On the epic night of 28th August 2008, Barack Obama made history as he officially accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. He now became the first ever African-American presidential nominee of a major US political party.His acceptance speech was a rhetorical masterpiece. It was delivered with loads of charisma and heartfelt emotion. I am not even American but i must admit that i was a little moves when i listened to it. It encompassed the five major constituents of a rhetoric (Logos, Lexis, Kairos, Audience and Decorum).
For the Logos aspect, Obama made if clear once again to the people what exactly he stood for and the policies that he intended to make should he become president. He vowed to cut taxes for almost all working-class families, emphasized the need for investment in alternate forms of energy and job creation, and reiterated his desire to "end the failed politics of Bush". In terms of the Lexis, he delivered his address in a most confident, loud and inspiring tone of voice that was filled with conviction, much like the way a medieval king would rally the front lines of his army just before entering into battle.
As for the Kairos, the date on which Obama gave his acceptance speech was decided in tribute to one of the greatest individuals in US history. The night coincided with the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Also, the venue was a dramatic setting. It was a filled sports stadium with bright camera flashes sparkling like stars among the 84,000-strong crowd in an enormous semicircle.
For the Audience part, the crowd needed someone to feed their desire for change. Obama duly composed his speech to assure the crowd that his top goal was to achieve change for the better. His empathetic and motivational words moved many sections of the audience to tears. Finally, the Decorum was rather perfect as his serious tone appropriately matched the importance of the day. His precise vocabulary and preacher-like style of delivery tied in perfectly with the landmark occasion and yearning audience.
Video of Obama's Speech
11 comments:
OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA!
Yes, it is evident that through his speech, the characteristics of rhetoric is being portrayed. Come to think of it, for anyone who has the intention to persuade and gain support, he/she needs to include these factors into his/her speech as it is essential to initiate a "link" between them and the speaker.
But these factors come with a price. The more convincing you want your speech to be, the more assurance you need to provide. Persuasive speakers tend to promise or vow for certain things to certain people. I guess that is part and parcel of ensuring that the audience accept the speech and the speaker himself/herself.
And truly, he is -legend-
Someone said that he's the best and most prominent African-American speaker since Martin Luther King. I don't know about that, but to have attracted a massive crowd of 35000 people cheering for you in that stadium is totally impressive man! John McCain KNEW he couldn't beat Obama in terms of his oratorical skills - that's why he purposely took up his platform in a smaller setting. Power to Obama!
Appealing through the use of emotions(pathos) is an important part of getting people to like and vote for you because it appeals to the very basis of humanity - our emotions. Of course, since this is a presidential election, you've got to back it up with your reputation (ethos) to bolster confidence first and then your detailed plan for change(logos) before people will push themselves to vote for you. But whatever - GO OBAMA!!!! xDDDD
OBAMA!
yes truly comvincing and i really like the way obama speaks. he certainly has the gift of the gap. just listening to him is so mesmerizing. he can read the yellow pages and i will still vote for him. i feel that he knows his audience really well and does an excellent job in making his point clear to them. one of the better speakers in the world today. u agree?
I believe Barack Obama had put his message across and make himself look like the best choice for president.
However, even though he communicates well with the people of America, will his skin color be his downfall? After all, would Americans want a Black President? Although people would like to say they are not racists, we cannot deny the fact that racial differences play a role no matter how subtle it may be.
wow,i didnt know that a simple speech can be applied with so many principles of communication!
anyway,good job in dissecting Obama's speech. i just felt that a speech is also a form of interactive model whereby the crowd has to wait until the speaker to finish his or her speech before providing feedback.
i thought that the essence of a good speech is to able to move the audience, and in this case, obama did it. agreed that his speech "was delivered with loads of charisma and heartfelt emotion."
the first speech that really moved me was Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream". i bet it touched the hearts of many too.
i thought that, in this case, the element of verbal cues is really essential, and has proven to be successful.
nice reflection done
We all talk about persuasion, conviction, determination, charisma, style and passion dont we? This man, is a complete package.
Amazing speaker, with the ability to turn anything in his favour. His use of communication is truly spectacular..and i must say. I am a hige admirer. I watched a couple of his speeches, and like you mentioned. I am not the least it surprised the audience were reduced to tears..he completely captivates the public.
Well written bro, i liked this one.
Oh wow! I have to agree that Obama's speech is indeed a rhetorical masterpice!
Indeed you have done a wonderful analysis of his speech and bringing in what we have learnt in communications.
However I do feel that Obama would have made use of pathos to try to sway the audience in his directions ^^
Who thinks that Obama reminds you of the Dwayn 'The Rock' Johnson ? I can just imagine him saying , "The Rock is going to lay the smacke down on your candy ass !" . HAHA ..
Ok seriously , just like Dwayn Johnson , Barrack Obama has a ton of charisma just oozing outta him . That's definitely one of the reason why he's able to garner so much support and of course bring across his message in such an efficient way . If I were an American citizen , I'd vote for him . What say you ?
Well it seems that everyone thinks Obama is a terrific speaker, and undoubtedly so I might add. Now he is president, and I know i'm not the only one when I say that i have a good feeling about this guy. I think he can bring America forward. The only concern I would have is about his economic and foreign policies which he has yet to make clear. I'm sure our Singaporean leaders cannot wait to hear about them.
Yes, he is extremely charismatic. Though not an American myself, I was extremely moved by his rhetoric. One thing he has, that previous presidential candidates have lacked (be it Democratic or Republican), is the ability to convey his vision very clearly.
It's succint, and anyone on the street can get it, that he's campaigning for change. With a clear message, it's easy to get it across and garner support.
The confidence (or Lexis), does help. I did believe him, and I still do. I would compare him to great speakers like Franklin D. Roosevelt or Harry Truman, both Presidents who came into office during 2 crises, the Great Depression and the Korean War. And they also had the ability to rally their people into reovery, or well, into war.
So, the conclusion, with the ability to persuade, we can accomplish almost anything.
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