In 1992, the Clinton campaign released the following campaign commercial, titled “Journey.” How might this commercial relate to Rodgers’ discussion of post-Cold War presidential rhetoric?
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Rodgers discusses the common theme of hope in post-Cold War rhetoric, specifically through the use of a personal story. He even specifically references Clinton’s life story that conveniently began in Hope, Arkansas, which is the basis for this campaign commercial. Clinton briefly gives a personal narrative of his life; he explains that he did not come from much money, yet he was given the opportunity to meet John F. Kennedy and from that moment decided he wanted to dedicate his life to public service through politics. His story is one of hope, and he represents the notion that anyone can make a difference in the U.S. if they have some hope. This personal narrative represented the new narrative of freedom that was present in political rhetoric. Freedom no longer held “burdens and responsibilities,” as it was not as closely tied to the notion of freedom of society after the Cold War. Freedom was talked about with a much more individualized approach, and Clinton’s personal narrative of hope epitomizes Rodgers’ discussion of how presidential rhetoric changed in this way.