Ted Sorensen

Theodore Chaikin Sorensen (May 8, 1928 – October 31, 2010) was an American lawyer, writer, and presidential adviser. Many have attempted to credit Sorensen as the writer behind John F. Kennedy's speeches, but in the introduction to Let the Word Go Forth, a book of Kennedy's speeches, statements, and writings from 1947 to 1963, Sorensen states: "John Kennedy was the true author of all his speeches and writings. They set forth his (italic emphasis by Sorensen) ideas and ideals, his decisions and policies, his knowledge of history and politics...More importantly, he alone was responsible for the decision that lay at the heart of every major speech." Kennedy would later pen Profiles in Courage, for which he won the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Biography; Sorensen provided assistance in assembling the work. He also assisted in Kennedy's inaugural address and drafted Lyndon Johnson's "Let Us Continue" speech following Kennedy's assassination.