Author, speech write gives visit to SHSU
Kristin Edwards
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: Campus News
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The university was paid a visit yesterday by Mr. Kasey S. Pipes, an author and speech writer. Pipes gave a speech to a group of Huntsville residents and students on his new book, "Ike's Final Battle: The Road to Little Rock and the Challenge of Equality," and followed the speech with a question and answer session and book signing.
"We're very grateful to be here," Pipes said, motioning to his wife, Lacie, who is expecting their first child. "If we can reconnect college students today with American leaders like Eisenhower, I'll be happy. He may seem like an old man, but I think we can learn a lot from him."
Pipes has been directly involved with major political figures since before he graduated college, including Fort Worth Mayor Kay Granger during her 1996 campaign and President George W. Bush during both his 1999 and 2004 campaigns, serving as Chief Writer of the National Republican Party Platform during the latter. His first position, however, was as an intern in the California office of former President Ronald Reagan.
"It was a great thrill. I interned in his office in the summer of 1995. He had just announced in 1994 that he had Alzheimer's," Pipes said. "But when I got to spend about fifteen minutes with him one day, he was great. He was Reagan, funny and telling stories."
It was while working at Reagan's office that Pipes learned some of the most important lessons about speech making. Reagan's career had been a powerful influence on him throughout his childhood, and Pipes always remembered "the power of Reagan's words."
"Reagan didn't consider himself a great communicator; he said he communicated great things, and there's a very profound truth in that," Pipes said. "Before you write something, you have to make sure it makes sense, and it offers people something."
Of all of the prominent political figures Pipes has worked with, he feels that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger really embraced that ideology in the speeches he collaborated on with him in 2006.
"We're very grateful to be here," Pipes said, motioning to his wife, Lacie, who is expecting their first child. "If we can reconnect college students today with American leaders like Eisenhower, I'll be happy. He may seem like an old man, but I think we can learn a lot from him."
Pipes has been directly involved with major political figures since before he graduated college, including Fort Worth Mayor Kay Granger during her 1996 campaign and President George W. Bush during both his 1999 and 2004 campaigns, serving as Chief Writer of the National Republican Party Platform during the latter. His first position, however, was as an intern in the California office of former President Ronald Reagan.
"It was a great thrill. I interned in his office in the summer of 1995. He had just announced in 1994 that he had Alzheimer's," Pipes said. "But when I got to spend about fifteen minutes with him one day, he was great. He was Reagan, funny and telling stories."
It was while working at Reagan's office that Pipes learned some of the most important lessons about speech making. Reagan's career had been a powerful influence on him throughout his childhood, and Pipes always remembered "the power of Reagan's words."
"Reagan didn't consider himself a great communicator; he said he communicated great things, and there's a very profound truth in that," Pipes said. "Before you write something, you have to make sure it makes sense, and it offers people something."
Of all of the prominent political figures Pipes has worked with, he feels that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger really embraced that ideology in the speeches he collaborated on with him in 2006.
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