At age twenty-four, David Litt became one of the youngest speechwriters in White House history, rising to President Obama's senior staff by 2016. Along with penning remarks on issues from immigration to criminal justice reform, Litt served as the president's go-to comedy writer. Taking the lead on the White House Correspondents' Dinner speech (the "State of the Union of jokes"), he was responsible for some of President Obama's most memorable comedic moments. With his memoir THANKS, OBAMA: MY HOPEY CHANGEY WHITE HOUSE YEARS (Ecco; On-sale September 19, 2017), Litt explores the triumphant highs, demoralizing lows, and hilarious surprises of life in the world's most high-stakes office building. THANKS, OBAMA has received praise from Judd Apatow, Adam Grant, Billy Eichner, Tig Notaro, Mike Birbiglia, and Anne Fadiman.
Whether he's singing the Golden Girls theme song in the Oval Office or almost setting Barack Obama's hair on fire, Litt, who is currently the head writer for Funny Or Die's DC bureau, knows how to revel in his own shortcomings. But as Matt Walsh from HBO's Veep said, Litt's story is "inspiring-don't be fooled by the self-deprecating narrator, this portrait of a young speech writer is filled with massive wit, hard earned wisdom, and a loving touch." From his unique vantage point, Litt shines new light on President Obama's most historic moments: the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the 2012 re-election, the "Amazing Grace" speech after the Charleston shooting, and more. He examines Obama's legacy with refreshing candor and helps us understand our broken politics with genuine insight. And for all the absurdity he's witnessed, and the frustrations he's faced, Litt argues that there is no higher calling than public service - even in the age of Donald Trump.
David has also written for The Onion, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and the New York Times. He has appeared on multiple national television shows.
Equal parts sharp and sincere, hopeful, and hilarious, THANKS, OBAMA is a charming, revelatory political coming-of-age story.