James Humes has written or “ghosted” for five U.S. presidents. 

The Center for the Study of Government and the Individual hosted James Humes during a Conversations with the Center evening program, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A version of this talk, "Confessions of a White House Ghostwriter," is available online.

In this talk, he reveals the secrets of White House speechwriting – whether it was for an Inaugural Address, a toast to the Queen or a plaque to be left on the moon.

Humes, a born mimic, recreates each of the presidents in his warm and funny reminiscences.  He imparts anecdotes about personal encounters with every president from Franklin Roosevelt to George H. W. Bush.

Humes is the author of the top selling How to Get Invited to the White House and the acclaimed My Fellow Americans – Presidential Addresses that Shaped History and his speech explains the problems of adjusting to each president and his style.  Humes also assisted President Ford in writing his memoirs A Time to Heal.

In a talk that will make listeners both laugh and cry, Humes sketches the personalities of the presidents (and their First Ladies) in an anecdotal style that makes history come alive.

Humes has been called “America’s foremost raconteur.”  The Christian Science Monitor wrote, “Humes is one of America’s top speakers.”  Richard Nixon said, “Humes is my quotes-master general.”  Senator Fritz Hollings in the Congressional Record said, “Most speech writers are footnotes to history but Humes makes history.”

His autobiography, "Confessions of a White House Ghostwriter:  Five Presidents and Other Political Adventures," published by Regnery came out in May 1997.  The Foreword is by Julie Nixon Eisenhower.  Mr. Humes, on behalf of his book, has appeared on Brian Lamb’s Booknotes, Robert Novak’s One on One, Tom Snyder’s The Late, Late Show and the Osgood File on CBS.  A video of Humes’ one-man show is available at http://www.c-spanstore.org/, Program ID:  81209-1.