A Critique of Bush's Speeches after September 11

A Critique of Bush's Speeches after September 11

After the terrorists attacks on September eleventh, President Bush had to prepare himself to address the nation with intensions to calm the United States citizens and give them some answers. The President had many speeches in the week after this happened and some words he used were not as concise as they could have been. These words and phrases are his attempts to comfort the United States people but only anger the terrorists he has declared war with. In a critique of Bushs speeches in the weeks after the tragedy, it is written, He called for revenge, called Osama bin Laden the prime suspect and asked for him dead or alive. (Max 1) Using such strong words gives an impression that Bush is overly confident and jumping to conclusions. Using revenge would imply retaliation and in result would come a war. Bush seems so sure that bin Laden is responsible when, still as of this day, he has no hard evidence. Asking for him dead or alive is probably the first threat he made. The only accomplishment Bush got out of making these accusations and threats was making the American people nervous. The citizens of the United States may not agree with the decisions he is making for the country. Bush needed another chance to redeem himself and comfort his people. A committee of speechwriters and George Bush spent time writing the speech that was given on September twentieth. In this speech, the President made more sense and brought his ideas together more clearly, with phrases and topics that would calm the citizens of the United States.

Americans were still unclear of who had performed these acts of terror and were nervous because Bush was being rash, and wasnt speaking with confidence. The president answers questions, revealing which organization was responsible and their mission as people. Bushs speech on the twentieth reveals that, The terrorists directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans, and make no distinction among military and civilians, including women and children. (pg. 2) The president clarifies that bin Laden is the leader of the terrorist organization, Al queda, so that the Americans can understand whom we are going to war with. As said in The End Of Innocence, And today the enemy must be named as terrorism, or more broadly as any who might disrupt the spread of "open societi...

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...ed States and to provide its people with knowledge of what to prepare for in the future. The president spoke to the nation numerous times in the week after these attacks, and he began to reveal that his situation was making him nervous and even scared in his speeches. The president had to show his confidence and reassure the nation with relief in his speech on September twentieth. The president was there most of the time his writers were working on the speech, and it seemed he was comfortable speaking the topics of the speech. After the speech was recited, Ted Kennedy stated that The presidents speech was exactly what the nation neededa message of determination and hope, strength and compassion.(Words that Changedetc. 11 par. 1) The president allowed the citizens of the Unites States of America to feel confident with the status of our nation in the future, after he gave this speech.

Works Cited

1. Max, D.T. The 2,988 Words That Changed a Presidency: An Etymology. The New York

Times, 7 Oct. 2001

2. Bush, George W. "President Bush's Speech to the Nation." Capitol. Washington, D.C. 20

Sept. 2001.

3. Rogers, Joel. The End Of Innocence. The Nation, 17 Sept. 2001