Presidential candidates strategically employ persuasive tactics to shape public perception of their credibility and policy positions during televised debates. The 1992 presidential debates between Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Ross Perot serve as the central case study for this analysis. The authors, William L. Benoit, examine how candidates utilize attack and defense strategies to either diminish opponents or bolster their own standing on critical issues. The book provides a detailed look at these persuasive dynamics, offering a new framework for understanding the impact of such events on the electoral process.

This book offers a detailed rhetorical analysis of presidential debates, focusing on the strategic communication employed by candidates to influence public opinion. The inclusion of full debate transcripts provides valuable primary source material for scholars and interested readers. The work is likely to be appreciated by those studying political communication, rhetoric, and American presidential campaigns. Its structured approach to analyzing persuasive tactics aims to offer a deeper understanding of how candidates construct and defend their images during critical electoral moments.