Representative American speeches, 2001-2002

The speeches contained in this book, most of them given between September 11 of 2001 and 2002, address the concerns of pre-9/11 America and reflect upon the terrible events of that day and its aftermath. Although other issues-particularly the economy, stem cell research, and human cloning-were also significant topics of conversation and debate during this period, Sept. 11 is mentioned in some context in nearly every speech delivered after that day, illustrating the extent to which this tragic even has affected American thinking about numerous issues.