Media and real estate mogul Mort Zuckerman told Fox News' Neil Cavuto Monday that he had helped write one of President Obama's speeches.
"I voted for Obama, I in fact helped write one of his speeches, we endorsed Obama," Zuckerman said, though he declined to say which speech. "Having said that, he's our only president, we all want him to do well. Frankly, I've been a Democrat virtually all my life. I would like a Democratic administration to do well."
Zuckerman, who owns the New York Daily News and US News & World Report, has been critical of Obama's foreign policy.
"Obama's aides don't remember consulting with Zuckerman," the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder wrote.
Politico's Ben Smith adds that neither of Obama's chief speechwriters has ever spoken to Zuckerman:
Among those with reason to be puzzled, a White House source tells me, were Obama's speechwriters, Jon Favreau and Ben Rhodes. Neither "has ever met or spoken to Mort Zuckerman" and the two have "been closely involved in every speech the President has given since 2005," said the official.
UPDATE: Zuckerman clarified his comments Tuesday in a post at his US News & World Report website:
Over the years I have been asked by various public officials, including those in Washington, for my perspectives and views on numerous issues. These conversations have always been considered confidential. My point in noting during a recent television interview that I had once "helped" contribute to one of Barack Obama's campaign speeches was to reflect the fact that my recent criticisms of the president came from someone who had been supportive of him, who had voted for him, and whose newspaper endorsed him. I continue to hope for his and the country's success.