Obama Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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“Change we can believe in” was a motto frequently used by Barack Obama throughout his presidential election campaign. Barack Obama's political ads produced in 2008 against the opposing candidate John McCain were used to bring an affirmative tone to the commercials. He wanted to assure the working-class voters of America that he is someone that will support them and make a change in the economic struggles that are currently impacting America. The Barack Obama “Country I Love,” political ad skillfully utilizes pathos, ethos, logos, and kairos to communicate its main message and impact its audience. Obama's ad aimed to capture the attention of working-class citizens, troops, and suburban families. Obama immediately starts his ad off with the …show more content…

He mentions that he “...didn’t have much money...” growing up and his mom taught him “...values straight from the Kansas heartland.” Obama’s goal was to create a deeper connection with his audience by sharing his life growing up and what he learned while growing up. Obama later mentioned that he took up “...jobs and loans to make it through college.” He wants to show the people that he is just like them. He wasn’t raised with a lot of money and worked hard for what he has now. By emphasizing his shared experiences with the American people, this emotional connection reinforces his message. By connecting with the audience emotionally, he brings up the morals he contains just like everyone else in America. Although the ad’s primary strength lies in its emotional appeal, it also employs logos, or logical appeal, to persuade viewers. Obama includes many fragments that describe his morals of being an American such as, “Accountability and self-reliance. Love of the country. Working hard without making excuses. Treating your neighbor as you'd like to be treated.” He includes these to show that his morals also line up to the daily American morals. Obama also mentions that America is a country of “...strong families, and strong values.” Insinuating that the American people have …show more content…

Obama included he passed laws to help keep the values of America in place such as, “...moving people from welfare to work.” During this time, the citizens of America wanted a change by voting the first African American as president. Obama was set on changing economic concerns and offered a variety of solutions such as, “Cutting taxes for working families.” as well as “Extended healthcare for wounded troops.” The economy was obviously suffering from health-care costs and rising unemployment. Obama wanted to represent change for the current state of the U.S. economy. His vision aimed to create a strong and inclusive economy that would benefit all Americans for generations to

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