Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have Sinned By President Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton, gave an apologetic speech “I have Sinned” on September 11, 1998 in front of over a hundred priests and ministers in the annual White House prayer breakfast. The whole nation knows what happened with President Clinton and his intern, many would defend him even say that media and other sources are invading his privacy but something like that coming from our president? I don’t think it’s something a big icon as himself can just let slide by. Which leads to this speech of his, he wanted to apologize and gain forgiveness not only from his family and America but from God as well. As the speech goes on you can hear President Clinton’s sorrowful tone. Taking us deeper into how admitting and regretful he is about his sin and

referring to his last attempted apology of August 17, 1998, as “…not contrite enough. I don’t think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned”.
President Clinton begins his speech with a remorseful and sincere tone, but he also kept on being repetitive in ways he would convince everybody that he had learned from his damaging mistakes.

He begins the speech using pathos, expecting the audience will associate with him through their emotions. He says, “It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know the sorrow I feel is genuine” trying to not only apologize to the people he has upset, but to prove to the nation that he was still capable of being a better president and a good religious man. In other words he was trying to gain sympathy from his audience, President Clinton wanted his followers to believe that every human does make mistake, but they should be given another chance. His attempt was not successful because he was criticized even after that speech.Clinton then appeals to the audience’s ears when stating, “I am very grateful for the many, many people- clergy and ordinary citizens alike- who have written me with wise counsel” here he develops the idea of pathos and allows the audience to distinguish themselves and feel a connection with him through his words. He then touches his audience’s hearts by saying, “If my repentance is genuine and sustain and if I can maintain both a broken spirit and a strong heart, then good can come out of this...” trying to find good in the decisions he has made and hurt his family as well as his own

reputation.
On the other hand,President Clinton also uses logos to persuade his audience that he has done wrong by sinning but needs forgiveness.

He is using his words and knowledge in order to keep his presidency. He says, “I cannot move beyond or forget this … it is very important that our nation move forward”, using the logic that despite of his fault, to succeed, it is vital that the nation continues to be united as one. “The children of this country can learn …that the integrity is important and selfishness is wrong, but God can change us and make us strong at the broken places”; Clinton wants his sin to be seen as a lesson learn. In other words, he implies people make mistakes and regardless of how big or small it was, asking God for forgiveness will make you strong and give you the power to keep moving

forward.
This whole speech is based on credibility, after all is the president himself reading this to ministers and priests. Ethos is often associated with credibility so when he suggests the following, “I will intensify my efforts to lead this country and the world towards peace and freedom, prosperity and harmony, in the hope that with a broken spirit and a still a strong heart I can be used for greater good…” He is not only speaking to his audience as the president but as a religious man, who believes that he could have done more for this country. With not only God but with the whole United States by his side.
Towards the end of president Clinton’s speech, he introduces Kairos in a small passage out of a liturgy book called, “Gates of Repentance” that a Jewish friend had given to him on his trip to Florida. As Yom Kippur liturgy reads, “For leaves, birds and animals, turning comes instinctively. But for us…not so easily. It takes an act of will for us to make a turn…breaking old habits…admitting you have been wrong…saying I am sorry.” Here he indicates that nature conforms its life based on their surroundings, he is a human who did wrong but is still willing to change even if it looks bad; to be a better role model for our country. Yom Kippur, is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish religion, when people seek for repentance. Clinton introduced this passage as a reference to keep asking for forgiveness since it’s the day to redeem your sins.
President Bill Clinton gave his speech “I have Sinned” in respond to his first speech but this time a little more sentimental and with more regret. He knew and understood what he had done. He didn’t just want forgiveness from his family and God but from the whole United States of America.