JFK Rhetorical Analysis

JFK Commentary
On April 11, 1962, United States’ President, John F Kennedy, condemns the largest steel companies because of the rise in prices after the recession of the country. Kennedy angers the citizens using the nation’s sense of sacrifice and protection for the well-being of the country. He also shows his displeasure towards the steel companies that fail to help the nation in its moments of economic distress and harming the national security by telling the citizens all of the things that they are doing that can harm the country. Kennedy also makes a separation between the 185 million working Americans and the handful of selfish, steel executives.
Kennedy’s rhetorical strategy is to insight anger on the hard-working Americans, who sacrifice themselves each day for the well-being of the nation, towards the steel companies. The speaker mentions that while “sacrifices are being asked of every citizen” the steel companies refuse to join this cause because of the sole purpose of acquiring “profit and power” (Kennedy). He shows them that while they are breaking their backs working to protect the country, the steel executives rest and enjoy the American’s distress. Kennedy also makes note that if trend

continues there would be serious increases in prices which would affect
“every American family” (Kennedy). He further enrages his audience by implicitly telling them that this people are not only hurting the economy but also the things that most people hold dear, which are their families.
Then, Kennedy demonstrates the steel company failure of joining this cause that many have been fighting for; the rise of the economy and security of the country.

He states that the country has been facing significant crisis in “Berlin and Southeast Asia.” In a time where the country just finished a war and it is starting to face another war, steel is a valuable resource that is need it to build weapons and defend the country. Kennedy also says that increase in prices would make it harder to pay for “national security and other purposes” (Kennedy). The nation’s security and economy is also in problems due to the increase in prices from the steel companies. He shows that all the efforts that were made may be worthless because of the selfishness of these

people.
Finally, Kennedy throughout the whole commentary creates a separation between the true Americans and those whose only interest is the gain of power. Kennedy groups the hard-working people “reservists…servicemen” and “every American businessmen and farmer” in which he himself includes by saying “we” and then separates them from the others by saying “tiny handful of steel executives” (Kennedy). He clumps together what implicitely states are the true Americans and then separates them from those selfish people whose sole purpose is obtaining money, which are the steel companies. He finalizes his commentary by saying “I asked each American… and I asked the steel companies” (Kennedy). This also emphasize separation and puts the Americans against the few people in charge of the companies.
Kennedy successfully manages to create awareness on the citizens and address the issue that they were facing without him looking aggressive or angry and instead uses the power of the numbers to insight fear on the companies’ executives and indirectly force them to lower their prices.