The research done specifically on inaugural addresses is not as substantive as research on other types of presidential speeches. Much of the research has looked at the State of the Union addresses since every president has given one and those are more policy-based and inaugural addresses are more ceremonial (Teten 2003). I find looking at inaugural addresses extremely important and relevant to study because they are some of the first indicators of things a president might wish to address. While that may hold it is extremely important to note that presidents are less likely to get up and talk about the different policies they wish to enact. Yet even if they wish to keep the speech very ceremonial they are a great way to get a look at the different issues the country is facing at that time. This is one of the biggest gaps in the literature that I hope to fill, looking at presidential rhetoric in inaugural addresses.
“Inaugural addresses may then be considered another logical and consistent medium from which to evaluate presidential rhetorical development”
Teten 2003; 336
There has been a large amount of literature that has looked at how presidents use their words and the content of their speeches to influence voters. That same literature makes an extremely important distinction in pointing out that presidents have to also toe the line when talking about race. The way that rhetoric has been looked at has changed over time and the research will look at it in a different light. Much of the research on presidential rhetoric has been on how they use it to influence people, specifically around the Obama/Trump era a lot of the research focused on race. Teten (2003) begins by talking about how presidents use their words in very specific ways. ‘“Inaugurals unify the country… discuss shared values and standards rather than divisive issues… establish the president’s suitability by noting the awe in which they hold the office, the potential for power excesses, and their humility and responsibility in the face of this role… They provide the president with a highly symbolic moment in which to address history as well as a nation”’ (Teten 2003; 336). Here Teten (2003) describes the significance of the inaugural address and why it has become important for presidents to choose their rhetoric carefully. Inaugural addresses have the opportunity to bring the country together while also providing the president the opportunity to place themselves in history.
This idea is echoed in the thought that presidents will spend time perfecting their rhetoric (Druckman and Holmes 2004). They focus on specific issues or phrases to try and make voters continue to think about them and whatever they deem important at the time (Druckman and Holmes 2004). By doing this, presidents can keep themselves in the minds of the voters but are also able to address broader issues and goals that they want to accomplish. “It suggests that a president can exercise direct control over what citizens think of him, and this creates strategic incentives that are understudied and poorly understood” (Druckman and Holmes 2004; 774). Lim (2002) represents two juxtaposing views on how presidential rhetoric has changed in their work. One of those ideas being that there is more continuity than great change throughout the history of presidential speeches (Lim 2002). They point out that looking at all the major speeches presidents have given over time there has been some change but that change is not largely significant. While the other point they present is how rhetoric has become more casual and informal (Lim 2002). “Contemporary presidential rhetoric may have become conversational and anecdotal, but it has brought the orator down from the pulpit to a closer intellectual and emotional rapport with his audience (Lim 2002; 348). Lim (2002) shows how rhetoric has changed throughout history, looking at several different speeches given by presidents, mentioning how the change to modern rhetoric is heavily debated. Scholars believe modern rhetoric began with either President Roosevelt or President Wilson.
