Nancy Benac reports on Obama's Cairo speech in which he tried to explain the American mindset to Muslims and the world of Islam to Americans. Various experts comment on the speech, including WUSTL presidential rhetoric specialist Wayne Fields.

References:

1. June 6, 2009 — Analysis: Obama tries evenhanded approach in the Associated Press

and 51 others.

When it comes to swine flu, Obama is trying to strike the right balance between protecting public and economic health. That's resulted in some doublespeak and spin, evidence of the inextricable ties between a looming epidemic and a listing economy. Includes comments by WUSTL American culture studies director Wayne Fields, who is an expert on presidential rhetoric.

References:

1. May 2, 2009 — Flu control tests Obama balancing skills in the Associated Press

and 47 others.

The "War on Terror" is losing the war of words. The catchphrase burned into the American lexicon hours after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is fading away, slowly if not deliberately being replaced by a new administration bent on repairing the U.S. image among Muslim nations. Includes comments by WUSTL English and American culture studies professor Wayne Fields, who is an expert on presidential rhetoric.

References:

1. Feb. 1, 2009 — Under Obama, 'war on terror' catchphrase fading in the Associated Press

and 18 others.

WUSTL cultural historian Peter Kastor comments on Obama's place in America's history.

References:

1. Jan. 20, 2009 — A moment in history: The American story renewed in the Associated Press

and 32 others.

Barack Obama used his inaugural address Tuesday to sketch a portrait of the nation as it is, and as it should be. Includes comments by WUSTL presidential rhetoric expert Wayne Fields.

References:

1. Jan. 20, 2009 — Obama's speech a quiet call to arms for Americans in the Associated Press

and 37 others.

In hard times, the man in the Oval Office usually is the cheerleader-in-chief, looking ahead optimistically. Not Barack Obama, who is taking office full of gloom and doom about the nation's economy, warning that things are dire and bound to get worse. WUSTL American culture studies director and political rhetoric expert Wayne Fields comments.

References:

1. Jan. 13, 2009 — SPIN METER: Obama stresses dire economy at start in the Associated Press

and 32 others.

Kate Snow reports from St. Louis and asks why it is that "As Missouri goes, so goes the nation." WUSTL political rhetoric expert Wayne Fields weighs in with his answer.

References:

1. Nov. 3, 2008 — Segment on Vote 08 and Missouri in the ABC News 'Good Morning America'

Statewide polls show Obama and McCain are essentially tied in Missouri. No one ideology or business interest dominates the state and the electorate tends to be practical, says WUSTL American culture studies professor Wayne Fields.

References:

1. Oct. 21, 2008 — McCain camp insists he can overcome funding mismatch in the USA Today

and 1 others.

Wayne Fields, WUSTL political rhetoric expert, comments on the federal government's financial rescue plan and the pitfalls of calling it a bailout.

References:

1. Sept. 29, 2008 — The new bailout pitch: It's NOT a bailout in the Associated Press

and 19 others.

Who can win the state whose capture traditionally leads to the White House? There are ways to win the White House without winning Missouri, but few candidates have managed it. WUSTL political rhetoric expert Wayne Fields comments on Missouri's bellwether status.

References:

1. Aug. 28, 2008 — Show me a showdown in the The Economist (UK)

In comparing the political speeches of Barack Obama and John McCain, WUSTL's political rhetoric expert Wayne Fields offers commentary.

References:

1. July 23, 2008 — Obama, McCain and their uneven gifts of gab in the Associated Press

and 69 others.

Interest in the baseball among black youths is a topic of concern for MLB as more of that demographic seems to be interested in football and basketball. WUSTL professor Gerald Early, an expert on black culture, attributes this to the lack of availability of baseball in many black communities.

References:

1. May 29, 2008 — Taking Them Out to the Ballgame in the The Washington Post

Scorching rhetoric and negative campaigning aren't confined to the long presidential contest. They're spilling over into other segments of public life.
"It's partly this environment where we can't let things slide," said Wayne Fields, director of the American Cultural Studies program at WUSTL.
"There's big bucks to be made. These former leaders are going to protect their positions of expertise so they can keep selling books and keep getting speaking engagements."

References:

1. April 26, 2008 — Negative rhetoric seen beyond campaign trail in the Associated Press

and 58 others.

WUSTL's Wayne Fields comments on final pitches by Democratic presidential candidates as they head into the last weeks of primary elections.

References:

1. Feb. 27, 2008 — Analysis: Debate Unlikely to Change Race in the Associated Press

and 66 others.

Missouri has an uncanny ability to choose presidential winners, going with the loser only once in the past century (Adlai Stevenson in 1956). The state is effectively an intersection of cultural forces — urban and rural, north and south, east and west — and it periodically swings with prevailing national moods.
WUSTL American culture studies director Wayne Fields comments.

References:

1. Feb. 7, 2008 — Missouri vote signals complex national mood in the Chicago Tribune

WUSTL American culture studies Professor Wayne Fields comments on President Bush's recent Mideast trip. "President Bush believes in a religion of dramatic revelations — his conversion and 9/11 being the most notable — in which a person's life is transformed or the world is changed," said WUSTL American culture studies professor Wayne Fields. "These moments ... are the sources of the important 'truths' which inform his understanding of life and shape his behavior as well as his rhetoric."

References:

1. Jan. 11, 2008 — A faith-based stop for the president in the Chicago Tribune

and 1 others.

WUSTL political rhetoric specialist Wayne Fields is one of the experts commenting on victory speeches following the Iowa presidential caucuses.

References:

1. Jan. 5, 2008 — Huckabee oratory deemed 'low-key,' Obama's classic in the The Boston Globe

WUSTL English professor Wayne Fields, who is an expert on presidential rhetoric, comments on President Bush's speech on Iraq.

References:

1. Sept. 14, 2007 — Analysis: Bush recasts war rationale in the Associated Press

and 38 others.

WUSTL English and American Culture Studies professor Wayne Fields, who is an expert in political rhetoric, comments on the new buzzword in the presidential campaign -- transformational leadership.

References:

1. Feb. 21, 2007 — A buzzword from the presidential campaign's action figures takes off in the Associated Press

and 33 others.

WUSTL presidential rhetoric specialist Wayne Fields is one of several experts analyzing the content and presentation of President Bush's State of the Union speech.

References:

1. Jan. 24, 2007 — Bush domestic proposals address some Democratic concerns but will still be a hard sell in the Associated Press

and 17 others.