Obama Speech Rhetorical Analysis

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Throughout the speech, Obama addresses his concern for racism and how it’s paralyzing our nation. He states how important it is as citizens to “form a more perfect union” (Obama pg 1). He uses different rhetorical tactics to reel us in to address his argument about how it’s necessary to bring unity to our country. Which makes his speech to be successful and to grab our attention. First off he starts with some personal and historical insight, he does this by using ethos and gives us factual information to establish his character and build credibility in his speech. He states how “I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas…. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners… I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles, and cousins, …show more content…

Obama states how some have said that his candidacy is being viewed to defend the recent scandal of Revereand Wright. But states “the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren’t simply controversial…. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country… that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America” (Obama pg. 2). He states how this scandal is only a distraction that turns our attention away from the real issue. He also goes on stating that “we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems two wars, a terrorist threat, a failing economy a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all” (Obama pg. 2-3). Obama’s use of patho appeal and definitional claim states the real issues that we need to face. It makes the audience feel that they need to work together to establish unity to help bring this nation

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