...By the time of the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush had already served as president of the United States of America from 2000-2004 and was running for reelection. Because of Bush’s experience holding the presidential office, he had a greater situated ethos than John Kerry, his opponent, who had only served as the governor of Massachusetts at that time. However, through Barack Obama’s speech The Audacity of Hope at the 2004 Democratic National Keynote Address, the gap between the pre-existing ethos of the two candidates is bridged and the audience is swayed in Kerry’s direction. Obama uses personal anecdotes to build excessive pathos which reduces the amount of logos necessary to convince the audience to vote for Kerry because the...
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...have a chance of losing all their investments. Therefore, they started to extract money and chanced it into currency. This forced banks to pay off assets - such as call in loans rather than create new loans. In banking and finance, it meant liquidate. All this, creates a recession, which reduces the employment and productivity. This drove the American population to the conviction, that the only way to avoid The Great Recession was new political leadership. My main focus of this paper concerns the devices in rhetoric that appeals to an audience. These are called ethos, pathos and logos. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle referred to them as “the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion”. Beneath, I have clarified and explained these terms or so-called ‘modes of persuasion’: Ethos: The ability to create authority. Pathos: The emotional and motivational appeal to the audience. Logos: The logic used to...
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...Barack Obama – Speech On October 1, 2015 several people were shot and killed by a man at Oregon Community College. On the same day Barack Obama gave a speech. First of all the speech was gave to express Obama’s grief, – but he wanted more than just to show empathy. Obama presents a clear message - of changing the U.S gun laws - in his speech Obama delivered his speech to the press , so therefore all Americans are his receivers. In his speech Obama argues against the 2nd amendment, which gives every American the right to be armed. Obama blames the 2nd amendment for the recurrent mass shootings in America. To convince his receiver Barack Obama uses several rhetorical devices, which this paper will analyze. “I'd ask the American people to think about how they can get our government to change these laws, and to save lives, and to let young people grow up.” In this sentence Obama clarifies his message about changing gun laws. He also emphasizes who his audience is; “the American people”. Furthermore, the quotation is an example of his use of the appeal form pathos. He mentions young people and their right to grow up, which most Americans can relate to. Another example of the appeal form pathos is the phrase in the speech, where he mentions “American families, moms, dads, children, whose lives have been changed forever.” Here Obama not only mentions family members so that everyone can relate to them, he also emphasizes that it is the American families and therefore...
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...in the immoral and impractical practices of the meatpacking industry. Additionally, Sinclair elaborates on the audience's deduction further into the text when he states,"The Meat would be shoveled into carts, and the man who did the shoveling would not trouble to lift out a rat even when he saw one--there were things that when into the sausage in comparison in which a poisoned rat was a tidbit." In essence, Sinclair further exposes the unsanitary methods of the meatpacking industry and also indicates that there are much worse hazards that enter average meat than dead poisoned rats. Later on in contemporary-society, Barack Obama presents alternatives and possible solutions to America's massive incarceration through secondarily-effective ethos by establishing intelligence and expertise on the matter at hand. For instance, Obama clarifies his thesis to his audience when he states, "Now I want to spend the rest of my time just laying out some basic principles, some simple ideas for what reform should...
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...Mitt Romney’s Presidential Campaign Speech. Mitt Romney launched his Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech in New Hampshire on June 2nd 2011. On January 10th he wins the primary election in New Hampshire by 39,4% the effect of his opening speech must’ve made quite the impression on the residents in New Hampshire. Traditionally New Hampshire is “ruled” by the Republican Party and is seen as the most Conservative part of the northeastern parts of the US. The reason this can be seen as such a victory should be seen in the light of Barack Obama getting the majority of the voters in 2008. The state has only been won by the Democrats four times before Obama. Since the mid-term election in 2006 the Democrats seem to gain ground. Therefore, Mitt Romney must have felt quite pleased with the result. So when analyzing the speech is this a ground breaking speech with clear purpose and rhetoric? The purpose of the speech is of course to define himself as a worthwhile candidate who is able to win the election for the Republican Party and lead the USA to better times. By natural selection this of course make President Obama and the Democratic Party their enemy. Mitt Romney has to present himself as a leader and born Alpha Male. In order to do that he must elevate himself, his family and put down and ridicule President Obama and his work. Mitt Romney’s speech is composed in such a way that he welcomes and thanks his hosts. From lines 11 – 30 establishes a link between himself as...
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...Obama's victory speech rhetorical analysis. The democrat Barack Obama held a famous victory speech after being elected for president on November, 4th 2012 in his home town Chicago, Illinois. If we starting of by introducing the pentagon model, we know that a speech usually is centred around an intention of the speaker and is depending on the interrelationship between the listeners, the topic, the writer, the language and the circumstances. The topic of this speech is the political campaign, the election, the American population and having high hopes in the future America. The listeners is mostly Obama's supporters as it was being held in Chicago in a building full of democrats, but also for the entire United States and the world in general, considering that America has so much influence on the world. President Obama starts off by being grateful and appreciating the audience. He says thanks three times, which is to calm down the audience but also to highlight his thanks. Afterwards he voices his opinion on how America has been moving forward” It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family, and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.” This sentence shows his patos. Obama develops the cohesion by speaking about the...
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...really is that make him such a great spokesperson we will be analyzing one of his speeches. In this case, I’m going to analyze a speech by him, called “A More Perfect Union” that he held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in March, 2008, where the US Constitution also was written in 1787[1] “A More Perfect Union” is a speech by Barack Obama where we see the true message that he wants to bring us. He shares his ideas to help American’s to succeed based on a unity within the people. His ideals go beyond people’s gender, religious beliefs, race, color or sexual orientation, as long as people can come together we will be able to accomplish a lot and keep moving forward. A big part of the speech is about race. What Obama tries to say is that people are missing the big picture and that people have too much focus on race and diversity that if they do not start to change that then it will have big consequences in the future, like going back in time where slavery was normal. Barack Obama’s speech echoes the rhetorical concepts of ethos, pathos and logos, which are all explicitly discussed within Aristotle’s The Rhetoric [2]. Ethos is about how trustable a person is and if the person is reliable, where pathos is all about the emotions and feelings and how strongly they are presented, and the last one is used for logic knowledge and statistics and is called logos. All the rhetorical concepts are evident...
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...sense than math does once it gets explained. To know what it really is that make him such a great spokesperson for America, we must analyse one of his speeches. In this case, I’m going to analyse a speech by him, called “A More Perfect Union” that he held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in March, 2008, where the US Constitution also was written in 1787[1] “A More Perfect Union” is a speech by Barack Obama where we see the true message that he wants to bring out. He tells about his deal for America and its success that is based on a unity within the people of America. For him, it does not matter what gender, religious background or race that you have, as long as people come together to unite in their, once, promised union and keep moving forward. A big part of the speech is about race. What Obama tries to say is that people are missing the big picture and that people have too much focus on race and diversity that if they do not start to change that then it will have big consequences in the future, like going back in time where slavery was normal. Barack Obama’s speech echoes the rhetorical concepts of ethos, pathos and logos, which are all explicitly discussed within Aristotle’s The Rhetoric[2]. Ethos is about how trustable a person is and if the person is reliable, where pathos is all about the...
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...Denton Dr. Foster WR 122 April 17, 2016 Rhetorical Analysis of Barack Obama’s Remarks on Economic Mobility On December 4th, 2013 Barack Obama spoke on the subject of income inequality and upward mobility. This speech was delivered to, and hosted by, the Center for American Progress (CAP). The president uses striking language to appeal to the emotion and logic of the audience. Obama executes his appeals in a variety of ways with the express purpose of painting the issue of growing inequality and decreased upward mobility as the “defining challenge of our time.” President Obama describes these issues as what drives everything he does as POTUS. Obama’s speech was quite intellectual and technical, peppered in detail with the numbers and statistics of current social and economic inequalities, appealing to logos. While he builds his argument based on these substantial facts, the overall feeling of his language is that of compassion. This compassion seems to drive his purpose and thus emotionally connecting to his audience. Further, Obama appeals to ethos during his speech as he outlines how current market-caused inequalities are threatening everything that makes America great. Obama masterfully balances his passionate language with solid facts and straight-forward logic in this effectively persuasive speech. Before expanding upon the specifics of the rhetorical methods utilized by the president in this speech, I think it is important to highlight that the audience (CAP) is a public...
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...Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama: Back to School Event America is a country that historically has had a strong economy. Being a part of such an economy implies responsibility. Throughout time engineers, scientists and politicians have evolved, and new generations will soon take over the process. In addition, it will be the student’s responsibility to carry on developing in all of these professions. In order to do this, they must focus on their education. Both them and their country depend on it. This is highlighted in President Barack Obama’s speech at the “Back to School Event”. Obama’s main claim is the fact that education is not only important for the student alone, but also for the country. An example of this is seen on page 8, line 62: “(…) if you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.” Obama says indirectly that the country depends on your actions. Moreover, the students are expected to do anything they can to provide to the country at their potential maximum – it is their duty as citizens. Therefore, giving up on your education is like quitting on your country. Another part of the main claim is seen on page 8, line 46: “(…) No matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it.“ As well as the country depends on your actions, so do you. In addition, Obama claims that in order to pursue and achieve your goals, you must have an education....
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...Hojing Song 09/29/2014 Fa(S) t Food & F(A)st Citizens Comparing two articles is not an easy job it is like having two plates on the table in front of you. One filled with Hot-Fudge and the other filled with Garden Salad. Well, it is obvious, that our taste buds would crave for the Hot-Fudge and not for the salad. “Smart Choices” eat healthy and stay healthy, sounds right, but not all the time. In the same way, an essay may sound just right until we analyze it rhetorically. An essay, constructed with equal and right amounts of Ethos. Pathos and Logos would be the one under the limelight, which in this case is “Remarks to the NACCP” by Michelle Obama, over “Unhappy...
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...another boom or will this new “American Jobs Act” plan implode beneath him? “You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?” Cliché as it may be, this statement holds much weight when thought about in regards to the “Jobs” speech, this statement or mindset must be followed. For an individual to be swept away with competent word command and a humble tone is concerning. What do individuals charge themselves when it comes to learning about political topics? We tend to have an over reliance on media, letting rhetorical style and safety blanket terms comfort us into feeling informed. The reality is not every person is honest, whether it’s the postman or the president we as humans possess a flaw, in that we are not perfect. I am not stating that the “Jobs” plan is deceitful, but that as citizens we must inform ourselves so that we do not misjudge information given to us. To achieve similar success to days past, we as a country need to start participating. Without the citizens there is no government, we operate as government for the people, by the people. Barrack Obama’s address to the nation was one of a revitalized hope and energy, an address that stirred at the countries pathos. Obama was not using tact of fear, but one of pride and self-sufficiency. Obama’s address was prepared with much care, considering his broad audience and how he would appeal to the many different sects of said audience. The country now in an even more fragile state then when Obama...
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...Analysis of political rhetoric in “The American Promise” 2. Divide the speech into sections. Give each section a headline. American workers have kept the promise alive for more than 200 years. Page 109, Line 1-15. Hard work, Individuals, American Family, Sacrifice, Dreams, Belief. The American Promise. Page 109, Line 16-Page 110, Line 2. “Our own lives”, Freedom, Drive, Innovation, Growth, Education, Opportunity, “I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper”. The American Spirit Page 110, Line 4-Page 110, Line 17. Wealth, Rich, Strong, Powerful, Envy, Binds us together, differences, promise. Martin Luther King, an inspiration. Page 110, Line 19-Page 110, Line 31. Destiny, Lincoln’s Memorial, A young preacher, “people of every creed and color”. Be a man of your word. Page 110, Line 33-Page 110, Line 42. No turning back, much to be done, fix, rebuild, save, protect, mend, Walk together. 3. The American Promise according to Barack Obama. The American Promise is about being helpful, responsible, industrious, believing and not giving up. You have to look out for your fellow Americans, and the government has to make sure everyone has the same opportunities. You are not only responsible for yourself, and you rise and fall as a nation. And when you get these opportunities, you are responsible of using the opportunities. You have to be hard working even in hard times. 4. Rhetorical Techniques used in the text. Alliteration: “.. who weren’t well-off or well-known” ...
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...Inauguration Speeches are a custom that has existed since the very first inauguration featuring the United States first president, George Washington. During Washington’s second inauguration, after his re-election, Washington gave the shortest Inaugural address on record. This address was just 135 words. Nonetheless, every president since Washington has delivered an Inaugural address. The purpose of this address is for presidents to present their vision of the country (United States) and to set forth their goals for the nation. With that being said, this paper will use the strategy of genre analysis to critique to examine Barack Obama’s second Inaugural Address and John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech. Genre analysis is a type of rhetorical analysis that examines speeches based on the artifacts or commonalities that contain. The artifacts of speech are created by the rhetor as a response to a specific exigency. So as Bitzer’s essay, The Rhetorical Situation, saw it, in order for a text to be rhetorical, it must come in response to a rhetorical situation. Furthermore a rhetorical situation has three characteristics, an audience, an existence of constraints, and as mentioned above, an exigency. One manner, in which we can analyze an artifact, is through...
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...------------------------------------------------- Written Assignment Barack Obama’s Presidential announcement “That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people.” This quote is just one of a thousand that Barack Obama has told the people of that country he is now the President of. It is a quote from his presidential announcement he gave in Springfield, the state capital of Illinois, in Chicago - and is great words from a great man. He stood up and gave a speech about what he thought about America’s situation; financial crisis and families who were desperate and despairing. He gave a speech about hope, where there was none. Especially not when the war was going on in Iraq and seemed to have no end. He gave a speech to the people about the future, when that was what the people wanted answers to. On the 10th of February 2007, Senator Barack Obama announced that he was running for president of the United States of America at the 2008 election. He begins his speech with thanking all the people who came to the performance. He clearly express himself that he is aware that it is not for his sake they have come but to hear his proposal of changing and improvement. In Obama’s speech talks about his background and how he ended up in Springfield, Illinois. He explained the people how he came there, without any family or money. He told them about when he was in these poor neighborhoods’ of Chicago, he received the best education he had ever...
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