D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray’s 51-minute State of the District address on Tuesday wasn’t a wholly internal effort, his spokesman said.
Pedro Ribeiro, a Gray aide who spent many Saturday mornings crafting the annual address, said that the mayor brought in some outside help: Alan Hermesche, a former Howard University official.
“He was brought on to help the communications team prepare for this important event,” Ribeiro said.
The city paid about $4,000 for Hermesche’s services, Ribeiro said.
It’s hardly uncommon for politicians to enlist outsiders for assistance on major speeches. For example, presidents regularly hire comedy writers to help prepare for appearances at lighter gatherings like the White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinner.
There was no word, though, on who wrote the line that won the biggest laugh Tuesday night: “We should become a state before the moon does.”
At a Wednesday morning event, another Gray staff member, Doxie McCoy, declined to reveal who was behind the joke.
