America’s 9th Most Influential Evangelical

WASHINGTON- In the corridors of the Bush White House, he was called "the scribe." Michael Gerson was among the President's closest advisors. He was Bush's chief speechwriter, famed for penning such famous phrases as "the axis of evil." "We've had important speeches because we've lived in important times. This is a moment in our history, like the beginnings of the cold war when new doctrines had to be defined that are going to guide American policy for many decades to come," said Gerson. Named by Time Magazine as the nation's 9th most influential evangelical, Gerson left the White House this year. He's back in the private sector, but continuing his passion for public policy. His reputation as one of the most gifted wordsmiths in recent white house history landed him a job as regular contributor to Newsweek Magazine. And next year he'll be one a handful of conservatives with a syndicated column in The Washington Post. A senior fellow at the council of foreign relations, Gerson's latest project is a book on the future of conservatives. Like his former boss, Gerson is an advocate for compassionate conservatism. Whether quietly collaborating with rock star Bono on poverty and aids in Africa, or consulting with Henry Kissinger on the war in Iraq, Gerson is opening a new chapter on how traditional conservative values translate for a new generation. He describes this younger generation as one who cares about life and family issues, but is impatient with older models of social engagement and is looking for a broader, global conception of social justice.