A More Perfect Union Speech Analysis

On March 18, 2008 before he was elected President of the United States, Barack Obama delivered his speech, "A More Perfect Union," at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in which he focused on the racial separation that has plagued our country even after the signing of The Declaration of Independence. His desire was to promote a unity of all people, regardless of race, religion, or walk of life. He is passionate that there be equal rights for all people. A tall, thin, fair-skinned black man, Barack Obama seemed calm, impressive, and competent despite his relatively young age of forty-seven years. Looking affluent in his black suit, white shirt, and royal blue tie he commenced his speech in a soft, guarded tone, choosing his words carefully. He depicts himself as someone who cares for the people of the United States and a genuine family man. Barack attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, California for two years before transferring to Columbia University in New York, where he earned a degree in political science; he later studied law at Harvard Law School. His opening line, "We
The girl conveys the story of, at age nine, when her mother was ill, and knowing they had little money, convinces her mother that she loved mustard and relish sandwiches, realizing that was the cheapest way to eat. For a year she ate like this until her mother was better. She told everyone at the campaign headquarters that she wanted to help other children in this country who want and need to help their parents too. (55) She proceeded to ask everyone present why they were there. The last person to speak was the black man who said, “I am here because of Ashley.” (57) This is an example of the kind of unity that Obama yearns to see in America. It is without doubt that America would benefit in unification, from working together to form a more perfect