U.S. Presidency

Electing to Reform: Maine and the District Plan for Selection of Presidential Electors

by James Melcher

Paper presented at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the New England Political Science Association, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, August 30-September 1, 2004.

This paper looks at the history of Maine's enactment of the district plan for electoral college elector allocation.... more This paper looks at the history of Maine's enactment of the district plan for electoral college elector allocation. This paper was a precursor to a chapter I later wrote in Gary Bugh's 2010 book Electoral College Reform.

Abigail Adams

by Amelia Clark

This paper is about Abigail Adams and how she valued the ideals of Republican Motherhood while at the same time... more This paper is about Abigail Adams and how she valued the ideals of Republican Motherhood while at the same time providing important political advice to her husband, John Adams.

The Evolution of the Modern Rhetorical Presidency: A Critical Response

by Chad Murphy

Obama vs. Clinton: Categorical Boundaries and Intra-Party Outcomes

by Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick

Forthcoming in Social Problems 58(1).
Co-authored with Rory McVeigh, Josh Dinsman, and Priyamvada Trivedi.

The 2008 Democratic presidential primary provides a unique opportunity to examine how community structure is related... more The 2008 Democratic presidential primary provides a unique opportunity to examine how community structure is related to intra-party electoral outcomes. Because the contest between Barak Obama and Hilary Clinton remained competitive until the very end, we are able to analyze voting outcomes for more than 2,300 U.S. counties where votes were cast before the ultimate winner had been determined. The primary was also noteworthy because Obama was seeking to become the nation’s first African American President, while Clinton hoped to be the first woman president. The competition, and the response that the candidates received from voters as they campaigned across the country, revealed interesting dynamics pertaining to race, class, and gender. We argue that Obama and Clinton appealed to constituencies on different sides of a cultural divide among Democratic voters, and that divide is rooted in occupational segregation. Our results show that occupational segregation by race, and especially by sex, are related to the voting outcomes, with Obama gaining his strongest support in the most integrated contexts and his weakest support in segregated contexts.

Forecasting Elections Using Expert Surveys: An Application to U.S. Presidential Elections

by J Armstrong

Co-authored with Randall J. Jones, Jr. and Alfred G. Cuzán

Prior research offers a mixed view of the value of expert surveys for long-term election forecasts. On the positive... more Prior research offers a mixed view of the value of expert surveys for long-term election forecasts. On the positive side, experts have more information about the candidates and issues than voters do. On the negative side, experts all have access to the same information. Based on prior literature and on our experiences with the 2004 presidential election and the 2008 campaign so far, we have reason to believe that a simple expert survey (the Nominal Group Technique) is preferable to Delphi. Our survey of experts in American politics was quite accurate in the 2004 election. Following the same procedure, we have assembled a new panel of experts to forecast the 2008
presidential election. Here we report the results of the first survey, and compare our experts’ forecasts with predictions by the Iowa Electronic Market .

US Foreign Policy in the Middle East [Book Review]

by Marcus O'Donnell

Review of: Terry, Janice J., US Foreign Policy in the Middle East, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, 2005, more Review of: Terry, Janice J., US Foreign Policy in the Middle East, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, 2005,
ISBN 0 7453 2258 1, 160 pp., US$24.95.

Janice Terry uses opera as a motif and structuring device for her interesting study of Middle East politics under the US presidencies of Carter and Ford.

Profiteering the Political Way

by Rodney Sims

Answer to a Discussion Board question

Most political campaigns and nuances to "change" involve some hidden agenda or cost that is not readily... more Most political campaigns and nuances to "change" involve some hidden agenda or cost that is not readily disclosed. It is ludicrous and systematic of government at the highest level as well as local to consider themselves "transparent" when this information has to be searched for. No one wants a government to act as sunshine but to do as it does. Turn the light on and put it out there for everyone to see.

The Marketplace of Ideas. A Corpus Study of Buy and Sell Metaphors in American Political Discourse.

by sanna franssila

Metaphor in discourse and metaphors as discourse events which join together grammar, context and political objectives... more Metaphor in discourse and metaphors as discourse events which join together grammar, context and political objectives were the principal interest in this study. The following research questions guided this study: how genre-specific are buy and sell metaphors, how are they distributed in partisan political news and what kind of metaphorization levels of buy and sell can be found in authentic discourse? Moreover, negative evaluation conveyed with these metaphors in the partisan news coverage of three presidential elections in the United States (2000, 2004, and 2008) was one aspect in this study. The data comprised four text corpora which represent American political news genre: election news (1.6 million words), news or opinion magazines (3.8 million words), cable TV news (4.1 million words) and radio news (4.3 million words). All corpora had a conservative and a liberal subcorpus.

On the question of genre-specificity, sell was found to be a genre-specific election news metaphor: there were on average 72% more sell metaphors in the election data than in the other subgenres. Moreover, the occurrence levels of metaphorical and literal "sell + [OBJECT]" -type expressions were nearly even in the election news. All other sell metaphor types were more frequent than their literal counterparts in the election data. Although neither buy nor sell were partisan as such, some types of them were more partisan than others. The "buy into" -type seemed to be characteristic for liberal political discourse. Sometimes there were reverse patterns in partisan use: conservatives preferred the" does not sell" –type metaphors and liberals the "tough sell" -type, and to some extent this applied also to the conservative use of the "buy + [OBJECT]" -type and the liberal use of the "buy into" -type.

With regard to negative evaluation, negative metaphors were found in the election news data more than non-negative metaphors: there were 36% more negatively evaluative buy and sell metaphors than non-negative in the election news. The increase of negative buy metaphors (78%) in the conservative election news was especially great from 2000 to 2008. Liberals used negative buy and sell metaphors of their own candidates and party much more than conservatives of theirs.

This paper reveals several future research topics, such as:
1. How are metaphor use, especially negatively evaluative use, and ideological identity linked with each other?
2. Can the genre-spcifity of sell metaphors be confirmed in further studies?
3. Is the "buy it/this/that" phrase characteristic of mediated spoken discourse?

“Conservative Revolution” Against America: The Bush Legacy--- Debate About a Doctrine and its Tributaries

by Hichem Karoui

Social Sciences and Humanities- MESOJ- ISSN 2109-9618- (2010) Volume 1 No 3.

Abstract:    more Social Sciences and Humanities- MESOJ- ISSN 2109-9618- (2010) Volume 1 No 3.

Abstract:   
From the earliest days, the Bush doctrine has opened a national debate to which took part politicians, intellectuals, journalists and even the military. Some dubbed this doctrine « the Bush revolution, » as they argue that it has been conduced in foreign policy during the first 30 months of the Bush mandate. They view it consisting essentially in forsaking several constraints that had bound the United States to its allies and redefining the key principles that had governed the U.S. involvement in the world affairs for more than half a century. Otherwise, it was a revolution against the very principles that had guided US diplomacy.

In the present paper, we will answer the two following questions:

1) In what consists precisely this « revolution » if any, and how was it perceived by political analysts and researchers in the USA?

2) Does it have any chance to outlive the Bush presidency and come back to influence foreign policy again in any form? Or is it doomed because of its failure to understand our time and stand realistically to the challenges?


Plan

I: Introduction. II: The world is beyond the control of a single state, though. III: Is it explainable only by September 11? IV: Is it a model for other states? V: The dilemma: taking action for self-protection by increasing the risks. VI: Bush Doctrine and Just War Tradition – Global Hegemony … codename: Global Leadership. VII:Connection with the Israeli Likud Party. VIII: Conclusion. Notes and References

Keywords: presidential doctrines, just war, preemption, preventive war, global leadership, hegemony, post-Cold War order, international relations, Middle East…

JEL Classifications: H56, H77, H73

Leszek Gluchowski, "Roosevelt, Reagan and the Polish Question: Moralism cum Indifference" (McMaster University, 1984)

by Leszek Gluchowski

English-language version of my B.A. Honours Essay submitted to the Dept. of PoliSci at McMaster U. in 1984; winner of PoliSci Honours Essay Prize. See also the Polish-languge version in the Books section of this website.

The Presidency and Popular Culture

by Greg Smith

Co-authored with Mary Stuckey. in Guide to the Presidency, 4th ed., edited by Michael Nelson (Congressional Quarterly Press, 2007).

Abstract of MA Thesis: An Analysis of Barack Obama 's Media Campaign Strategies for 2008 Presidential Election: An American Approach to Political Communication

by Mitra Naeimi

MA of North American Studies - Dept. of North American Studies - Faculty of World Studies- University of Tehran

An Imperial Vision: William Howard Taft and the Philippines, 1900-1921

by Adam Burns

PhD Thesis 2010

This thesis seeks to establish William H. Taft’s influence over the U.S. experiment with empire in the Philippines. It... more This thesis seeks to establish William H. Taft’s influence over the U.S. experiment with empire in the Philippines. It shows how a politician who is often characterised as a loyal servant of Theodore Roosevelt, at least before 1909, was in fact a key driver of policy decisions. Taft’s views of empire may have been built on the ideas of others, but his own synthesis of these ideas and the career path he followed during this period single him out as one of the most influential figures in U.S.-Philippine relations. Taft saw the Philippine relationship as a long-term prospect and foresaw a future where the islands would eventually become a dominion of a United States, like the relationship between Great Britain and Canada. This, it is argued here, was Taft’s distinct “imperial vision.” This thesis reassesses the role of Taft in the American imperial experiment in the Philippines between the years 1900 and 1921. During this period Taft was the highest-profile figure arguing consistently for a permanent imperial relationship with the Philippine Islands. Various historians have covered Philippine affairs during this period, but none has made such a detailed analysis of Taft as a leader in guiding Philippine policy toward retention. Taft held a number of high-level roles during the period 1900-1913 – when the Republican Party continuously controlled Philippine policy – which allowed him to maintain a permanent influence over the nature of U.S.-Philippine relations. After this period Taft had less direct influence, but utilised his experience, reputation and contacts to speak out against the Democratic Party’s policy for the islands and became the figurehead of a campaign to retain the Philippines.

Bill Clinton's "New Partnership" Anecdote: Toward a Post Cold War Foreign Poiicy Rhetoric

by Jason Edwards

co-authored with Joe Valenzano

Kofi Annan traveled to Rwanda in May of 1998 attempting to repair the image of the United Nations (U.N.) and to heal... more Kofi Annan traveled to Rwanda in May of 1998 attempting to repair the image of the United Nations (U.N.) and to heal the fractured political relationship between the two entities. However, the U.N. secretary general largely failed to fulfill his mission. This article analyzes the reasons why Annan's mea culpa failed. It argues that in Annan's address before the Rwandan parliament, his rhetorical choices constrained his ability to repair the U.N.'s image and U.N.-Rwandan relations. Specifically, this article demonstrates that the U.N. leader's nondiscussion of his personal culpability for U.N. action, his democratization of blame for the genocide, and the appearance of personal arrogance created by his language choices hindered his ability to fulfill his mission. The article concludes with implications for image repair theory, lessons from Annan's failure for rhetors who apologize for historical wrongdoing, and directions for further research into the phenomena of public apology.

Sanctioning Foreign Policy: The Rhetorical Use of Harry Truman

by Jason Edwards

This article examines how contemporary presidents invoke the memory of President Harry Truman within their foreign... more This article examines how contemporary presidents invoke the memory of President Harry Truman within their foreign policy discourse. Specifically, it is argued that Truman has become an authorizing figure—a person of historical importance that rhetors invoke and interpret in justifying their own policies and principles. Presidents Reagan, Clinton, and Bush cited and interpreted Truman's words and deeds in various ways to serve different foreign policy ends. Exploring how contemporary presidents use and appropriate Truman's memory presents an opportunity to mine the contour of the thirty-third president's foreign policy legacy and to obtain a better understanding of collective memory in presidential rhetoric.

Defining the Enemy in the Post-Cold War World: Bill Clinton's Foreign Policy Rhetoric in Somalia and Haiti

by Jason Edwards

American presidents use images of savagery to identify and construct America’s
adversaries, especially prior to... more American presidents use images of savagery to identify and construct America’s
adversaries, especially prior to and during some form of armed intervention. During the
Cold War, presidents used images of modern savagery to craft a Soviet enemy and its
proxies. In the post-Cold War world, Bill Clinton did not have the luxury of a monolithic
enemy to organize American foreign policy. He faced a threat environment that was
more complex, transnational, and diffuse. Within this environment, I argue Clinton used
images of primitive and modern savagery to define America’s adversaries. An analysis
of Clinton’s discourse reveals that his use of both of these rhetorical forms broadened
how presidents construct America’s enemies. Moreover, the use of both images of
savagery provided a rhetorical flexibility that was needed for the threat environment of
the post-Cold War world. This essay contributes to deeper understandings of
presidential rhetoric in general and crisis rhetoric in particular.

Apologizing for the Past for a Better Future: Collective Apologies in the United States, Australia, and Canada

by Jason Edwards

This article examines the rhetorical phenomenon of collective apology. Specifically, collective
apologies issued... more This article examines the rhetorical phenomenon of collective apology. Specifically, collective
apologies issued by American President Bill Clinton, Australian Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd, and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper were analyzed inductively
to determine the purposes and strategies that make up these speeches. This inductive
approach reveals that the purpose of collective apologies is to repair relationships
damaged by historical wrongdoing. Moreover, it is found that rhetors use the rhetorical
strategies of remembrance, mortification, and corrective action. Ultimately, this research
lays the groundwork for collective apology to be considered a distinct rhetorical genre.

Debating America's Role in the World: Representative Ron Paul's Exceptionalism Jeremiad

by Jason Edwards

This essay examines Texas representative Ron Paul’s foreign policy discourse during
the 2008 presidential... more This essay examines Texas representative Ron Paul’s foreign policy discourse during
the 2008 presidential campaign. The author argues that Paul encased his opposition
to America’s foreign policy within a secular jeremiad. Although Paul failed to win
any of the Republican primaries, his opposition to America’s involvement with Iraq
and other parts of the globe is a microcosm of a larger debate occurring among U.S.
foreign policy elites on the extent of America’s role within the world and about the
very nature of its exceptional status. This analysis informs a theoretical understanding
of American exceptionalism and interrogates a larger debate in U.S. foreign policy.

Redress for Old Wounds: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Apology for the Chinese Head Tax

by Jason Edwards

This essay examines how political leaders apologize for historical injustices.
Specifically, we analyze Canadian... more This essay examines how political leaders apologize for historical injustices.
Specifically, we analyze Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s apology for
the head tax imposed upon Chinese immigrants. The prime minister’s apology was
historic in that it marked the first time a Canadian Prime Minister formally
apologized for the head tax. We argue that Harper used a combination of the
frontier myth and collective apology rhetoric in his expression of remorse toward
the Chinese-Canadian community. While controversial, this rhetoric created a
discursive space for a constructive and strengthened relationship between the
Chinese-Canadian community and the Canadian government.

Review of John Ferling's "Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800"

by David G Terrell

John Ferling. Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004. xx + 260... more John Ferling. Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800. New York: Oxford University Press. 2004. xx + 260 pp. Plutarch once admitted that, “I must be allowed to give my particular attention to the marks and indications of men’s souls, as I endeavor to portray their lives.” In Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, John Ferling continues giving his attention to the souls of early American leaders, particularly Washington, Adams and Jefferson. The 1800 United States presidential election was “a collision of three republican ideas” (p. 12) championed by Adams, Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton which delivered the first peaceful—though fraught with partisan strife—change of leadership to the new republic.