Ben Rhodes, who served as a speechwriter and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration, has released a new book titled 'All We Say,' which examines American identity through the lens of 15 historical speeches spanning from Benjamin Franklin to President Donald Trump.
The collection arrives amid ongoing debates about national identity, civic belonging, and the role of rhetoric in shaping American political culture. Rhodes, who also authored the memoir 'The World As It Is' about his time in the Obama White House, frames the book as an exploration of how leaders have defined what it means to be American at pivotal moments in the nation's history.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative critics have offered a more skeptical assessment of the project's premise. Some Republican commentators question whether framing American identity as an ongoing 'battle' reflects a view of history as conflict rather than continuity.
Others in conservative circles note that including Trump's rhetoric alongside Franklin suggests a false equivalence between founders and modern political figures. 'American identity wasn't invented in 2016, nor is it primarily defined by recent partisan debates,' one conservative commentator wrote.
Defenders of traditional civic education argue that while examining historical speeches has value, the framing of Rhodes's book may reflect the perspective of an Obama-era insider rather than a broader national conversation about enduring principles.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive commentators and Democratic-aligned scholars have welcomed Rhodes's examination of American rhetorical traditions. Supporters argue that understanding how national identity has been constructed offers valuable lessons for contemporary politics.
Some liberal analysts note that the book arrives at a moment when debates over immigration, civic education, and constitutional interpretation remain central to policy discussions. 'Looking at these speeches historically helps us understand that American identity has always been contested terrain,' one Democratic strategist noted in commentary on the book's release.
Advocates for a more inclusive vision of American citizenship point to the breadth of voices included in Rhodes's collection as a strength. They argue that examining how different generations grappled with questions of belonging offers tools for contemporary efforts to build coalitions across racial and ethnic lines.
What the Numbers Show
Rhodes served in the White House from 2009 to 2017, handling speechwriting for major addresses including the president's Afghanistan strategy speech and remarks following the 2015 San Bernardino attacks. His previous book, 'The World As It Is,' spent multiple weeks on bestseller lists following its 2018 release.
'All We Say' marks his second major publishing project since leaving government service. The book's 15 speeches span approximately 250 years of American history, from Franklin's remarks at the Constitutional Convention to Trump's 2017 inauguration address and subsequent political rhetoric.
The Bottom Line
The publication of 'All We Say' enters a crowded space in American political commentary, where questions about national identity remain central to legislative debates over immigration policy, voting rights, and civic education standards. Rhodes's perspective as a former administration official adds institutional weight to his analysis, though critics from across the ideological spectrum will likely parse his interpretations through their own frameworks.
The book's reception may depend less on its historical selections than on how readers already view the current state of American political discourse. Whether audiences see it as a clarifying intervention or an extension of existing debates will shape its impact in the broader conversation about national identity.