Kiernan and Montana aren't looking for complicated in their Chicago summer, but somehow complicated has found them.
[co-written with @w1ldflow3r]
[extended summary inside]
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
At the heart of speech writing was story-telling.
For a political speech to be effective and meaningful, it needed to craft a compelling narrative that clearly articulated the issue and why it was worth caring about. At least that was what I believed to be true, and why I hoped the shallow politicians who only ever spouted off inflammatory sound bites would fail to curate a message that resonated with mindful voters.
I'd spent the better part of the last two weeks laboring over every word of Cassandra Symons's speech for a gala hosted by the Midwest Women's Alliance. Tonight wasn't technically a campaign event, but it was equally important.
Two months ago when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the state of Illinois started working to pass legislation that would shield health care workers from legal action, expand guaranteed insurance coverage, and increase reproductive health access.
This was, among many other things, an issue worth caring about, and this speech needed to encapsulate that.
I watched on from the wings with other members of the campaign staff, my heart hammering against my ribcage. Beneath the soft gleam of the overhead lights, Symon's auburn hair held an additional shine. She brought an electric presence to the podium, one that commanded attention in a way that wasn't greedy. She'd honed her oratory skills as an attorney, and her time spent as a state senator had polished her political acuity in which her words seemed to transcend typical partisan divisions.
I didn't need to look at the teleprompter to know that Symons was approaching the end of her speech. I had the words tattooed to my brain.
"In Illinois, we safeguard freedom and equality. In Illinois, we support a woman's right to choose. In Illinois, we don't need to abandon faith or beliefs to agree that the government should not and will not govern this choice for her. Everyone deserves to have access to safe and legal health care. As a United States Senator, I will deliver Illinois's conviction to Washington, and to use the full force of my position to defend these essential rights and freedoms. Thank you again to the Midwest Women's Alliance for having me tonight, and thank you Chicago."
Applause consumed the hall, packed with influential Democratic donors and members of Chicago's political class. Symons lingered at the podium for a beat to politely soak it all in before yielding to one of the event's chairwomen. As she returned to the wings, I allowed myself to appreciate her navy power suit and nude heels.
"Don't let the applause go to your head, kid," Tag Bradley said in his subtle Texan drawl as he clapped. He was the campaign's Communications Director and my boss.
"I would never," I replied. I'd stationed myself beside my boss before Symons took to the podium, and had kept an eye on his expression throughout the speech. He had a world-class poker face, but I prided myself on being able to discern when he thought things were a) exceeding expectations, or b) going to shit.
