, the process began when they received a three-page memo titled "Procedures for Convention Speakers" from Jack Corrigan, Kerry's convention point man. It offered the services of speechwriters and coaches, as well as personal assistants to help speakers navigate security, deadlines and other big-day minutiae.

First drafts were due a week before the convention, Corrigan wrote, warning that "suggestions" might be made "to help highlight the campaign's themes for the convention. Please understand that this system is not intended to 'take control' of your speech; rather, it helps ensure that each speaker makes the best possible speech and avoids embarrassing repetitions."

In case they didn't get the message, the speechwriting team, headed by Californian Vicky Rideout, contacted speakers or their staffs with guidance:

• Keep it short. Speakers assumed they had more than the typical three minutes to deliver their remarks. Several egos were bruised.

• Stick to the message. Each night of the convention has a theme, such as plans for America's future tonight.

• Keep it positive. Criticism of President Bush is allowed, but only as a subtle or indirect dig when comparing Kerry's vision to Bush's record. Red meat won't be served at this convention.

Texts poured into the team's offices in downtown Boston — about 100 for delivery in the prime-time slots and 160 scheduled for afternoons. Most needed editing to shorten. Some needed more extensive work.

"Make speeches gooder and more short," read a sign jokingly posted at the offices.
 
Some speakers are too big to push around, but Kerry advisers say even VIPs such as former President Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton understand the strategy to build up Kerry while giving Bush a bit of a pass.

Former Vice President Al Gore, who has fired up Democratic crowds with harsh criticism of Bush, also "understands the drill," said adviser Carter Eskew.

The Kerry strategy is based on polls showing more than 90 percent of voters firmly aligned with one party or another, with as little as 5 percent up for grabs. Kerry's polling shows that those "persuadable" voters don't like negative politics.