"The presidency has become a 24-hour cable channel," Waldman said. "If a major domestic or international event doesn't produce a comment by the evening news, the president is accused of being asleep at the switch."

In addition to tales of all-night writing and aides' squabbling over credit, Waldman spoke of President Clinton's "incredible range of oratorical knowledge" and "love for the podium." "We'd hand him a bare outline of points to make and policies to explain, and he'd 'pretty it up,' with detail and argument tailored to the mood of the audience. We'd give him Hemingway, and he'd turn it into Faulkner."

The modern lack of a "common civic religion"--widespread popular familiarity with texts like the Bible, the Constitution, and famous historical oratory--makes speechwriting more difficult, according to Waldman. "Nowadays, the only allusions understood are those from movies and television commercials. Reporters call up asking 'Who wrote that great line?' and we answer, 'It's from the Bible."

Waldman led a study group at the Insititute of Politics last year, and commented on the number of familiar faces he saw in the audience of approximately 50 students. He said his. new book, POTUS Speaks, was fueled by the pizza that is a staple of IOP events. "If it's starchy or greasy, you know why."

"Pizza and Politics" is a "smallish program, which provides a good opportunity for students to get to know the speakers, eat dinner with them and ask lots of questions," according to the series' coordinator, Josh I. Weiner '03.

Previous speakers in this year's series have included White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart and Republican senatorial candidate Jack E. Robinson, and former Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis is slated to appear later this semester.