Presidential ethos: a rhetorical analysis of the Clinton presidency

Abstract

The rhetorical presidency is predicated, in part, upon words. The phrases a chief executive utters or records has the ability to shape his perceived image. When Bill Clinton entered the "White House in 1992 after a successful campaign he experienced problems in his initial days in office which resulted in a loss of public support. This analysis offers insight into some of the reasons for Clinton's difficulties during his first two years in office. Specifically, through a narrative analysis which focuses upon the construction of character types, this study indicates that Clinton did not effectively create messages (characters) which would enhance his ethos. Clinton's predilection was to create characters which divided audiences rather than uniting them, thus he was unable to engender adequate audience identification and public support. Consequently, Clinton's messages tended to harm rather than enhance his credibility as a leader.