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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jlallen who wrote (302814)	10/1/2002 8:30:22 AM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

OT: Could you think of a more boring area of research? ---------- The removal of gray areas from Bush's rhetoric, oft-observed since Sept. 11, has been quantified, dissected and broken down into statistical equations with Greek variables. A new study by the State University of New York at Buffalo's School of Management analyzed 74 of Bush's major speeches and radio addresses -- from before and after the terrorist strikes -- to determine differences in his language. The researchers, led by professor James R. Meindl, found that Bush's speeches over the past year have contained more active words signaling "aggression" (such as "overcome," "dismantle" and "prevent") or "accomplishment" (words such as "leadership" and "strengthen") and fewer words conveying passivity ("allow," "refrain" and "submit") or ambivalence ("perhaps," "might" and "almost"). Bush also made fewer references to himself, such as "I," "me" and "mine," and replaced those with collective words ("humanity," "country" and "world") or "human interest" words ("ourselves," "friend"). Bush, the academics determined, used more "leveling" words (such as "everybody," always" and "completely") since 9/11, a way of overcoming individual differences and building assurance. He made more references to hardship and adversity ("enemies," "killers" and "betrayal"). Not surprisingly, Bush has also stepped up his use of words reflecting "values and moral justifications," employing spiritual words such as "God-fearing" and "hope" and patriotic words such as "homeland," "justice" and "liberty." At the same time, Bush's speech in the past year "became markedly less concrete and tangible" as specific, near-term goals gave way to distant and vague aims. The researchers found that all of these patterns indicated Bush's rhetoric had become "more charismatic" since the terrorist attacks. "One possibility is that Bush is really more charismatic," they wrote. Alternatively, it's possible "his charismatic personality [lay] dormant and unrealized until it was finally unleashed by the tragic events of 9/11." Still another possibility is Bush is merely "responding to the needs of the American people who in a time of crisis seek out more 'charismatic' talk." washingtonpost.com ------------- If we ever forced the prisoners in our penal system to do this type of research, there could be a valid claim of human rights abuse, IMO.