Rhetorical Analysis Of Hillary Clinton: Role Models

In the ad, “Hillary Clinton: Role Models,” the video focuses on two politicians running for president in this year’s election; Hillary Clinton, the first female democratic nominee, and Donald Trump an American businessman as well as the republican nominee. The focus of the ad is a handful of toddlers who are watching Trump’s most well-known, televised moments. At first, Trump is seen using explicit, profane language, followed by the use of condescending comments against the common. Meanwhile, the kids continue paying close attention to everything being said throughout the clips as Trump’s audience fill the room with laughter.
Further into the ad, the video fades away from the clips into a dark screen that starts off with a rhetorical question, a question that makes the audience reflect on what they have just seen from the republican nominee. It asks, “ What example will we set for them?” Soon after, Hillary makes her appearance as she begins expressing her thoughts about the “choices” being made throughout this election. With her soothing voice, the candidate tells the public, especially all the parents out in the crowds about the choices done now and how they will impact the future of their kids when “they look back at this time”. She finishes off her speech by demanding
from the audience that, “we need to make sure they can be proud of us.” They, as in the young ones of today in order to give the parents the option to decide the example they want for their kids.
The author in this ad is proved to be a democratic campaign called “Hillary for America” a campaign that has over 2 million donors in favor of Hillary Clinton.
Towards the end of the video white lettering appears at the bottom of the screen that says; “Approved by Hillary Clinton. Paid for by Hillary for America” this allows for the public to know about the organization behind the making of the ad. This campaign connects to HillaryClinton.com a website ran by the same makers. This ad is meant to support Hillary and show her optimistic perspective on everything yet to come. This supports my statement very clear towards the end of the clip when the organization takes credit for what they have
done.
The message of this ad is to prove to the public that they have the power and everything that it takes to make a choice that will impact today’s children. This is clearly depicted with the choice of audience throughout the ad. Kids of different racial backgrounds are used to grab the attention of the viewers as they stare into the television listening to some of trump's most controversial moments. Hillary for America includes comments such as “our children are watching” in order for the public to re-evaluate the type of influence they want their kids to grow up with. Not only that but Hillary doesn’t fail to forget that “our children and grandchildren will look back at this time, [and] at the choices we are about to make”. My statement is supported by the fact that Hillary remains considerate towards today’s generation of toddlers, she wants the voters to think about the difference they will cause as parents to their very own.
The audience is a handful of kids watching clips of both Trump and Hillary. Not only are they the main viewers so are their parents and all the adults watching. This is clear when questioned about what examples “we” the people plan to set for these little ones, followed by Hillary finishing off her speech claiming that “… we need to make sure” of what the children will grow into. Majority of the time children usually look up to people they spend the most time with such as family members and even their own friends, so by using “we” Hillary builds a sense of connection between her audience and herself to emphasize the idea that she will take the kids as a motivation to help her strive as a role model. The campaign uses a clip of Trump mocking a news reporter with disabilities, a viral clip where trump appears to say, “…you got to see this guy, ‘ah I don’t know what I said ah I don’t remember’…” When including this, the public can sense a feeling of discomfort. Americans believe in the disabled and view them as nothing less, when adding the clip the democratic party dominates over Trump when using a topic Americans are sensitive about against him. This is why the overall audience is the American people, proving my statement by showcasing the few things Trump has unintentionally done wrong to make himself look as less of a person than Hillary.
The author in this ad is very effective at directing its message to the audience. From the background music to the toddlers the use of pathos serves as a huge mode of persuasion towards the public. It’s clear this video was done to convince the audience about making a choice that can possibly benefit their children in the long run, meaning Hillary for America believes that there is no one suited better than her to run this nation because her priority is to be a role model before anything else.