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The Next Big Idea · 2026-05-28 · 70 min · 12,398 words

The Case for Speechmaking in the Age of Doomscrolling

Listen to the original audio · Transcribed with NVIDIA Parakeet · Why times can differ in your player

I'm Caleb Bissinger, and I'm Rufus Griskom. And this is the Next Big Idea. Today, Obama's former speechwriter on why speeches still matter. Rufus, were you a West Wing fan? Was I ever.

I just relished the show and I just actually re-watched a bunch of episodes. Totally holds up. I don't know how we've never nerded out about this. I'm a huge West Wing fanboy. I feel like I can re-watch an episode at any time.

And you're right, it does hold up pretty well, considering that I think the show debuted in like 1999. Unbelievable. I I was in my late 20s. Yeah, I mean I was eight years old. Rubbing it in as always.

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