Preview

Barack Obama Speech Rhetorical Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
849 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Barack Obama Speech Rhetorical Analysis
After the September 11 attacks and the subsequent declaration of the Iraq War, the American populace was more eager than ever to elect a president who would be capable of deescalating tensions and crises around the world. Under George W. Bush’s presidency, the American government declared a War on Terrorism, established Guantanamo Bay, passed the PATRIOT Act, and cut taxes for the wealthy and more. Some people, especially those who were Democratic, were dissatisfied with the course of action President Bush decided to take, and they were ready to elect a different president after Bush’s tumultuous term. Barack Obama, a senator at the time, gave a speech at the Democratic Convention announcing his support of John Kerry’s presidential campaign. In his speech, Barack Obama uses ethos and its related rhetorical strategies to highlight the similarities and minor differences between themselves to make John Kerry seem like a viable presidential candidate to the common American citizen. Barack Obama uses invented ethos to explain the considerable differences between …show more content…
He uses his common upbringing to contrast with Kerry’s more prestigious upbringing to show how the two could still work together. Despite Barack Obama’s valiant attempts to bring the American people to a consensus to vote for John Kerry, his cause ultimately fails because Bush was reelected for a second term. Some of the voters who supported Bush claimed that they voted for him because they felt that they would rather have a beer with Bush than Kerry. However, this speech may have paved the way to Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008. In fact, Obama’s ability to bring different groups of people together for a common cause allowed him to win the 2008 election, and perhaps the 2012 election as

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Marco Rubio serves as a Republican senator representing Florida. He is 41 years old and a Cuban American. He is considered to be a rising star in the Republican Party. Some go as far as calling him the “Republican Savior”. He was picked to deliver the official Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address. His response was delivered in both English and Spanish and also mentions his immigrant roots in hopes of rallying support of the Latino voter which played such a crucial role in Obama’s re-election. His voice was strong and full of passion. He conveys his message by speaking of…

    • 2408 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    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.…

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    2004 vs 2008 Elections

    • 1454 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In 2004, the Bush Jr. vs. Kerry campaign showcased different points of views that resonated deeply along party lines. Bush’s conservative view highlighted national security, a strong moral code, and less government in business. His “War on Terror” and the recent uplift in the economy struck a deep cord with other conservative (right-wing) voters. On the other hand, his opponent Kerry’s liberal view emphasized more government, opposition to the war in Iraq, and economic issues. Bush was successful in positioning himself as a decisive leader who responded swiftly to the attacks of September 2011. 1 He portrayed his opponent John Kerry as a “flip flopper” and one who was incapable of protecting the American people. Americans vote for the candidate that best represents their point of view. With that said, those who focused on terrorism and moral codes sided with Bush. In contrast to those who were concerned about the war in Iraq, and economic challenges such as jobs and health care sided with Kerry. 2…

    • 1454 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “Disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger.” These words were used by George W. Bush to describe what he and many other citizens of America felt after the devastating attacks in New York City. It was a time for grieving and mourning. A nation was in shock. Because of this, pathos became a major part of his speech. He used these emotions to express the seriousness of the matter. Bush talks about the loss of loved ones, children who lost their parents, and the well-being of his people. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.” He repeatedly mentions the strong patriotism of his American citizens and how so many of them went out of their way to help others in this time of…

    • 134 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Obama Rhetorical Analysis

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Unification is a concept central to the foundation of America. In order to gain independence from Great Britain, the American colonies needed to join together, and fight side by side. However, during the election of 2004, cooperation was not on the minds of most Americans. Republican candidate and President George Bush ran against Democratic Party candidate John Kerry for the position of President of the United States. Although the attack on America on 9/11 in 2001 brought about a period of increased nationalism, it also resulted in many political and economic problems that created tension between political parties. Economically, much of their disagreement was affected by the growing difference in personal financial satisfaction in America.…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obama utilizes pathos in his descriptions of the harm and pain that the American public has endured when he gives the examples, “the empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace.” This quote relies entirely on pathos, and evokes an emotional response towards the horrors committed by Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Through his use of pathos, Obama reminds America that the actions of Al Qaeda can still be felt today, and conveys the sense that it is not only those who lost loved ones who continue to face this tragedy, but all Americans together. He goes on to say that on the day of the attack “the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood…[we] united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice.” In this quote, President Obama gives examples of the American people coming together and uniting in the face of terrorism. This uses pathos by appealing to the listener’s emotions and memory of the aftereffects of the attack. Therefore, Obama once again reveals the destruction that the terroir attack caused, but calls on the American people to fight fear with unity and justice. Overall,…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Jack Shafer

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In Jack Shafer’s work, “How Obama Does That Thing He Does," he demonstrates how during Obama’s Speeches, he portrays himself as an important figure so that citizens can trust him. Through this technique Shafer effectively gets through the audience and convinces them that Obama is a remarkable candidate for the presidential primaries, Shafer uses ethos, pathos, and logos to explain his beliefs about Obama’s considerable achievements during his campaigning in the 2008 presidential primaries.…

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    It was a competitive election for Barack Obama and John McCain. This election would determine the fate of many lives during the economic downfall that the United States was facing. In 2008, Michelle Obama spoke at the Democratic Convention about her husband Barack Obama. The election was Barack Obama against John McCain. The well known woman wanted to bring attention to how her husband is a strong leader. She uses strategies like pathos through imagery, repetition, and language to persuade the American people to vote for her husband to become the next president of the United States.…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    (Paragraph 1) Barack talks about how we took care of issues we’ve taken care of, but we can still feel the backlash. He speaks of his experience as an american citizen. Senator Obama re-enforces his heritage, and shows his position. This leads to discussion about how he supports people of all color.…

    • 1018 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Moreover, Barack Obama in a press conference reflecting on his first 100 days in office, was asked about his plans to address unemployment in the Black and Latino communities and his response was troubling, exhibiting a foreshadowing of what was to come, of those expecting radical changes, which would disappoint his most ardent supporters (p. 170). Obama responded by announcing that his focus was on bringing the economy back, after the disastrous legacy of George W. Bush, and using the strategy that that will help all people who will benefit by the positives of a strong economy (175). This set the tone for the entire Obama Presidency, the idea that the government will not specifically address issues that target Blacks but will advance programs…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    My paper is about how many people have their own opinions about what being an American is. To complete my research I looked at various articles and videos to really see what everyone thinks. The American voice to me is that we should be able to have freedom and we should have many opportunities to do what we want. In my opinion, I believe that Barack Obama is the best representation of America because he seems like he really cares about even the future of America. Being in American to me means that we have rights to be what we want to be. No other place has what America has, and that is life, liberty and equality.In my paper I will be talking about how different people view the way America, or what is to be American to…

    • 885 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On March 8,2008 Obama made a speech for his campaign. The speech was in response to race and racism and how we as a nation need to let it pass.Obama also want to clear up accusations about Reverened Wright.Jeremiah Wrights, his pastor was involved in a scandal about anti-white and anti-american. With association to Wrights audience automically assume Obama shares the same beliefs. Persuading his audience to potential voters and using the constitution as an example by showing that today some of us are still not practicing by the constitution. He successfully persuaded his audience trust by getting their votes by using ethos,parallelism,and assonance.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Democrat candidate in 2004, Senator John Kerry however failed to project the prospect of change which was markedly needed after the declaration of the war on terror. Bush took the opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership, his approval ratings reaching 70% after Suddam Hussein’s downfall in 2003[3].Kerry, unlike Obama in his prospective candidacy failed to distance himself from Bush and the Republican party which, coupled with their political success proved to be…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 2008, Barack Obama pledged to redefine our nation’s political character through an effective campaign based on the philosophy of “change we can believe in” using the slogan “yes we can”. Obama hoped for a new attitude in politics, education, health care, and foreign policy among numerous other issues. A promise to cut taxes for 95% of working American families with an annual income less than…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Racism

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for, and we are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama’s entire presidency Obama has been helping America. On May 2nd 2011, Obama put an end to Osama Bin Laden. Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind behind the tragic 9/11 attack in 2001. That was one of Obama’s greatest achievements. Now Obama is running for president again and it would be a great idea for Obama to have a second term as president. In his ads to for president he uses three persuasive techniques, plain folk, name calling, and card stacking.…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays