Research Paper on Ronald Reagan's Innaugural Address

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Charisma is defined in the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as “a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure” (Merriam-Webster Online). Throughout history successful public speaking is a dominant trait for influential historical figures: persuasive speakers use charisma and charm to capture their audience and spark a difference in society. Political figures use charisma in order to campaign and promote their own political ambitions. Every fourth year a politician is elected President of the United States. Upon taking office, that politician, recites an Inaugural Address addressing his/her plans for the presidency. On Tuesday January 20th 1981, Ronald Reagan, remembered in history as the Great Communicator, recited his highly influential inaugural address on the West Front of the Capitol. Using his charismatic abilities Ronald Reagan recited an influential inaugural address that connected to the average American person. His inaugural address highlighted his own political beliefs and caused the Republican Party to regain its former strength. Before that fateful day on the West Front of the Capitol, the Republican Party had spent years in a sort of slumber. Ever since the Great Depression the Democrats had ruled Congress, and for the majority of this time period, the Presidency. According to George Tindall, in the textbook America, after the Great Depression the Republican Party had lost much of its former strength as its platform was similar to that of the Democrats. Political figures tried to change the Republican Party but only Reagan was successful (Tindall 1247). In the 1960’s Conservatives started to worry that the Republican Party had become influenced by the “Eastern Est... ... middle of paper ... ...nline. 14 March 2009 Danzer, George A. “A Conservative Tide”. The Americans Reconstruction Through the 20th Century. 9 Ed. 2002. English, Jane A. and Tomas D. Jones. “World War 1, World War 2, Korean War, Vietnam War.” Encyclopedia of the U.S. at War 1998. Reagan, Ronald. The Reagan Diaries. New York. Harper Collins Publishers, 2007. Reeves, Richard. President Reagan: Triumph of the Imagination. New York: Simon and Schuster Publishers, 2005. Remini, Robert V. Fellow Citizens: The Penguin Book of U.S. Presidential Inaugural Addresses. New York: Penguin Books Publisher, 2008. “Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator.” CNN 06 Jun 2004. 1-3. 08 Feb 2009. Tindall, George Brown and David Emory Shi, “A Conservative Insurgency”. America. 7 Ed. 2007.

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