Ben Rhodes, former speechwriter and deputy national security adviser under President Obama, has compiled a new book exploring American identity through historical and contemporary rhetoric. Titled "All We Say," the collection assembles 15 speeches spanning from Benjamin Franklin to Donald Trump, examining how political leaders have defined what it means to be American across centuries.
Rhodes spent eight years in the Obama administration shaping messaging on foreign policy and domestic priorities. His new work reflects a broader effort to understand the competing visions of national identity that have shaped American politics and governance. The speeches selected for the book represent pivotal moments when leaders articulated their interpretations of American values, character, and purpose.
The project arrives during a period of polarization over fundamental questions about national identity. Democrats and Republicans continue to contest core definitions of American ideals, from immigration and democracy to economic opportunity and international responsibility. Rhodes's framework allows readers to trace how these debates have evolved across different historical periods and administrations.
By pairing speeches from figures like Franklin with those from Trump, the collection implicitly engages with how conceptions of American identity have shifted. The book suggests that the "battle for American identity" remains ongoing, with each generation redefining national character through rhetoric and policy.
Rhodes's perspective carries weight from his years advising an administration that explicitly framed its identity politics around inclusivity, diversity, and global engagement. His current work invites readers to examine how leaders construct narratives about America's essence and purpose. The selection and arrangement of these speeches shapes how readers understand continuities and ruptures in American political discourse about who Americans are and what the nation represents.