Agenda  The Presidential Campaign  9-11  The Rhetoric of War

Bush and the Military

Today’s News !  annual retirement point summaries  pay records  A letter from the former Texas Air National Guard personnel director who said Bush had “satisfactory years” from 1972 to 1973

Unlikely to Put to Rest Questions about Bush’s Service

The Latest on The 2004 Campaign An Affair Not Remembered?

Media Coverage

The Myth of the Moral Values Voter  Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: Republicans Pandered to “isolationism, nativism, chauvinsism, pruitanism and religious fanatacism”  James Dobson of Focus on the Family –Takes credit for Bush victory –Additional demands

The Media Hype  The exist poll evidence suggested the Moral Values voters had emerged  The Poll: –Education 4% –Taxes 5% –Health Care 8% –Iraq 15% –Terrorism 19% –Economy and Jobs 20% –Moral Values 22%

It Ain’t So  Moral values is not one category  Adding war on terror and Iraq would be 42%  Adding Taxes, economy and jobs would be 25%  In states where moral values ballot initiatives were on the ballot Bush won fewer votes than in 2000  Nationally, Bush picked up an average of 3.1%-- but only 2% in states with moral values issues on the ballot

Where did it Come From?  The evidence that moral values determined the election rests on a single dodgy exit poll question."  dyn/articles/A Dec4.html

State of the Union 2003

State of the Union Address  “The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in the 1990s that Saddam Hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program, had a design for a nuclear weapon and was working on five different methods of enriching uranium for a bomb.  The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.  Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production “

Assignment: How to Abstract Principles  Principle: Use personal testimony that reinforces basic values. This strategy means that quotations from others expressing sentiments that reinforce basic values can be influential in building pathos. In this case, the value of service to the Nation was referenced by a child’s letter to the President. In the speech, the President stated “even some of the youngest understand that we are living in historic times. In the 2003 State of the Union Address, President Bush stated: “Last month a girl in Lincoln, Rhode Island, sent me a letter. It began, "Dear George W. Bush: “If there's anything you know, I, Ashley Pearson, age 10, can do to help anyone, please send me a letter and tell me what I can do to save our country." She added this P.S.: "If you can send a letter to the troops, please put, 'Ashley Pearson believes in you.'" (Applause.) Tonight, Ashley, your message to our troops has just been conveyed. And, yes, you have some duties yourself. Study hard in school, listen to your mom or dad, help someone in need, and when you and your friends see a man or woman in uniform, say, "thank you." (Applause.) And, Ashley, while you do your part, all of us here in this great chamber will do our best to keep you and the rest of America safe and free. (Applause.) “

Assignment: How to Abstract Principles  Principle: Do not use testimony that is supported by unreliable reporters. This strategy means that evidence used to support a claim—such as those asserting Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction should be from sources that have not been discredited. In this case, the President used evidence from a sources that had been discredited by internal investigations. The result, was that the President’s case was called into question in subsequent days and months.  In particular, the president stated: The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in the 1990s that Saddam Hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program, had a design for a nuclear weapon and was working on five different methods of enriching uranium for a bomb.  The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.  Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high- strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. “

 9-11