Analyzing Rhetoric Techniques In The President's Speech

In the presidents speech, he uses many supporting materials to back up what he is saying. Throughout The President's speech, he predominantly uses illustrations. However, he also includes opinions, descriptions, analogies, and other supporting materials. With these supporting materials, the speech is strengthened along with his credibility.

The president starts by using an opinion he has from personal knowledge as supporting material by saying, "I have been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation: Being President of this country is entirely about character." By starting off his speech by establishing his credibility with supporting evidence, this will most like convince the listeners that what he is saying is
true. Next, the president uses an analogy about the senator. He says, "I've been operating under the assumption that the reason Bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. Well, I was wrong.
Bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. Bob's problem is that he can't sell it!". He compares the people to the rain to emphasize how meaningless the things he says are. The president gives an illustration about how "America isn't easy". He provides many examples in this illustration to stress the complexity of the freedoms people have. He shows that there is another side to freedom and its not always something people can agree with. Next, the president uses a description to support himself. At this point, He is stressing that Senator Rumson does not care about solving peoples problems. In the book, it says a part of descriptions is explaining why. The president explains why Rumson is not interested in solving their problems by stating, "He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who’s to blame for it." He then uses a brief illustration to further make his point. He talks about how in order to win votes, "You gather a group of middle age, middle class, middle income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family, and American values and character, and you wave an old photo of the President’s girlfriend and you scream about patriotism. To end his speech,
he starts again with another illustration and personal experience. The presidents recounts, "I've loved two women in my life. I lost one to cancer. And I lost the other 'cause I was so busy keeping my job, I forgot to do my job. Well, that ends right now." He uses this to then talk bout how he is going to do better for his people and try harder.

By the end of the President's speech, the listener can feel confident the President in this movie is going to take serious action. With all of his supporting evidence, The President effectively discredits Senator Rumson. The usage of supporting materials made the ideas the President had clear and meaningful.