Date of Award
12-2011
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Dr. J. Kevin Corder
Second Advisor
Dr. John A. Clark
Third Advisor
Dr. Mark S. Hurwitz
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Campus Only
Abstract
This manuscript is an analysis of publicly available speeches and reports from the website of the Department of Defense. The analysis helps to better understand the relationship between the president and the Secretary of Defense from 1995-2010. My three-stage coding scheme enables me to determine if the speech bears a presidential focus, if it contains supportive or independence attempted mentions, and lastly if the speech on the whole can be seen as showing harmony or discord with the president.
This study revisits material focused on presidential control of the executive branch and case studies of cabinet members. Overall, cabinet members have not received much analytical treatment in political science. This study, in part, demonstrates why that may be the case because everything considered, public speeches and reports delivered by Defense Secretaries in the 1995-2010 time-frame were found to be overwhelmingly supportive of the president.
Recommended Citation
Kirchhoff, Maxwell E., "Executive Governance and Defense Department Speeches and Reports: 1995-2010" (2011). Masters Theses. 459.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/459