This past Wednesday, I gave a talk on speechwriting to a class of students at Texas A&M University. Among other things, I told them about Aristotle's Rhetoric, and why Aristotle believed that rhetoric mattered. In essence, Artistotle maintained that if bad people studied rhetoric and good people didn't, then the bad people would win all the court cases and all the debates on public issues, and society would be in terrible shape.

When time came for questions, one student -- as students will often do -- turned my argument around. She asked me about my ethics as a speechwriter. Having spent years honing my rhetorical skills, did I care in whose service I utilized them? Or was I simply a pen for hire -- like a gunslinger or a lawyer?

I thought that was a very good question. I replied that in the course of my career, I had always written for clients whom I respected, and with whose opinions I was in at least broad general agreement. I said that I didn't think I could write for someone I didn't respect, or who took positions totally opposed to mine on key issues.

That set me to wondering: Are there any speechwriters out there who have been forced by economic necessity to write against their consciences? If so, I would like to know how they coped with such a terrible burden.