Final answer:
Richard E. Vatz counters Lloyd Bitzer's view on rhetorical situations by insisting that the importance of an exigence is determined by the rhetor’s interpretation and articulation, emphasizing the rhetor's discretion over situational demands.
Step-by-step explanation:
Richard E. Vatz’s response to Lloyd Bitzer's statement that "exigence strongly invites utterance" presents a different perspective on rhetorical situations. Vatz argues that rhetoric itself creates the exigence rather than the exigence giving rise to the rhetoric. He believes that rhetoric has the power to choose what is and isn't an important issue, thus shaping the importance of the exigence.
Whereas Bitzer sees rhetorical situations as dictating the necessity for communication, Vatz considers the rhetor's discretion as the primary force in determining the significance of issues and the need for discourse. In essence, Vatz contends that it’s through the rhetor's interpretation and articulation that certain situations become regarded as exigent.