The President's Words: Speeches and Speechwriting in the Modern White House

Author:   Michael Nelson ,  Russell L. Riley
Publisher:   University Press of Kansas
ISBN:  

9780700617395


Pages:   320
Publication Date:   25 August 2010
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Our Price $65.87 Quantity:  
Add to Cart

Share |

The President's Words: Speeches and Speechwriting in the Modern White House


Add your own review!

Overview

"When Ronald Reagan invoked ""a shining city on a hill"" or George H. W. Bush ""a thousand points of light,"" their words were engraved on the public's consciousness as signatures to their personal beliefs and a catalysts for political action. Such iconic phrases in presidential speeches are often the creation of presidential speechwriters, who are entrusted with framing a message consistent with each administration's broad goals and reflecting each president's personality and rhetorical skills. This book takes a closer look at presidential speeches over the course of six administrations. Editors Michael Nelson and Russell Riley have brought together an outstanding team of academics and professional writers-including nine former speechwriters who worked for every president from Nixon to Clinton-to examine how the politics and crafting of presidential rhetoric serve the various roles of the presidency. They consider four types of speeches: convention acceptance speeches, inaugural addresses, state of the union addresses, and crisis and other landmark speeches that often rise out of unpredictable circumstances. Together, these scholars and writers enable readers to sort out the idiosyncratic from the institutional while gaining insider perspectives on the operating style and rhetorical manner of each of the six presidents. The book is rich in character sketches-such as Jimmy Carter's attempt to tie his understanding of original sin to the practice of American politics—and brimming with insights into the internal dynamics of the White House, including tales of internecine bloodletting under Ronald Reagan. Most significant, these discussions help us better understand the contemporary presidency by revealing the enduring and evolving features of the institution, underscoring how the operating style and rhetorical manner of each president shapes the speechwriting process in the service of his broader policymaking goals. These essays show not only how speechmaking has become a major presidential activity but also how speechwriters have become important political actors in their own right. They offer students and observers of the political scene a rare opportunity to consider the crafting of those utterances before weighing their effects."

Full Product Details

Author:   Michael Nelson ,  Russell L. Riley
Publisher:   University Press of Kansas
Imprint:   University Press of Kansas
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.20cm , Length: 22.80cm
Weight:   0.483kg
ISBN:  

9780700617395


ISBN 10:   0700617396
Pages:   320
Publication Date:   25 August 2010
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  General/trade ,  Professional & Vocational ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Reviews

The cascade of words that characterizes the modern rhetorical presidency is a product not of one loquacious man but of a host of hired wordsmiths. Yet few of us know anything about presidential speechwriters--their frustrations, challenges, pressures, rewards, and opportunities. Combining acute analysis with a vivid insider's perspective, <i>The President's Words</i> provides a revealing look at their world. --<b>Richard J. Ellis</b>, editor of <i>Speaking to the People: The Rhetorical Presidency in Historical Perspective</i> Offers insights into the relationships between presidents and their public discourse and clues about why some presidents use the bully pulpit more skillfully. --<b>Karlyn Kohrs Campbell</b>, coauthor of <i>Deeds Done in Words: Presidential Rhetoric and the Genres of Governance</i>


�The cascade of words that characterizes the modern rhetorical presidency is a product not of one loquacious man but of a host of hired wordsmiths. Yet few of us know anything about presidential speechwriters--their frustrations, challenges, pressures, rewards, and opportunities. Combining acute analysis with a vivid insider's perspective, The President's Words provides a revealing look at their world.�--Richard J. Ellis, editor of Speaking to the People: The Rhetorical Presidency in Historical Perspective �Offers insights into the relationships between presidents and their public discourse and clues about why some presidents use the bully pulpit more skillfully.�--Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, coauthor of Deeds Done in Words: Presidential Rhetoric and the Genres of Governance -The cascade of words that characterizes the modern rhetorical presidency is a product not of one loquacious man but of a host of hired wordsmiths. Yet few of us know anything about presidential speechwriters--their frustrations, challenges, pressures, rewards, and opportunities. Combining acute analysis with a vivid insider's perspective, The President's Words provides a revealing look at their world.---Richard J. Ellis, editor of Speaking to the People: The Rhetorical Presidency in Historical Perspective -Offers insights into the relationships between presidents and their public discourse and clues about why some presidents use the bully pulpit more skillfully.---Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, coauthor of Deeds Done in Words: Presidential Rhetoric and the Genres of Governance The cascade of words that characterizes the modern rhetorical presidency is a product not of one loquacious man but of a host of hired wordsmiths. Yet few of us know anything about presidential speechwriters--their frustrations, challenges, pressures, rewards, and opportunities. Combining acute analysis with a vivid insider's perspective, The President's Words provides a revealing look at their world. --Richard J. Ellis, editor of Speaking to the People: The Rhetorical Presidency in Historical Perspective Offers insights into the relationships between presidents and their public discourse and clues about why some presidents use the bully pulpit more skillfully. --Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, coauthor of Deeds Done in Words: Presidential Rhetoric and the Genres of Governance


Author Information

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions
Latest Reading Guide

Aorrng

Shopping Cart
Your cart is empty
Shopping cart
Mailing List