This thesis examines the rhetoric employed by President George W. Bush in the period leading up the American-led invasion of Iraq. Specifically, this thesis posits that the appeals to obligation so prevalently featured in Bush's oratory were well suited to his particular rhetorical situation. In supporting this claim, a theoretical understanding of how obligation rhetoric functions is created. By approaching appeals to obligation from both a Neo-Aristotelian and Narrative criticism perspective, the conclusion emerges that obligation rhetoric: 1) builds a speaker's credibility, 2) limits a speaker's liability with regard to proposed action, and 3) allows a speaker to receive praise for future success. The rhetorical work done by appealing to obligation is then applied to Bush's particular rhetorical situation to show how obligation rhetoric worked in his unique context. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Communication in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2006. / March 30, 2006. / Presidential Rhetoric, Obligation, Duty, War Rhetoric, Crisis Rhetoric, Presidential Crisis Rhetoric / Includes bibliographical references. / Danielle R. Wiese, Professor Directing Thesis; Davis W. Houck, Committee Member; Donna Marie Nudd, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_175687 |
| Contributors | Baseman, Mark (authoraut), Wiese, Danielle R. (professor directing thesis), Houck, Davis W. (committee member), Nudd, Donna Marie (committee member), School of Communication (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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