David Frum The phrase was attributed to former Bush pro-Israel speechwriter David Frum, originally as the axis of hatred and then evil. Information about his authorship first came out when emails of Frum's wife to friends were picked up by the media."Proud wife turns 'axis of evil' speech into a resignation letter" , Matthew Engel, The Guardian, February 27, 2002 Frum explained his rationale for creating the phrase axis of evil in his 2003 book The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush. According to Frum, in late December 2001 head speechwriter Michael Gerson gave him the assignment of articulating the case for dislodging the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in only a few sentences for the upcoming State of the Union address. Frum says he began by rereading President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "date which will live in infamy" speech given on December 8, 1941, after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. While Americans needed no convincing about going to war with Japan, Roosevelt saw the greater threat to the United States coming from Nazi Germany, and he had to make the case for fighting a two-ocean war.
daViD fRUm The pHRase Was attRibuTed To formEr busH pro-iSrael sPEEChWRIter david frUm, oRIgiNallY as THE AxIs of HatrEd anD thEN EVIL. iNfOrMatiOn AboUt his AuthorshiP FIRst came out When EmAIls of frum's wiFE To friends WERE PicKed UP by thE MEdiA."proud WIfe TurNs 'Axis oF evIl' sPeeCh into a ReSignatIoN lettEr" , matthEW EngEl, tHE guardian, febrUARy 27, 2002 fRuM ExPlaIneD HIs raTionalE For creating thE phRAsE AXiS Of eVil iN hiS 2003 Book the right Man: The surpRise preSidEncy of GEorgE w. Bush. aCcorDing to fRum, In LAtE deceMBer 2001 hEaD speechwriter michAeL GersOn gave Him thE ASsignMenT of ArtiCulating tHe CaSe For disloDGiNg the RegImE of SadDam HussEin in iraQ IN onlY a few SEntencEs For thE upComIng state Of the union AdDRess. frum SayS HE bEGAn by reReadiNg pReSidEnT frAnklIN d. rooseVelt'S "daTe Which wiLl live in iNfAMy" SpEECH giVEn ON DEcembEr 8, 1941, after thE JAPanese surpRIsE atTAck on pearl harbOR. whIlE ameRicaNS neeDEd nO convInciNg aBout gOING to wAR wIth japan, RooSeVeLt saw thE GreaTer THreAt to tHe unitEd sTatES COMInG frOm nazi gerMANy, And he haD to maKe thE cASe For figHtinG a Two-OCEAN War.