I. B. Tauris & Company Exceptional Me: How Donald Trump Exploited the Discourse of American Exceptionalism

Review "Exceptional Me is academic research at its best-rigorous, relevant, readable. Gilmore and Rowling's expansive and detailed analysis demonstrates just how uncommon Donald Trump's discourse about American exceptionalism has been. These pages lay bare what a Narcissist-in-Chief sounds like and how inconsistent with the American presidency that sound is."Kevin Coe, coauthor of The Ubiquitous Presidency and The God StrategyExceptional Me is an outstanding addition to the literature on American Exceptionalism. Gilmore and Rowling's research is provocative and insightful. If you want to understand the presidency of Donald Trump and how he modified American Exceptionalism for our current era then this book is a must-read.Jason A. Edwards, Bridgewater State University, co-editor of The Rhetoric of American Exceptionalism Product Description Donald Trump has forged a unique relationship with American exceptionalism, parting ways with how presidents and presidential candidates have long communicated this idea to the American public. Jason Gilmore and Charles Rowling call this Trump's 'Exceptional Me Strategy' which began with his 2016 election campaign. In the rhetoric he deployed during this period he actively portrayed the United States as un-exceptional, placing blame at the feet of both Democrats and Republicans to set himself up as the one, exceptionally qualified, candidate who could Make America Great Again. Through systematic comparative analysis, Rowling and Gilmore examine the departure Trump's exceptionalist rhetoric signals from previous presidents use of exceptionalism as a tool of political communication - rather than America (its institutions, ideals and people) being exceptional, it is Donald Trump himself who holds the key to American exceptionalism. About the Author Jason Gilmore is an Associate Professor of Global Communication at Utah State University. His research examines the strategic creation, dissemination, and effects of potent national and international ideas such as American exceptionalism, patriotism, and anti-Americanism. He has published extensively on the history of American exceptionalism in the American presidency. Charles Rowling is an Associate Professor of Political Science at University of Nebraska at Kearney. His research primarily explores the relationship between officials, the press and the public in the context of US foreign policy, focusing on the role that national identity plays in shaping these interactions.