This slim, scathing book does not mince words about the current state of presidential rhetoric, frankly deploring its “nosedive from our founding era.” Drawing upon interviews with 42 presidential speech writers, Lim investigates what he sees as a particularly American phenomenon whereby “most presidents have preferred to appear less
, not more intellectually inclined than they actually were.” He reveals the long “institutional pedigree” of anti-intellectualism in presidential addresses, from Harding to Eisenhower, Clinton (“an intelligent but anti-intellectual president”) to Bush, as presidents have positioned intellectuals as the “piñatas of American politics.” Lim builds his case systematically, introducing fascinating indices to measure oratorical sophistication or simplicity. A massive campaign of “linguistic simplification” is afoot, he argues, and he dissects inaugural addresses and presidential public papers, charting average sentence length, Flesch Readability and the preponderance of platitudes to evince a growing “reification of style over substance.” While his methodology is occasionally esoteric, Lim’s presentation of the consequences of the manipulation of language in the political arena is clear and compelling, and will delight grammarians and political aficionados alike. (June)
