“Violence isn't a Democrat or Republican problem. It's an American problem, requiring an American solution.” (Stokes, 2017). On January 5, 2016 President Barack Obama delivered a speech unveiling a new set of extensive actions aimed at limiting gun violence in the United States of America. The speech is arguably one of the most honest, personal, and emotionally appealing speeches ever given by Obama in his presidential tenure. It is the goal of this paper to provide a meaningful analysis of President Obama’s speech using an Aristotelian criticism to show how this speech in particular was one his most forthright.
To provide a meaningful analysis using an Aristotelian criticism we must appeal to three terms coined by Aristotle in his work
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In large part due to powerful gun lobbying and gun culture within the United States. As a result, Obama acted alone by imposing mild, but significant, tweaks to existing federal laws through his limited presidential authority. His measures included the using of appropriated agency funds to modernize the electronic background check system, the hiring of more personnel to process background checks, as well as encouragement of research into "smart gun" technology. Improved mental health care was also in the plan.
So what was the credibility of President Obama at the time this speech was given? A poll taken by Gallup in January of 2016 asked Americans, “Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president” (News.Gallup.Com, 2017)? The results found that Barack Obama had an approval rating of 47% prior to giving the speech and saw a jump to 48% after delivering his executive orders. Partisanship is considered the principle factor that played into the public ratings of Obama.
So how does Obama’s credibility translate throughout this speech to make it one of his most honest speeches to date? He initially cements his credibility by stating “I’m not on the ballot again. I’m not looking to score some points” (Obama, 2016). At that time in history Obama was starting his last year in office as President of the United States. The campaigns for the 2016 election were well under way and
Obama uses this type of rhetoric to energize the American people. So, after watching/hearing the speech they come away imbued with a fresh sense of nationalism. The spirt of the nation in 2004 was bleak, people were/are terrified of terrorism, but 14 years ago the wound of 9-11 was still fresh and bleeding. The divide between republicans and democrats had hardened more than it had in the past. It was time for the people to unite and Obama saw that, and used demonstrative rhetoric in an attempt to get Americans to see they needed to be united in the
Throughout the speech, Bush uses his credibility and ethos to build up his purpose. He has automatic credibility because he is the one giving the speech, creates trust with his beliefs, and was the president at the time that the attack occurred. Bush created ethos by saying, “tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those
In his speech, “Remarks by the President in a National Address to America’s Schoolchildren,” Obama effectively argues his claim, that kids should go to school and try very hard to succeed to schoolchildren around the U.S. He effectively argues his claim because he uses supporting details and stories of students that have undergone tough situations, but still overcame those obstacles to succeed and school. Also, he is trying to tell kids that they should do well in school to get a good job and make a difference. He also uses rhetorical appeals to help with the supporting details. One of supporting evidence that he brought up was that if someone wants to become something such as a doctor, or lawyer you will need a good education to do
On July 27th, 2004 Barack Obama gave a influential and significant speech that is remains to be talked about ten years later. This speech took place at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Obama, speaking on the side of most democrats, specified that the John Kerry/John Edwards duo would be the greatest selection to assist in leading America down a greater road. The speech ended in rounds of applause and was both praised and discussed all across America. He used pathos as a means of relating to the greater audience and touches their hearts.
“We the people, in order to form a more perfect union”1 - On March the 18th 2008 Barack Obama opened his speech on race, in Philadelphia, with this sentence. From the open sentence you can see that this speech isn’t any speech, perform by any orator. It’s a speech with a main message, performed for the people, to creates a brighter future for all the American people and to change history.
President Barack Obama spoke his remarks at Howard University commencement ceremony for the class of 2016. This special moment in the speech is honoring people of color, especially African Americans and made history at this University, having the president to present his speech (Donnella). Obama explained how America was different when he graduated college and society is now accepting new cultures and backgrounds within today’s workforce and education. Obama wants the audience to take opportunities and learning new skills to expand their education.
In his 2004 speech, Barack Obama stated “I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible.”
This inaugural speech marked the beginning of the second term of Barack Obama as president of the United States of America. It was delivered at United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 21, 2013. The event followed the presidential election in the United States and it was very important all over the world, about a million of people gathered outside the Capitol to witness the president's words and millions more from around the world watched him on television (Staff). For first time, a president talked about same sex marriage and gay rights, he also talked about divisive issues such as reform of immigration policies, stopping climate change and preserving a social welfare safety net. Obama showed a progressive and liberal agenda, focused on equal rights and possibilities for all the citizens. The theme of the speech was “Faith in America's Future,” (Caldwell) and he successfully used various rhetorical techniques and resources to influence the audience.
Barack Obama shows confidence all throughout his speech, as mentions in Robert J.Gula book “Confidence. The propagandist
President Obama, like all Presidents before him, delivered a farewell address to the United States on January 20, 2017. As he stepped down as President he was eloquent and it was as clear as ever that he is a master of oration. Obama will go down in history as the first Black President as well as a strong orator who had the ability to captivate an audience through his use of ethos, pathos and logos amongst other rhetorical devices. His farewell address is a perfect example of Obama’s mastery of discourse as it is chock full of oratorical devices. Obama’s message to the American people and to the rest of the world is that it is essential that we maintain a sense of what it means to have a democracy and that in order to maintain peace and
Former President Barack Obama performed a speech in response to a mass shooting that happened in a community college in Oregon. This speech included other gun related incidents which occurred during his time in office in 2015 regarding Umpqua Community College and Roseburg. After giving his condolences and love to those who felt loss in their hearts, Obama gave a powerful argument regarding gun control and how we, as Americans, should fight and strive for better gun laws. While Obama gave a moving speech, I could not help but feel it fell short in its argument while conducting a thorough critique. Obama appealed to his audience utilizing pathos and ethos with ease but fell short for those in the audience looking for logos or specific facts within his performance. I will be taking this opportunity to delve further into an analysis of this speech and both its heights and pitfalls.
Bush consistently employs several rhetorical strategies in order to establish his credibility throughout his address. The primary way that Bush establishes this credibility is by using his speech to
Obama tells us in his speech that crisis needs to be fixed by change. He even admits that some people don’t believe his proposed actions are the answer to our problems. Obama tries to solve this by telling them his action’s, which not stated, are the answer. This is a very poor attempt at persuasion on his part.
There are new proposed gun control laws in the aftermath of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut that occurred on December 14th, 2012. This incident claimed the lives of twenty 1st graders and six adults and has set the government in motion to try to prevent future acts of violence by strengthening gun control laws in the United States (Smith). This has been a topic that has been an extremely emotional debate with people on both sides unwilling to compromise. Gun advocates and critics of the new proposed gun laws argue that these new laws infringe on our constitutional
On April 8, 2013, President Barack Obama spoke at the University of Hartford on behalf of those who died in the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. President Obama addressed the people of the state of Connecticut and on a federal level. The broadcasting networks provided live coverage of President Obama’s speech, and a national audience listened as the president’s addressing the issues and the next steps forward for the country. The impact of this tragedy and previous massive shootings and Obama’s explanation have been a subject of a controversial debate. I plan on using the pentadic method to analyze President Obama’s speech regarding Sandy Hook and gun control. What we can learn about the method by