Soul Bubba: President Clinton's use of the rhetoric of inclusion to ensure the loyalty of the Congressional Black Caucus

• Main Author: Bernard-Bastien, Sandra Elizabeth
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2001
• Subjects: African Americans; Biographies; Black studies; Composition; Political science; Rhetoric
• ISBN: 0493218149; 9780493218144

Clinton's success in engendering loyalty in the African-American, despite his failure to deliver socio-economic and political benefits, presents us with an apparent paradox. The contention is that the answer to this paradox could be found in the rhetorical style and strategies habitually employed by Clinton when speaking to African-Americans. What Clinton said to black America is important, but how he said it, is even more so. Through a critical examination of his eight speeches to the Congressional Black Caucus' Annual Dinner, using rhetorical theory, this research examines how Clinton said what he said. In utilizing the critical approach that examines stylistic techniques, it analyzes his rhetorical strategies within the framework of what I term a “rhetoric of inclusion.” This concept embraces six rhetorical strategies that enhance identification and authority. Scanned through the prism of these strategies, the research shows that Clinton's rhetoric provided him with a distinct voice that was very effective in ensuring the loyalty of the Congressional Black Caucus.