The Right Thing to Do and the Best Way to Do It: William J. Clinton’s 'Ft. McNair' Speech and the Ethical Limits of Prudential Rhetoric

• In Event: Queerness and Queer Issues in Public Address

Abstract

On July 19th, 1993, President William J. Clinton delivered an address titled “Remarks Announcing the New Policy on Gays and Lesbians in the Military” at the National Defense University at Ft. McNair. In this paper, I argue that in responding to objections from members of Congress, the military, and the gay and lesbian community, Clinton employs a particular form of prudential rhetoric that values compromise above other desired outcomes.

Author

• Peter Campbell, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign