Desson Patrick Thomson is a speechwriter, journalist and film critic. He was a

speechwriter A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write speeches to be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are employed by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors. They can also be em ...

for the

Obama administration Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. Obama, a Democrat from Illinois, took office following his victory over Republican nomine ...

and

film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scholars, who study the composition of film theory and publish their findin ...

for ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

''. He was known as Desson Howe until 2003 when he changed his name after reuniting with his birth father.

Biography

Thomson attended

American University The American University (AU or American) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus spans 90-acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, in the Spri ...

from 1975 until 1979, graduating in Spring 1980 with a degree in

visual communication Visual communication is the use of visual elements to convey ideas and information which include (but are not limited to) signs, typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, advertising, animation, and electronic resourc ...

s and cinema studies. He started working for ''

'' in 1983 as a copy aide for the Style section, and by 1984 was writing

freelance ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...

articles for the paper. In 1987 he became a film critic for the paper. He was one of the few film critics in the country to write a positive review of The Coen Brothers' ''

The Big Lebowski ''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, directed, produced and co-edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. It follows the life of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted ...

''

and wrote many well received film tributes including one to Richard Pryo

Thomson left the ''Washington Post'' in 2008, and in 2010 became a speechwriter in the administration of President Barack Obama. From February 2010 until November 2010 he was stationed in London working for the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom,

Louis Susman Louis B. Susman (born November 19, 1937) is an American lawyer, retired investment banker, and the former United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Nominated by President Barack Obama, he was confirmed by the Senate on July 10, 2009, and s ...

. In December 2010, he joined the Policy Planning Office of the U.S. Department of State as a speechwriter for Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

. In February 2012, he became a speechwriter and Senior Advisor for Content Development for the

Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs The under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs is currently a top-ten ranking position in the U.S. Department of State tasked to help ensure public diplomacy is practiced in combination with Public administration, public affa ...

. Until September 2017 he was a speechwriter and senior advisor for Charles H. Rivkin,

Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs The Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs is an office in the United States Department of State responsible for managing the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. It was known as the Assistant Secretary of State for Ec ...

References

The Washington Post people American University School of Communication alumni American film critics Living people 1958 births 20th-century American journalists 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American journalists 21st-century American male writers American male journalists American speechwriters Writers from Surrey English emigrants to the United States {{US-journalist-1950s-stub