The ethos of the president both supports and subverts the integrity of the speaking self as the center of discourse.  For example, in his speech of September 20th, Bush opens the speech by announcing it as simultaneously exceptional and superfluous.
 

In the normal course of events, Presidents come to this chamber to report on the state of the Union.  Tonight, no such report is needed.  It has already been delivered by the American people.

Official documents about September 11 from other governmental sources draw on the ethos of American people and U.S. institutions of government differently.  Public documents generated by the State Department and by the U.S. Military Central Command use different tropes of persona, agency, credibility, and character to serve multiple ends in ways that are explored by other essays in the left navigation bar.