7. “President’s Response to the Tower Commission Report: Iranian Affair, March 4, 1987,” The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. http://www

.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/030487h.htm (accessed May 9, 2013).

Let’s start with the part that is most controversial. A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that is true, but the facts and evidence tell me it is not.

As the Tower board reported, what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated in its implementation into trading arms for hostages. This runs counter to my own beliefs, to Administration policy, and to the original strategy we had in mind. There are reasons why it happened but no excuses. It was a mistake. This chapter provided a number of strategies arguers could use to relate their arguments to the orientations of their audiences and to enhance their own credibility. These included the following:

A. Use premises the audience accepts.

B. Use audience values and principles for supporting your reasoning.

C. Cite authorities the audience is likely to respect.

D. Use novel evidence.

E. Keep the audience interested and involved in the argument.

F. Focus on issues the audience is likely to be concerned about.

G . Be aware of possible audience objections and reservations.

H. Appear attractive, and emphasize similarities you share with the audience.

I. Emphasize your own and your source’s experience with the topic.

J. Use unbiased and reluctant testimony.

K. Avoid inconsistency.

L. Craft your narrative so that it has probability and fidelity for your audience.

Examine each of the arguments below in which the speaker or writer adheres to or violates one or more of these strategies. Decide whether the audience would respond more or less favorably to the argument because of what is said. Also, decide which of the strategies the arguer uses or violates.

Some information about the audience is provided.