George W. Bush: Second Inaugural Address

President George W. Bush's Second Inaugural Address was a marked departure from the U.S. president's first in 2001 and from most of his other speeches. It was far more rhetorical and laced with symbolism, and it contained numerous religious references and allusions. His Second Inaugural Address clearly was designed for history. Written by Michael J. Gerson, Matthew Scully, and John McConnell, the speech was considered by many as one of Bush's best statements of his views on foreign affairs and on the role of the United States as a global leader. In many ways, the speech marked the high-water point of Bush's presidency. He had just been reelected with 51 percent of the vote to his opponent's 48 percent (making him the first president to receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote since 1988). In addition, Republicans increased their majorities in both chambers of Congress. Flushed from the apparent success of the war on terror and the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein, Bush delivered a second inaugural address that focused primarily on foreign policy. Its central theme was U.S. support for democracy and a renewed commitment to spreading democracy throughout the world. Bush hoped to use a combination of U.S. military creditability and expanded diplomacy to promote democratic reforms. Bush and his advisers believed that democracy would be the best means to countering terrorism and international instability.