At the risk of being a one-trick pony, I'd like to call your attention, once again, to the Atlantic Monthly. The latest issue has an article by James Fallows that very directly addresses the issue of rhetoric in the presidential campaign.

It might be a good piece for 306 (especially for first-timers), especially as an intro to rhetorical analysis. It's relatively accessible, but still sophisticated. It comes from a 'smart' part of the 'real world.' I especially like (from a 306 teaching perspective) that the introductory section talks about the circumstances under which Fallows watched the debates in order to perform such a detailed rhetorical analysis. The basic point, I think, is that he took a step back and took them in slowly. What he says is "living at a remove from day-to-day coverage on TV and minute-to-minute chatter in Washington can highlight certain trends and details that are easily lost in the ongoing wash of news." I might say he approaches them as a 'scholar,' rather than a media 'consumer,' or even a 'voter.'

It also seems to lend itself to making the point that, although Fallows is 'biased' toward one of the candidates that figure in the article (and spends most time on him), he gives a fairly nuanced or balanced account of them all.

Enjoy the new semester!!