Robert M. Shrum ( born July 21 , 1943 ) is the Director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and the Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics at the University of Southern California , where he is a Professor of the Practice of Political Science in the Dornsife College of Letters , Arts and Sciences . He is a former American political consultant , who has worked on numerous Democratic campaigns , including as senior advisor to the Kerry-Edwards campaign in 2004 and to the Gore-Lieberman campaign in 2000 . Shrum wrote the famous speech Ted Kennedy gave at the 1980 Democratic National Convention conceding to and supporting President Jimmy Carter . The Atlantic Monthly described him as " the most sought-after consultant in the Democratic Party . " Shrum served as speechwriter to New York Mayor John V. Lindsay from 1970 to 1971 , speechwriter to Senator George McGovern 's 1972 Presidential campaign and speechwriter and press secretary to Senator Edward M. Kennedy from 1980 to 1984 and political consultant until 2009
1980 Democratic National Convention
1980 Democratic National Convention
Bob Shrum