It’s How You Say It

Politicians often use language to evoke an emotional response from voters and to control popular opinion. Renana Brooks explores George W. Bush’s use of dependency creating language to manipulate the American people in an article titled “A Nation of Victims” (The Nation, June 22, 2003). Dependency-creating language controls listeners so that they do not respond to rational criticism of either the speaker or the message.

According to Brooks, Bush relies on three key strategies in his interactions with the public. First, he often uses either meaningless language or language that is so abstract that it is hard to contradict.

Second, by employing personalization, or I-statements that focus attention on the speaker’s personality, Bush portrays himself as the only leader who can solve America’s problems.

Finally, employing the strategy of negative framework, Bush often uses words and phrases that promote a pessimistic image of the world and of the future. For example, he was overwhelmingly pessimistic in his response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the “war” on terrorism. His pessimism was intended to create an atmosphere of fear, in vivid contrast to the optimism that Franklin Roosevelt invoked in his “Day of Infamy” speech after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Even Ronald Reagan’s response to the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beruit was evenly balanced between pessimistic and optimistic statements.

Bush’s mastery of these three strategies generates a climate of fear that encourages Americans to believe that they cannot solve their own problems. He, of course, wants us to believe that only he can solve those problems. His proponents base their support not on his ideas, which are ephemeral, but on his charismatic doubletalk.

It is difficult for Bush’s challengers to attack his broad abstractions. According to Brooks, to win in November, the Democratic candidate must counter Bush’s pessimism with optimism and hope. It is essential to return control to the people.