Rhetorical Presidency

Presidential Communication combines a study of the presidency with communications. It first builds a base for the "rhetorical presidency"--what it means and how it works--and why an approach based on an analysis of presidential rhetoric and persuasion works better than others to uncover the essential nature of the office. The authors also examine the presidency from the major areas of concentration traditionally found in communications scholarship. The theoretical discussion is reinforced with case studies drawn from recent history.

This unique study focuses upon a specific component of American presidential rhetoric--how presidents depict the office--and relates that rhetorical tactic to broader questions of politics, public opinion, political symbolism, and presidential power. The work analyzes this specific rhetorical component longitudinally, examining a president's depiction of the office during the presidential campaign, throughout his term in office, and after leaving office. By presenting and analyzing generous examples of presidential rhetoric--from Lyndon Johnson through Bill Clinton--Zernicke offers a revealing look at the symbolic power of the presidency and the use of that power in political terms.

This work treats presidential leadership as persuasive communication. The major theories of presidential leadership found in the literature establish the central role of persuasion, and introduce the interpretive systems approach to political communication as a theoretical framework for the study of presidential leadership as persuasion. Case studies examine recent presidents' use of public persuasion to perform their leadership functions. Particular attention is devoted to coalitional constraints on presidential pardoning rhetoric, presidential leadership through the politics of division, the political significance of conflicting political narratives, the sermonic nature of much 20th-century presidential discourse, the difficulties inherent in persuading the public to make sacrifices, and the dangers of relying too heavily on public rhetoric. The concluding chapter considers the rhetoric that contributed to the demise of the Bush presidency, the election of Bill Clinton, and the challenges facing the Clinton presidency.

Conti examines presidential rhetoric on trade, providing a detailed analysis of presidential trade arguments and strategies throughout American history, with a concentration on the rhetoric of contemporary presidents from Reagan to Clinton.

This collection of essays evaluates Clinton's performance as president over two terms. Concerned with the interaction between his leadership and the political environment, these experts offer a context for understanding the ways in which he governs.

"Building on the premise that the 20th century has witnessed the rise of the rhetorical presidency, ' Ryan parses the public addresses of a master persuader. Overall, FDR's verbal gifts strengthened his hand while enriching the language of American politics. Ryan examines the mechanics of a typical Roosevelt speech, considering such factors as intonation, rhythm, and choice of metaphor, as well as Roosevelt's incomparable body language--these are the best parts of the book. Ryan effectively treats the question of authorship, arguing that although FDR wrote little of his own material, his speeches bore a distinct Roosevelt imprint. . . . Ryan's work makes clear why the packaging of a speech must be considered as significant as its substance." Choice

Harry Truman is famous for his plain speaking, and his presidential rhetoric is evaluated in terms of his most important speeches relating to the Cold War, Korean War, and whistle-stop campaigning to win a remarkable election victory, and his summation of his presidential role. This in-depth analysis of his major speeches as president, texts, chronology, and bibliography give insights into presidential rhetoric and communications research.

This first book-length analysis of Kennedy's public address defines how he aroused Americans to action. This rigorously researched study offers both an in-depth analysis about the development of President Kennedy as a public speaker with a balanced view of his civil rights, foreign policy, presidential, and other types of speeches. Eight speech text accompany the analysis, along with a selected chronology of major speeches and a bibliography of important primary and secondary sources. This is a reference/teaching tool for students, teachers, and professionals in the fields of rhetoric, political communication, presidential studies, and American history.

This reference combines a critical analysis of Ronald Reagan's style as a public speaker with a set of selective speeches and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The work covers Reagan's oratory from the motion picture industry to political candidate, governor of California, and president of the United States, showing how he used mass media as a pulpit and commanded the TV media at the end. A chronology is provided of his major speeches, along with a full index.