Bernie Sanders Speech Ethos Pathos Logos

On May 26, 2015, Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy for president of the United States of America. During a time of political corruption, economic inequality, and social unrest, the American people hope to elect a president that will fix the country’s issues and improve upon the current state of the nation. Primary elections will occur within the coming months, and the general election will take place soon after, so candidates, Sanders included, have begun to campaign. By utilizing the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos; emphasizing his most important points through his word choice, voice, and body gestures; and establishing himself and American citizens as equal, Bernie Sanders explains in his speech his plans and hopes for America and strives to gain popularity and votes from

Americans throughout the nation.
Sanders establishes his ethos from the very beginning of his speech and reinforces it in numerous ways throughout. In the first few seconds, he tells the audience about his positions over the years “as the mayor of this great city, as Vermont’s only congressman and now as a U.S. senator,” which offers the audience insight into his background in politics (1). He sets himself up as a credible politician who has played roles in the local, state, and federal government, so if he were elected as president, he would take the position with many years of experience behind him. Sanders also makes references to past presidents; he quotes Franklin Delano Roosevelt as saying that “a nation’s greatness is judged not by what it provides to the most well-off, but how it treats the people most in need” (5). By alluding to a past leader of our country, Sanders evokes a sense of familiarity and trust among the audience, which draws them towards him. Another manner in which he establishes ethos is by sharing his past as a member of the lower middle class. He tells about living in a “small rent-controlled apartment,” how his family never lived in their own home, and how he “learned, in many, many ways, what lack of money means to a family” (6). Through his telling about his experiences, Sanders establishes himself as relatable and sympathetic, which appeals to Americans who are living under similar circumstances.
The last example of ethos overlaps with one of pathos, another appeal that Sanders employs throughout his speech. With regards to the story about his past, he illustrates a picture of a typical lower middle class family in America, many of which exist today across the country. Because he actually lived through such a situation, Sanders can relate to other members of the lower and middle classes, and he understands the difficulties that they face daily; this understanding attracts voters who want their voices to be heard and who want changes that will positively impact their lives. Sanders also makes use of pathos while talking about current issues, specifically those involving children and the poor. For example, when discussing climate change, he says that “there is nothing more important than leaving this country and the entire planet in a way that is habitable for our kids and grandchildren” (3). People know that we must care for children, and destroying the planet through climate change would undoubtedly have negative effects on their lives. In addition to talking about the future of our children, Sanders discusses the current conditions of the poor, saying that “$7.25 an hour is a starvation wage” (4). By speaking of starvation and the many other hardships that the poor face, Sanders evokes feelings of sorrow and disappointment among the people because most would agree that no one, especially children, should live in poverty. The pathos within the speech invites the audience to consider the current state of our country and to elect Sanders to fix the issues.
While the ethos and pathos of the speech are powerful, the logos is effective as well. Much of Sanders’s speech consists of facts about the current issues within the United States. Some of these facts are statistical; with regards to economics, Sanders says that the unemployment rate is up to 11 percent, youth unemployment is up to 17 percent, and 45 million people are currently living in poverty (2). Exact numbers give people a specific idea of the extent to which our economy is failing. Sanders’s facts also come from the mouths of experts in certain subjects. For example, he says that “scientists are telling us that if we do not boldly transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies, this planet could be five to ten degrees Fahrenheit warmer by the end of this century” (3). People readily hang onto the words of experts, so they will listen to what Sanders has to say as well. Voters will likely support a candidate who can give them reliable information, and Sanders proves that he is well-educated and able to provide the facts that they need.
The balance of ethos, pathos, and logos helps Sanders impact the audience by proving his trustworthiness, evoking emotional responses, and appealing to those who desire factual information. However, he makes his most important points known through emphasis, using his words and his body to stress those ideas that are most serious to his campaign.
Bernie Sanders carefully chooses his words in a way that allows him to emphasize the importance of certain points within his speech.

For example, he makes use of repetition multiple times throughout, such as during his discussion of income and wealth inequality; he repeats the phrase “[t]here is something profoundly wrong,” followed by facts about unequal distribution of wealth (2). Repeating the phrase helps him convey to the audience the outrage that he feels due to the unfair inequality, which then lets the people know that he will work to rid the country of this issue. Continuing with the conversation of wealth inequality, Sanders uses descriptive words that express his disgust, saying that “[t]his grotesque level of inequality is immoral… This type of rigged economy is not what America is supposed to be about” (2). The negative connotations of the words “grotesque,” “immoral,” and “rigged” generate feelings of discontent among the people due to current unpleasant circumstances, which in turn kindle a desire for change. Word choices are essential to the impact of Sanders’s speech because people will remember them over the many months that lead up to the

elections.
In addition to words, voice and body movements help Sanders emphasize important points. For example, near the beginning of his speech, he loudly and clearly states that “[e]nough is enough” (1). Not only does he use a more assertive tone of voice, but he uses his hands forcefully, bringing his fist down to the rhythm of the words. This short statement, a commonly used phrase, summarizes the feelings of Americans throughout the nation. It has even become a slogan of Sanders’s campaign. Because the presidential candidate puts so much emphasis on this phrase, people have remembered it, and because so many people agree with the meaning behind it, they likely agree with Sanders’s views. He uses similar body language and voice changes throughout the rest of the speech to emphasize his words and increase their strength.
Emphasis is a tool that helps the speaker draw attention to his words and ideas. However, he uses yet another powerful method of persuasion: establishing equal standing between himself and the audience. He achieves this through his manner of addressing his audience and his creation of a sense of unity among all people in America.
Sanders addresses the people in such a way that they feel as though they hold equal status with him, rather than stand below him. He refers to them as “[b]rothers and sisters,” and “[m]y fellow Americans,” creating a sense of trust and camaraderie between the candidate and the people (1, 3). It is important for citizens to have confidence in the president so that together they can develop mutual understanding and know that their voices will be heard. By gaining the people’s confidence from the beginning, Sanders shows that he will work to help and support them if he is actually elected as president. He also gives Americans their own power, using words like “us” and “we” throughout the entire speech to let them know that he will work with them and that they have a say in what will happen in their country.
Bernie Sanders has made a great effort to connect with the American people and to gain their support. As a politician who once identified as independent, he has had to work to grow in popularity, specifically among the Democratic Party in which he now identifies. In his rhetorically effective speech, Sanders responds to growing discontent within the nation and persuades voters that he is indeed a candidate worth voting for in the upcoming elections.