Bill Clinton: Rhetorical Settings, Strategies, and Paradoxical Popular

Bill Clinton Rhetorical Settings, Strategies, and Paradoxical PopularityEveryone knows what he did with Monica Lewinsky. They watched him shake his finger and lie to their face on national television. They heard his compact to be forthcoming with the truth, and head about how he patiently hair-split his way through four hours of grand jury testimony. Why is he still hither? The answer lies in a combination of Clintons rhetorical strategy and extrinsic circumstances. Bill Clintons rhetoric is two-fold. His problem is unique in that he must communicate in two different forumsin a domain background to the American people and in a legal context to the House and Senate. This presents some unique problems. Although the two arenas are different, they are mixedwhat the President says publicly can be held against him legally, and what he says in court is presented to the public through the media. Clintons challenge is to develop rhetoric that is optimum for the arena it is delivered in, but compatible with the other arenas rhetoric as well. In both situations, Clinton is always in control of what he is saying neither reporters nor jurors can put him on the run, or catch him in a be amiss he cannot adequately explain, refute, or deny. Although the tone of his public and legal rhetoric sometimes conflict, they are effective nonetheless. We will begin by examining his public rhetoric. The answer of Clintons public rhetoric is to win the support of the American people, relative to the Republicans and the Independent Counsel. The support of the people will ensure the eventual cooperation of the House and Senatewho are directly responsible to the public for their jobs. Because Clinton is speaking to a broad and... ...tp//www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/resources/1998/clinton.jones/C-SPAN Website http//www.c-span.org/guide/ executive director/investigation/articles.htmC-SPAN President Clintons Testimony Text http//www.c-span.org/guide/executive/investigation/video_text/C-SPAN Presidential Testimony http//www.c-span.org/guide/executive/investigation/0998.aspgj1C-SPAN 81 Questions to the President http//www.c-span.org/guide/executive/investigation/clinton112798.htmC-SPAN White House Trial roll to the Senate http//www.c-span.org/guide/executive/investigation/whtrialmemorandum.htmGallup Poll Websitehttp//www.gallup.com/poll/indicators/indmedia.asphttp//www.gallup.com/poll/trends/ptopinion.asphttp//www.gallup.com/poll/trends/ptrateecon.aspHouse of Representatives Directory http//clerkweb.house.gov/mbrcmtee/mbrcmtee.htm