The Dissertation Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT……….. iii

DEDICATION……….. iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……….. v

ABSTRACT……….. vii

LIST OF TABLES……….. xii

LIST OF FIGURES……….. xiii

Chapter

I. USING TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE DIALOGIC INTERACTION:

A 219-YEAR HISTORY OF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS    ……….. 1

A 219-Year Tradition……….. 4

The Printing Press: Political Newspapers Reign in Campaigns……….. 5

Lincoln and the Telegraph……….. 9………..

Front Porches and Film……….. 10

President’s Voices in the Living Room……….. 12

A Radio Conversation: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Wired Connection……….. 15

A Step Back From Technology: Truman’s Whistle-Stop Campaign……….. 17

1952: The Power of Television   19

The First Televised Debates……….. 23

Identity and Eloquence……….. 25

New Media Changes Campaigns……… 27

Obama 2.0……….. 28

II. THE CHANGING LANGUAGE OF POLITICS: HOW TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMED AND ENRICHED THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL

CANDIDATES’ DIALOGUE WITH THE ELECTORATE…….. 3

The Rhetorical Situation……….. 37

Discovering New Media’s Rhetorical Situation and Rhetorical Strategies……….. 41

Figures of Speech……….. 46

Incumbent, Challenger, or Both: The Perceived Candidate……….. 54

The Bakhtin Influence……….. 57

Chapter Summary……….. 59

III. METHODOLOGY……….. 61

The Method……….. 66

Limitations to Study……….. 69

IV. ETHOS: BUILDING CREDIBILITY WITH EXAMPLES……….. 72
Obama……….. 74

Clinton……….. 81

McCain……….. 83

Chapter Summary……….. 84
V. PATHOS: CREATING A CONNECTION TO THE ONLINE AUDIENCE……….. 87

Obama……….. 92

Clinton……….. 97

McCain……….. 102

Chapter Summary……….. 106
VI. LOGOS: ADDING VALUE TO AN ONLINE CAMPAIGN BLOG……….. 108
Dinumeratio……….. 110

Obama……….. 111

Clinton……….. 117

McCain……….. 120

Exemplum……….. 121

Obama……….. 123

Clinton……….. 127

McCain……….. 129

Time……….. 132

Obama……….. 134

Clinton……….. 137

McCain……….. 138

Argumentative……….. 140

Obama……….. 143

Clinton……….. 151

McCain……….. 154

Chapter Summary……….. 155

VII.  WHITE HOUSE 2.0: MOVING TOWARD AN ONLINE DIALOGICAL

INTERACTIVE CITIZENSHIP……….. 157

Obama’s Use of New Media……….. 159

Clinton’s Use of New Media……….. 164

McCain’s Use of New Media……….. 165

Summations……….. 166

Recommendations……….. 168

President 2.0……….. 170

WORKS CONSULTED…….. 173

APPENDICES

A. Examples of Obama Blogs from March 2008—Election Day……….. 188
B. Examples of John McCain Blogs from March 2008-October 2008……….. 215

C. Examples of Hillary Clinton Blogs from March 2008-November 2008……….. 230

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Number Of Candidates’ Blog Posts Analyzed From

March 2008-November 4, 2008……….. 66

Table 2 Endorsement Exemplums Used As A Rhetorical Tool

To Increase Candidate’s Ethos……….. 74

Table 3 Pathos Dominant Figures Of Speech In Candidates’

Campaign Blogs……….. 88

Table 4 Each Candidate’s Use Of The Figure Of Speech Dinumeratio……….. 111

Table 5 Candidate’s Use Of The Figure Exemplum……….. 122

Table 6 Time Figures Of Speech Used By Candidates……….. 133

Table 7 Argument Figures Of Speech ………..  142

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 1: Herbert Hoover accepts the 1928 ……….. 13

Fig. 2: “High Prices,” Citizens for Eisenhower, 1952 ……….. 21

Fig. 3 An example entry from Obama March 2008 analysis form……….. 67

Fig. 4: Excerpt of Obama’s March spreadsheet shows documentation of rhetorical

figures of speech among other data……….. 68

Fig. 5: Sam Graham-Felsen posts the APWU endorsement, April 9, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 75

Fig. 6: Sam Graham-Felsen posts a delegate endorsement, May 14, 2008 my.barackobama.com………… 77

Fig. 7: Christopher Hass posts John Edwards’s endorsement with video,

May 14, 2008, my.barackobama.com………… 78

Fig. 8: Sam Graham-Felsen posts John Edwards’s endorsement with an

interactive “Make Calls” button, May 14, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 79

Fig. 9: Christopher Hass posts the Denver Post endorsement on October 17, 2008,

my.barackobama.com……….. 80

Fig. 10: Matt Tepper posts a “Must Read” U.S. Rep. John Murtha endorsement,

March 18, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 82

Fig. 11: Ben Olson posts a former Cinton administration official endorsement,

October 14, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 83

Fig. 12: Message from David Plouffe on September 24, 2008,

my barackobama.com……….. 93

Fig. 13: Obama’s campaign urges blog readers on July 30, 2008 to donate,

my.barack.obama.com……….. 94

Fig. 14: Obama’s campaign urges readers to register to vote, October 4, 2008,

my.barackobama.com……….. 95

Fig. 15: Amy Hamblin posts a my.barackobama.com milestone,

October 30, 2008……….. 97

Fig. 16: Lindsay Levin posts Clinton’s message to ask supporters

to contribute to her campaign, May 21, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 99

Fig. 17: Clinton asking readers to contribute to her campaign April 4, 2008,

hillaryclinton.com……….. 101

Fig. 18: Clinton Wins! March 4, 2008, hillaryclinton.com………… 102

Fig. 19: McCain asking readers to sign a petition. October 17, 2008,

johnmccain.com……….. 103

Fig. 20: McCain’s blog connects with readers through his story about

The Pledge of Allegiance, April 2, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 104

Fig. 21: McCain’s blog acknowledges poster designs from supporters,

August 15, 2008, johnmccain.com…………….. 105

Fig. 22: Obama’s campaign publishes the front page of the Detroit Free Press,

June 17, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 112

Fig. 23: Example of a daily post called Morning News that lists newspaper excerpts, September 25, 2008, mybarackobama.com……….. 113

Fig. 24: Obama’s blog reports on the Texas Democratic Party State Convention

in Austin, June 7, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 114

Fig. 25: Christopher Hass posts Obama’s stop at M&M café

April 6, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 116

Fig. 26: Clinton posts daily Hubdates to inform her blog readers,

March 15, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 118

Fig. 27: Scott Zumwait reminds and summarizes recently attended

and successful campaign events. May 11, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 119

Fig. 28: McCain posts information about his new television ad on his

campaign blog on July 10, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 120

Fig. 29: McCain summarizes his Saturday Night Live appearance,

May 18, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 121

Fig. 30: Amanda Scott posts an example of two military veteran supporters

on October 3, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 123

Fig. 31: Amanda Scott posts stories from Pennsylvania residents on April 4, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 125

Fig. 32: Women who support Obama, May 24, 2009, my.barackobama.com……….. 126

Fig. 33: Lindsay Levin posts about two elderly women who support

Clintons campaign, March 10, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 127

Fig. 34: Lindsay Levin posts about Clinton’s campaign stop, March 13, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 128

Fig. 35: Patrick Hynes posts video of a boy who supports McCain,

April 3, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 130

Fig. 36: McCain supporters who believe McCain won the debate,

October 16, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 131

Fig. 37: On behalf of Jon Carson, Amanda Scott posts Jon’s email about

donating to the campaign before the midnight deadline……….. 134

Fig. 38: Amanda Scott posts the debate Reviews From Network and

Cable News Outlets. September 27, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 136

Fig. 39: Lindsay Levin posts an invitation to the Elton John fundraising concert benefitting Clinton’s campaign, March 19, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 137

Fig. 40: Matt Lira invites readers to view a McCain and Palin live video event, September 18, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 138

Fig. 41: McCain’s campaign encourages blog readers and supporters to plan events to support his campaign, August 2, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 139

Fig 42: Amanda Scott posts comments on Palin’s statements during the

vice-presidential debate, October 2, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 144

Fig. 43: Molly Claflin posts comments on McCain’s statements during the presidential debate, October 7, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 145

Fig. 44: Sam Graham-Felsen posts a memo sent out by the Obama campaign rejecting Clinton’s tactics, March 28, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 147

Fig. 45: David Plouffe criticizes McCain’s campaign strategies, October 17, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 149

Fig. 46: Sam Graham-Felsen posts a thank you to Fox news reporter,

Chris Wallace, March 21, 2008, my.barackobama.com……….. 150

Fig. 47: Lindsay Levin argues Clinton’s campaign is not over, May 13, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 152

Fig. 48: Lindsay Levin posts Hillary’s statement about International Women’s Day, March 8, 2008, hillaryclinton.com……….. 153

Fig. 49: Matt Lira posts that Obama is wrong about the Iraq War. July 16, 2008, johnmccain.com……….. 154