The critical study of public address has changed in the twentieth century and will continue to evolve in the twenty-first. As the studies in this volume demonstrate, methodological pluralism is the standard of contemporary work, and active rhetorical critics today are more consciously aware of the theoretical implications and extensions of their work than were their critical forebears. What links the last with the present, however, and what will continue to engage us in the future, is the search for meaning in human rhetorical action.
The authors in this collection explore the claim...

During the Second World War, Dwight D. Eisenhower formulated an ideology that encompassed deeply held ideas about human nature, society, and political life. From the day the war ended, Eisenhower promoted this ideology; he considered the production of words as an end in itself, essential to the real business of governing. During his years as Army Chief of Staff, president of Columbia University, Allied Commander in Europe, and candidate for President of the United States, Eisenhower continuously emphasized the inspirational value of the spoken word. Ira Chernus has created one of the...

No modern president has had as much influence on American national politics as Franklin D. Roosevelt. During FDR s administration, power shifted from states and localities to the federal government; within the federal government it shifted from Congress to the president; and internationally, it moved from Europe to the United States. All of these changes required significant effort on the part of the president, who triumphed over fierce opposition and succeeded in remaking the American political system in ways that continue to shape our politics today. Using the metaphor of the good...