George W. Bush and His Rise to Power

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the popularity of President George W. Bush rose to meteoric levels, despite having previously experienced mediocre support from the public. It attempts to explain this sudden surge in popularity by exploring two competing theories. It looks at how the classic "rally around the flag" theory is a viable option, as is the theory that the support of the President during times of national crisis comes about mainly through the selective flow of information through the media and other channels that is biased in favor of the President's policies.

From the Paper:

"The U.S. invasion of Iraq happened not long after the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks on America. Patriotic sentiments were already running very high at this time. The United State and its people were feeling a sense of solidarity as never before. We had been attacked as a nation, and there is nothing like an unprovoked attack on a whole nation to draw that nation together as one. All of a sudden, we were no longer individuals who wee American, we were American as a whole. When George W. Bush acted to take retaliatory measures against those who would have done us harm, we were behind him one hundred percent. He acted as a central rallying figure behind whom we could all throw our support to show our solidarity in the eyes of the world."

More papers on George W. Bush and His Rise to Power:

• Persuasive Essay # 133470 : "George W. Bush: A Cultural Icon"
• Analytical Essay # 133826 : "George W. Bush's Presidency"
• Research Paper # 103304 : "Colin Powell"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: