Contact: Rajah Maples Wallace
Senior Information Specialist
(573) 882-3346
WallaceRD@missouri.edu
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Throughout history, most U.S. presidents faced
criticism, controversy and image repair during or after their years
in the White House. However, few U.S. presidents, if any, have faced
as many scandals involving sex, lies and audiotapes as former
President Bill Clinton. Researchers at the
University of Missouri-Columbia
examined the former president's scandals and found that overall, he
was extremely effective in repairing his image following each
accusation.
Joseph R. Blaney, who recently earned his doctorate from MU, and communication Professor Bill Benoit, renowned political scholar and image repair expert, evaluated eight Clinton scandals including his draft record, affairs with Gennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinsky, the marijuana controversy and Whitewater. The researchers gathered background information about each scandal, analyzed Clinton's strategies to repair his own image and evaluated the effectiveness of each strategy.
Blaney and Benoit categorized each strategy into different image restoration categories, which Benoit uses in all case studies involving image repair. These categories include denial, evading responsibility and reducing offensiveness of the event. They found that Clinton was more successful at repairing his image in some scandals than others. For example, Clinton was extremely effective repairing his image after the Monica Lewinsky story surfaced. He used what Benoit coins a "strategy of transcendence," which means Clinton asked the media and general public to focus on the bigger picture - his job performance in leading the nation - rather than focusing on his private life.
"Even though his presidency is over, Clinton is still in the limelight and, not surprisingly, for alleged improprieties," Benoit said. "Did he sell a presidential pardon? Clinton is a seemingly endless source of suspicion and innuendo."
Benoit says the type of accusation and how it relates to one's job performance makes a big difference in whether the public will be upset with the accused. For example, Gore's fibs hurt him a lot more than Clinton's lies hurt him.
Blaney's and Benoit's research is included in a new book titled, The Clinton Scandals and the Politics of Image Restoration, published by Praeger Publishers. It focuses on the tactics Clinton has used in the past and most likely will continue to use in the future.