Writing lines for Obama, mixing comedy and hope

Book review of 'Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years'

What becomes of hope? After the cheers die down and the confetti is swept up, what happens to the initial rush of excitement that a candidate can inspire?

In David Litt’s memoir, Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years, this question is framed as a kind of love story: a political romantic comedy. Call it, perhaps, “When Speechwriter Met Speech.” Litt winningly details his ascent from campaign volunteer, flushed with the passion of early infatuation, to world-weary member of Barack Obama’s senior speechwriting staff. While it has all the trappings of a coming-of-age tale set inside the Beltway, Litt’s aims