Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator

(Hardback)

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This reference combines a critical analysis of Ronald Reagan's style as a public speaker with a set of selected speeches and an extensive bibliography. Kurt Ritter and David Henry cover his oratory from his days in the motion picture industry and as a political candidate to his years as Governor of California and as President of the United States. This analysis of his use of mass media as a pulpit and his command of the TV medium is intended for students, teachers and professionals in communications and in government. The volume defines Ronald Reagan's role as a political pastor, his emphasis on heroes and his appeals to values of freedom and promise. Selected speeches illustrate points made in the analysis. A chronology of his major speeches is given, along with an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources. A full index is also provided. This book should be of interest to students of oratory, speech communication specialists, political scientists, and others needing an overview and texts of President Reagan's speeches.

Author Bio

KURT RITTER is Associate Professor in the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts at Texas A&M University. He is editor of The 1980 Presidential Debates (1981) and co-author of The American Ideology: Reflections of the Revolution in American Rhetoric (1978), among other works. DAVID HENRY is Professor of Speech Communication at California Polytechnic State University. He is the author of various chapters and articles in scholarly journals and books dealing with critical rhetorical analysis.