Returning to Space and Revisiting the Challenger and Columbia Addresses.

This article argues that Bush's Columbia address lacked the necessary rhetorical touchstones established by Reagan's Challenger address, the exemplar for presidential eulogistic rhetoric following a tragedy in space flight. First, a central theme found in presidential rhetoric concerning space exploration, that of characterizing astronauts as pioneers and space as the new frontier, will be traced. Next, Reagan's eulogy to the Challenger crew, noting the speech's points of rhetorical excellence, several of which previous scholars have articulated (Goldzwig & Dionisopoulos, 1986; Jamieson, 1988; Mister, 1986), will be outlined. The goal is to establish rhetorical touchstones by which to judge the Bush address. Then the literature on eulogies generally to complete the survey of what a successful eulogy should be and do will be reviewed. Finally, Bush's Columbia address will be turned to using Reagan's eulogy and the general literature on eulogies as touchstones to critique the Bush speech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]