Ben Rhodes on the Speeches That Shaped America
We talk to Ben Rhodes about his new book, "All We Say," which examines seminal American speeches and what they can tell us about American identity today.
June 10, 2026
54 min
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3,375 of 3,393
June 10, 2026
Ben Rhodes on the Speeches That Shaped America
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Ben Rhodes on the Speeches That Shaped America
Summary
What does it mean to be American? That’s the question that animates Ben Rhodes’s new book “All We Say: The Battle for American Identity.” Drawing on 15 speeches spanning more than two centuries, the former Obama speechwriter and national security adviser looks at how they shaped and reflected competing visions over race, democracy, belonging and power. We talk to Rhodes about the speeches he chose and what they say about American identity today.
Guests:
Ben Rhodes, author, "All We Say: The Battle for American Identity;" deputy national security advisor and speechwriter under President Obama
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