Rational Ground on the Rio Grande: George W. Bush and Comprehensive Immigration Reform By Zachary R. Wagner Submitted to the graduate degree program in Communication Studies and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________________________ Chairperson Robert C. Rowland ________________________________ Scott Harris ________________________________ Burdette A. Loomis ________________________________ Donn W. Parson ________________________________ Tracy C. Russo Date Defended: <<September 9, 2015>> ii The Dissertation Committee for Zachary R. Wagner certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Rational Ground on the Rio Grande: George W. Bush and Comprehensive Immigration Reform ________________________________ Chairperson Robert C. Rowland Date approved: <<September 9, 2015>> iii Abstract During his second term, George W. Bush pushed comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), a policy that addressed illegal immigration through several provisions at once. Some of those provisions were favored by conservative border security hawks, including augmenting Border Patrol efforts with technology and increased manpower, while others were favored by pro- immigration liberals, including a temporary worker program and a clear path to citizenship. To pass both at the same time was clearly a challenge, but President Bush was the perfect man for the job, due to his security credentials and his left-leaning immigration stance. Bush seized what he thought was the perfect moment to capitalize on broad public support for the general outline of CIR. For nearly two years, his push for CIR ran into problems, including two counter- movements, a sweeping change of the makeup of Congress, and xenophobic hysteria stirred up by the right wing. Bush’s prolonged failure to garner public support for CIR became the defining domestic failure of his second term. To date, no explanation of his failure on CIR accounts for his rhetoric, an oversight that deprives the historical record of understanding presidential leadership. This dissertation combines social movement theory and a generally inductive method based in the rhetorical situation to explain how Bush failed to pass CIR. iv Acknowledgments This dissertation is a collaborative work but many of the people who have contributed to this document are not mentioned anywhere in the text. Tala Wagner has been patient with my absence this summer and understanding of many of the odd realities of academic life. Michael Shaw of BagNews found important photos of George W. Bush’s speeches that had eluded me. Finally, while my committee is credited on their own page, I’d like to specifically acknowledge the oversight, guidance, and editing of Dr. Rowland, without whom this dissertation could not have come together. Dedication To my favorite distraction, Malcolm, who is screaming at the top of his lungs even as I type this. v Table of Contents Chapter One: The Rhetorical Situation ........................................................................................... 1 Context ........................................................................................................................................ 7 George W. Bush ........................................................................................................................ 10 Audience ................................................................................................................................... 13 Analysis and Text Selections .................................................................................................... 14 Contributions to Social Movement Theory .............................................................................. 17 Contributions to Presidential Campaign Research ................................................................... 19 Chapter Preview ........................................................................................................................ 20 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 23 Chapter Two: Review of Relevant Literature ............................................................................... 24 Historical Accounts ................................................................................................................... 26 The Rhetoric of George W. Bush ............................................................................................. 31 Framing and the Information Environment .............................................................................. 35 Audience Factors ...................................................................................................................... 39 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 41 Chapter Three: A Rhetoric of Borrowed Heroism ........................................................................ 43 Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 43 Barriers ...................................................................................................................................... 44 Strategic Patterns ...................................................................................................................... 47 Locality as a worldview ........................................................................................................ 48 Local conflict ........................................................................................................................ 50 National conflict .................................................................................................................... 53 vi Eternal conflict ...................................................................................................................... 55 Response ................................................................................................................................... 58 Chapter Four: A Rhetoric of Calm Among Cacophony .............................................................. 65 Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 69 Strategic Patterns in Bush’s Irvine Address ............................................................................. 71 Conflict scenarios .................................................................................................................. 72 Mollifying the right ............................................................................................................... 74 Pragmatic rationality ............................................................................................................. 76 Questions and Answers ............................................................................................................. 79 Reactions to the Irvine Address ................................................................................................ 82 Strategic Patterns in Bush’s Oval Office Address .................................................................... 84 Security, security, security .................................................................................................... 85 Reactions to the Oval Office Address ....................................................................................... 89 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 92 Chapter Five: A Rhetoric of Moderate Middle Ground................................................................ 95 Barriers and Goals .................................................................................................................... 97 Strategic Patterns During the Consummation Stage ................................................................. 98 Promises made, promises kept .............................................................................................. 99 Pragmatism ......................................................................................................................... 104 Bush punches back .............................................................................................................. 106 The middle ground .............................................................................................................. 108 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................ 111 Chapter Six: The Failure of Comprehensive Immigration Reform ........................................... 116 vii Implications ............................................................................................................................ 118 Historical record .................................................................................................................. 119 The presidency and social movements ............................................................................... 122 The George W. Bush legacy ............................................................................................... 124 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................