9/11. Two numbers side by side, yet the first thing that comes into the mind of every American upon seeing or hearing these two numbers is the devastating course of events that took place on September 11, 2001, resulting in the deaths of 2,977 people.
At the time of the horrors unfolding, President George W. Bush was listening to second graders at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida complete a reading lesson. He was quickly informed that “America is under attack.” So as not to alarm the children, President Bush finished listening to the lesson and then went into another classroom to evaluate the situation.
Determined to return to the White House, President Bush flew back to Washington DC on Air Force One and addressed a frightened and mourning nation from the Oval Office.
This speech, given at 8:30 pm on that eve of that fateful day, would restore a level of strength to the American people as President Bush assured the nation of the uninterrupted governmental function and the unwavering resolve of a united front against terrorism.
Regarding the rhetorical situation of President Bush’s speech, the exigence, or event that invites a communicative response, would be the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent lives.
The audience, meaning those addressed through this act of communication, would be the American citizens, the citizens of the world, and those responsible for the unspeakable acts of violence. President Bush intended for his speech to reach those in need of comfort following the loss of their loved ones as well as those who feared for their lives upon the attacks, wondering if this were the end or merely the beginning of a greater plot. In addition, Bush wanted those responsible to know that they would reap the consequences of their actions and be brought to justice.
Finally, one constraint of President Bush’s speech was the possibility of inciting more violence after demonstrating the continued strength of the United States and its prevailing unity.
“This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.” -President George W. Bush
Sources:
https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010911-16.html
https://www.georgewbushlibrary.gov/explore/exhibits/911-steel-american-resolve
This is a good example of a rhetorical situation in that the audience needed to be reassured. That was the action that the speech was meant to encourage: keeping faith in the government. Maybe go into that a bit more on how that was a purpose of parts of the speech. This line of reasoning would then lead into the “Kairos” portion of rhetorical situations, in that the President made a point of giving that speech in a timely fashion to prevent panic and outline the government’s intentions.
I think it is very interesting how you mentioned that his speech could be interpreted as a call for action. In this case, a call to action would mean more violence. I also liked how you highlighted that President Bush needed to remind America of the country’s unity and common goal of protecting the people. The timing of the speech is also very important. The country had just experienced a day filled with extreme loss and grief. I think it would be beneficial to highlight the main elements of his speech and provide how they influenced the overall message.