Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and the Populist Tradition in Presidential Rhetoric

摘要

Populism is one of the most ambiguous terms in rhetorical scholarship. It can be a political strategy, a genuine reflection of personality, a deep manipulation of core American values, and much more. Political pundits have used it as a descriptive term, and on occasion as an insult. Some have deemed the concept’s flexibility confusing and even counterproductive, which sparked an interest in studying what is meant when analysts and scholars address political speakers as populist. This thesis examines populism in detail, by analyzing the rhetoric of former presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Two questions drove the research: (1) What do people mean when they label a politician as populist? (2) Is this an illuminating descriptor? The research found that that populism’s ambiguity contributes to its utility; however, it is also essential that critics, writers, and others who use the term do so carefully in order to clarify their intent.