The Art of Simulated Atonement: A Case Study of George W. Bush

Abstract

This study sought to explain how President George W. Bush used a unique form of apologia during his first six years in office to minimize accountability for his role in three major political scandals. After selecting appropriate texts for analysis and conducting research to establish the historical context of his remarks, I identified patterns in Bush's use of image repair tactics, made generalizations about his overall strategy, and determined the impact that his unique rhetoric had on his success, and eventual failure, as President. Though Bush's use of simulated atonement allowed him to evade accountability for the Abu Ghraib and WMD scandals, his strategy failed to stem the public backlash following Hurricane Katrina. Several factors explained why simulated atonement might work for certain rhetors, and a few limitations of the strategy were explored. Several implications for rhetorical theory and understanding of the Bush administration emerge from the findings.