– Heather Cox Richardson invoked The American President in her Dec. 15 letter to reflect on leadership and character.
– The 1995 film, directed by Rob Reiner, stars Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd.
– Richardson highlighted Shepherd’s closing speech about patriotism, free speech and the responsibility of leaders.
– The film’s message is being used to frame contemporary debates about character in public office.
Why Heather Cox Richardson quoted the film
In a Dec. 15 newsletter, historian Heather Cox Richardson turned to Rob Reiner’s 1995 political drama The American President to make a point about presidential character. Richardson quoted President Andrew Shepherd’s televised closing remarks — a passage that has become one of the film’s most-cited speeches — to contrast performative politics with the responsibilities of public office.
Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd
Michael Douglas plays President Andrew Shepherd, a widower who faces partisan attacks while balancing personal life and public duty. Richardson’s note revisits Shepherd’s answer to those who equate patriotism with political theater — a speech that casts leadership as stewardship rather than spectacle.
Film speech: character, free speech and citizenship
The speech Richardson highlighted includes lines about the meaning of American citizenship and the defense of liberty, even when that liberty is uncomfortable. “You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil…,” Shepherd tells reporters in the film, urging citizens and leaders to defend rights consistently.
Richardson uses that moment to underscore a recurring theme in her newsletter: when politicians focus on fear and blame to win elections, they often avoid addressing substantive problems. The film’s fictional Shepherd argues that real leadership requires defending constitutional values and solving serious national issues — a message Richardson deemed relevant to today’s political debates.
Why the 1995 drama still matters
The American President has remained in the public eye because it blends romance, policy and statesmanship in a mainstream package. Michael Douglas’ performance helped make the fictional president’s moral argument memorable, and Richardson’s reference shows how a film line can re-enter public conversation as a touchstone for civics.
Whether readers view the film as entertainment or political instruction, the speech’s core idea — that character and commitment to democratic principles define effective leadership — continues to resonate. Richardson’s use of The American President demonstrates how cultural touchstones can inform commentary on the qualities expected of public officials in modern American politics.
For viewers who first saw Michael Douglas as Andrew Shepherd decades ago, the film’s speech remains a compact lesson: patriotism is more than pageantry, and defending rights sometimes means protecting speech and institutions you dislike. Richardson’s newsletter reintroduces that lesson into current debates about political character and responsibility.
Image Referance: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-15-2025