An Analysis of Post 9/11 Presidential Rhetoric - Lead-up to the Iraq War

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Relevance of Presidential Rhetoric
• The Rhetoric of the Bush Administration and the Circumstances
• The September 11, 2001, Connection
• The President's Discourse
• Corpus-based Analysis of Post 9/11 Presidential Speeches
• Speech Selection
• Analysis of Terminology Occurrence
• Concordance Analysis
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to examine how President George W. Bush, despite not being considered a particularly eloquent speaker, managed to persuade a majority of Americans to support the invasion of Iraq. It explores the role of presidential rhetoric in shaping public opinion and the specific strategies employed by the Bush administration to achieve this objective.

• The influence of presidential rhetoric on public opinion
• The relationship between the Bush Administration’s rhetoric and the American public’s support for the Iraq War
• Analysis of language and rhetorical strategies employed in presidential speeches
• The impact of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the Bush Administration’s rhetoric
• The construction of public opinion through language and discourse

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of the paper, highlighting the events leading up to the Iraq War and the apparent disconnect between the stated “Mission Accomplished” and the ongoing war. It outlines the paper’s objectives and its focus on understanding how the Bush Administration used rhetoric to shape public opinion.
• The Relevance of Presidential Rhetoric: This chapter examines the significance of presidential rhetoric in American politics. It discusses the power of persuasion inherent in the role of the President, particularly in influencing public opinion and shaping policy. The chapter explores the President's constitutional powers and responsibilities, emphasizing the role of the President as a "moral leader" who can influence the legislative process through rhetoric.
• The Rhetoric of the Bush Administration and the Circumstances: This chapter delves into the specific context of the Bush Administration's rhetoric following the September 11, 2001, attacks. It examines the connection between the events of 9/11 and the subsequent rhetoric used to justify the invasion of Iraq. This chapter analyzes the President's discourse and the ways in which it shaped public opinion about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein and the necessity of military intervention.
• Corpus-based Analysis of Post 9/11 Presidential Speeches: This chapter presents a detailed analysis of presidential speeches delivered between the September 11 attacks and the beginning of the Iraq War. It explores the specific language and rhetoric employed in these speeches, using a corpus of presidential addresses to identify key themes, terminology, and recurring arguments. This analysis aims to demonstrate how the use of language was instrumental in shaping public opinion and garnering support for the Iraq War.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This analysis of post 9/11 presidential rhetoric focuses on the lead-up to the Iraq War, examining the power of presidential rhetoric, the Bush administration’s discourse, and its impact on public opinion. The core concepts explored include the September 11, 2001, attacks, the threat of weapons of mass destruction, the role of language and persuasion, and the construction of public opinion through rhetoric. This analysis utilizes a corpus of presidential speeches to identify key terminology, themes, and arguments related to the war in Iraq, and to understand how these were employed to shape public opinion.