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Gendered Voices: Rhetorical Agency and the Political Career of Hillary Rodham Clinton A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Justin Lee Killian IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, Ph.D. (Adviser) August 2012 © Justin Lee Killian 2012 Acknowledgments As a critic, I seek to understand how agency is created by the phrases we write and the words we speak. I love language, and these pages are my attempt to make sense of voice, rhetoric, and politics. The insightful ideas in this project come from the beautiful voices of my friends and family. The mistakes and blunders are all mine. I am blessed by the love of so many wonderful people, and I offer these acknowledgments as a small gesture of gratitude to all who have touched this project. As an academic, I am most indebted to Karlyn Kohrs Campbell for her faith and guidance. She nurtured this project from the beginning, and she was the driving force that helped push me over innumerable stumbling points. I am so glad she offered tough love and refused to let me stop fighting. I can only hope that my work in some way answers the important call Dr. Campbell has issued to the field of rhetorical studies. I am honored that she gave me her time and dedication. She will forever be my mentor and teacher. I also give thanks to the other members of my review committee. I am very grateful to the guidance provided by Edward Schiappa. He encouraged me to take a risk and join a historic campaign, and he has ushered me through several difficult professional decisions. Mary Vavrus enhanced my understanding of feminism and made this a better project. Finally, I send appreciation to Kathleen Hull for tolerating a rhetorician‟s ramblings. She taught me how to understand society, culture, and gender. In addition to my committee, Kirt Wilson made me a better textual critic. Richard Graff grounded me in the classics, and Alan Gross and Colin Kahl expanded my i understandings of many critical theories. Bea Dehler and Joan Lund are a huge part of the reason I completed my Ph.D. program; they are the oracles of Ford Hall. Finally, I thank the University of Minnesota and the Department of Communication Studies for the numerous travel grants that helped fund this research. My academic life has been greatly enhanced by Hamline University. I send respect and admiration to my department colleagues for their continuous support. Verna Corgan, Patricia Palmerton, George Gaetano, and Suda Ishida encouraged me through the final stages of this journey. I am so grateful they all decided to take a chance on a young Ph.D. candidate. I also thank the College of Liberal Arts at Hamline University for providing travel and research funds that assisted with the completion of this work. In particular, I express gratitude to Kendra Boyle-Hoban for helping me locate primary documents used in Chapter Five. Finally, I am grateful for my many colleagues at Hamline who offer smiles as I come to work each day. My many thanks to: Mike Reynolds, Jermaine Singleton, Katherine Bjork, Marcela Kostihova, Serena King, Paula Mullineaux, Aaron McKain, Shelly Shaefer, Kristin Mapel Bloomberg, and John Matachek. At the University of Georgia, Jennifer Monahan, John Murphy, Bonnie J. Dow, and Tina Harris prepared me to pursue a Ph.D. I also thank David Timmerman, Todd McDorman, and Jennifer Abbott for molding and shaping my view of rhetoric at Wabash College. I am grateful to Leslie Day, Joe Day, and John Fischer for making me a better scholar, and I thank Sherry Ross for being my stalwart advocate. Finally, I acknowledge ii all of the many students who have challenged me to simply be better. They have been my greatest teachers. My many graduate student colleagues at the University of Minnesota provided me shelter in times of struggle, guidance in times of confusion, and support in times of doubt. Michael Lee is my most trusted colleague in all things rhetorical. Casey Kelly gave me a critical ear and a warm home for many years. Thomas Johnson will always be my favorite weight room scholar, and Erin Benson kept me grounded. I also use this opportunity to ask Amy Pason, “Must we all be rhetorical critics?” Finally, I send sincere appreciation to: Brigid Power, Alyssa Isaacs, Mariko Izumi, Monica Moore, Beth Bonstetter, Samuel Boerboom, Diane Odash, Pamela Nettleton, and Emily Berg. They all made the University of Minnesota a delightful place to call home. My time at Minnesota was deeply touched by Jessica Prody and Meg Kunde. Jessica taught me more about criticism, teaching, and friendship than I ever knew I could learn. I value her presence in my life, and I value the ways she challenged this project. Meg is my fellow critical soldier. I am happy we have survived the many battles of graduate school, and I am excited to help her create a world that is ready for Madam President. I send love to my family for always offering support. My mother, Donna Outlaw, is my hero, my friend, and my strength. My sister, Jenny Killian, has given me honesty and love. I thank Kevin and Justin Outlaw for making us a family. I also cherish the influence of my grandparents Jean and Marion McWhorter. My grandmother Sandra Killian and my great grandmothers Viola Killian and Opal Partain iii also had profound influences on my life. Finally, I thank Ann Johnston for making me part of her family. This project is also the direct result of my time as a staff member for Hillary Rodham Clinton‟s Presidential Campaign. I send nothing but respect to my Region 8 friends and compatriots. I will always cherish Matthew Hughes, Ben Farley, Dave Jacobson, Josh Wolfe, Andy Rausch, Abigail Hott, and Christopher Guerro. I also dedicate this work to the many elected women of Johnson County, Iowa. There is a special place in heaven for Mary Mascher, Janet Lyness, Victoria Lensing, Regina Bailey, Sally Stutsman, and Karen Kubby. Thanks to Amanda Kimber for opening up her home, my many Hill-Stars, the Iowans who opened their doors and hearts, and my army of interns. Also, a special thanks to Hillary Rodham Clinton for making history. My time in Iowa was made warmer by the McAndrew family of Lisbon, Iowa. They are gracious and kind. Mark and Deena provide me a living example of what it means to say “the personal is political.” Finally, Loret Mast and Mary Ann Madden will always be my second wave warriors. I am beholden to them for leading my precincts and for changing the way I understand feminist politics. The City of Minneapolis has been my sanctuary as I completed this project. I love Minneapolis because it has taught me what it means to “come home.” I am lucky to have met so many bright and caring people in this wonderful place. I send special thoughts to Britt Peterson, Adam Leonard, Jake Masters, Ben Pagel, Greg Hermanson, Evan Van Beusekom, Taka, Tae, Sarah Hoffman, Cally Prairie, Kristin Regnier (and The Firm), Adam Kendall, Lonny Leitner, Kim Frigstad, and my fun and fabulous Flamingos. iv I must give a special mention to two men that touched my life. Ryan Johnson was with me through a difficult year, and I respect him for helping me see the world in new and interesting ways. I will always be happy for the time we spent together. I also thank John Sellner for all the laughs and his strong belief in me. Finally, I end by acknowledging my personal champions. I thank Frank, Kristin, Mila, and Harry Kantroski for making me part of their life. Frank is forever one of my favorite people. I would not be here today without the love and respect of the Kantroski family. Paul Stephens has influenced my entire education, and Tony Gigli gives me living examples of kindness. I send special love to my “bossy posse.” Joe Wenker touched the core of this project, and he continues to touch the core of my being. He will always be the cure for my ennui. Kyle Thompson provides me reasons to put “my hands up.” John Voight gives me wisdom. Lee Larson gives me optimism, and Rodrigo Gomez is my joy and my wine. This group is the support network that sustained my work. Finally, I give my entire heart to Eric Taubel, Molly McAndrew, and Gregg Massey. I am privileged to have Eric as my guide through all aspects of life. He wears the scars of this project. Molly is my love and my strength, and she offers me light when I feel the world is bleak. Finally, Gregg is my smile. He is “far from the usual,” and he is my soul‟s inspiration. All three deserve awards for being my friend. It is a difficult job, and I thank them for showing up every day. I end by simply thanking all of the women that should have been president and all of the women that have campaigned to be president. I wrote this project to preserve the v symbolic legacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton and all the other feminist candidates who have forever altered electoral politics. The glass ceiling has cracks, and I will spend my academic career and political life trying to help shatter it. --Justin Killian St. Paul, MN vi Dedication To my mother for giving me a voice To my sister for believing in my voice To my friends for sustaining my voice vii Abstract Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton‟s public life represents a specific moment when a generation of women started to materially symbolize the progress made by feminist activists.