PAUL THEIS AND ROBERT ORBEN FILES, 1974-77

These are the combined files of Paul Theis and his successor Robert Orben, who were the immediate heads of the White House speechwriting unit. Until Theis departed in January 1976, he had additional responsibilities as executive editor for the entire Office of Editorial Staff. Discussed below under separate headings are: organization and function of the Office of Editorial Staff; the speechwriting process; and the scope of the content of the Theis‑Orben files.

Organization and Function of the Office of Editorial Staff
The editorial office was one of the largest in the White House, with thirty to forty employees at any given time. Within the office, there were separate units for speechwriting, presidential messages, presidential correspondence, and research (fact‑checking). Paul Theis directed all these activities and reported to Robert Hartmann, Counsellor to the President. Robert Orben and the heads of the other units each reported directly to Hartmann. Hartmann was a close advisor to Ford, had written many of Ford's congressional and vice presidential speeches, and continued to play an active role in the speechwriting process.

The correspondence unit's specific responsibilities were to draft routine courtesy letters and telegrams signed by the President. These included expressions of sympathy, special greetings for anniversaries and birthdays, and acknowledgements to public opinion mail. Incoming public response was routed to a pertinent office or agency. Roland Elliott was director of correspondence.

The presidential messages unit screened and responded to requests by individuals and organizations for presidential messages congratulating them on their achievements. Approximately two hundred requests were received each week, of which about fifty would merit a message to be read at a meeting or published in a magazine. The Counsel's office assisted in screening these requests. Gwen Anderson headed the messages unit, but actual drafting of messages was done by Eliska Hasek and Michael Johnson.

A research unit verified the factual accuracy of statements in draft presidential speeches, messages, and articles. It maintained an extensive clipping file, drew upon the White House Library and may have contracted information services outside the government. Gwen Anderson headed this unit also, assisted by Agnes Waldron and later by Charles McCall. The research unit's activities were mirrored by a similar operation in the Office of the Press Secretary.

The speechwriting unit drafted most presidential speeches, remarks, and magazine articles, and briefly assisted Mrs. Ford before she acquired her own speechwriter. At any given time, there were perhaps five speechwriters in addition to the unit head and Counsellor Hartmann.

The Speechwriting Process
During his two and a half year administration, President Ford delivered approximately 1,200 speeches and formal sets of remarks. Much of this material was generated by a dozen speechwriters and Hartmann. Hartmann, Theis and subsequently Orben, also acted as informal advisors to President Ford concerning speech subjects and formats. Occasionally, when an event was designed to be the forum for a major presidential policy statement, drafting of the entire statement or particular passages was the responsibility of an advisor with a direct policy interest. For example, Domestic Council Associate Director Richard Parsons, and Executive Director James Cannon were active in crime policy and drafted a major presidential message to Congress on crime in June 1975. Some 1976 campaign speeches also originated outside the speechwriting unit.

Most speeches, however, were the product of the speechwriting staff. Every week, President Ford received hundreds of speech invitations. The White House scheduling office and the president's top aides determined which invitation would be appropriate forums for presidential speeches. Under normal circumstances twelve major speaking engagements were accepted each month. This number increased dramatically during the 1976 campaign.

Under a formalized procedure, Theis and later Orben would assign a writer to draft a presidential speech. A "writer's assignment sheet" was sent to him, outlining subject matter, the projected length of the speech, the deadline for the first draft, the name of the researcher assigned to the project and the persons to contact for additional information.

Often the speechwriting staff would sit down with the president to discuss his ideas for a speech and its purpose. Frequently other staff members with a policy interest were consulted and offered their suggestions. A first draft would then be prepared and Theis or Orben would edit and return it to the writer. A speech might go through a number of drafts before an acceptable text was produced. At some point during this process the speech was sent to the research unit to be checked for accuracy. The final draft was circulated to appropriate White House and departmental aides for clearance, then on to Hartmann or the president for final approval. A large print reading copy was produced on which the President frequently made his own additions and deletions.

This procedure was expanded for a major speech such as the 1975 State of the Union Address. Work was begun in early December 1974 and the speech went through seven drafts before an acceptable copy was produced. Clearance was sought from at least fifteen administration officials before the final draft was approved and sent to the President. Even so, Ford made changes in the text almost up to the moment he delivered it on January 15.

Scope and Content of the Theis‑Orben Files
When Theis resigned in January 1976, Orben inherited and continued Theis' files. The material from the Theis period includes items relating to the message, research, and correspondence units of the editorial office as well as the speechwriting unit. These functions are not reflected in the Orben material for 1976, but appear in the files of editorial office staff persons Roland Elliott and Eliska Hasek.

The heart of the Theis‑Orben files are case files of speeches, articles, messages and other public statements which typically include drafts, final text, and background material. This Presidential Speeches and Public Statements series is not complete, however. Some speeches do not appear at all and others do not include all drafts and documentation produced by the speechwriting staff or those involved in composing the speech.

Related Materials (April 1996)
Related materials are scattered in at least the following additional Ford Library collections:

White House Central Files ‑ Subject File: SP (Speeches)

This file includes drafts and background material for many presidential speeches. It is particularly helpful for the period before November 1975 and speeches President Ford gave during his trips abroad.

Domestic Council Staff Files

Often major presidential statements were drafted by Domestic Council staff persons with a policy interest, and their files will reflect this activity.

Presidential Speeches: Reading Copies

In addition to the President's annotated reading copies of speeches this file occasionally includes draft background material. For example, drafts for the 1975 State of the Union Address are in this files.

Permanent Operating Offices. Legislation Case Files

These files occasionally include drafts or statements made by the President when vetoing or signing legislation.

Ron Nessen Files

The series of draft press releases in this collection occasionally includes the original annotated final draft of a speech as prepared by the speechwriting staff and sent to the press office for release. In at least one case, a speech given to the Washington Press Club on September 18, 1974, this is the only existing draft located to date.

David Gergen Files

Gergen participated in drafting speeches for Ford, particularly during the 1976 campaign. Included in his files are drafts and background material for Ford's speech to the Daughters of the American Revolution on April 21, 1976, his address st the American Jewish Committee Dinner on May 13, 1976, and campaign speeches for trips to Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas.

Robert Hartmann Files and Papers

These collections include correspondence, background material, and drafts relating to some of President Ford's major speeches, including those drafted for the Bicentennial, acceptance of the 1976 Republican nomination for president and the 1977 State of the Union Address.

George H. Denison Papers

This collection contains case files on speeches that Denison drafted.

Chase Haddix Research Interviews

This collection contains interviews focussing on speechwriting with Robert Hartmann and Warren Rustand.