In November of 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson delivered a speech to the United States Congress. The speech was made days after the assassination of John F. Kennedy (Garth, P, 1997). It both remembers Kennedy’s life and calls Congress to continue working on the legislation Kennedy championed. As a student of both communication and political science, this speech drew my attention specifically. I was drawn to how the speech used rhetorical communication ideas to further policy goals. Specifically, Lyndon B. Johnson’s speech lays a foundation of ceremonial rhetoric so that he can then use pathos to create sense of urgency for Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act in honor of John F. Kennedy’s legacy.
First, Johnson calls to the mind of Congress the legacy of John F. Kennedy so that Congress may be persuaded to pass the Civil Rights Act to honor Kennedy. Using communication to reflect on someone’s life is an example of ceremonial rhetoric which was first suggested by Aristotle. This branch of rhetoric commemorates or blames someone or something. However, newer theorists say that …show more content…
Johnson uses ceremonial rhetoric to establish a platform that allows him to issue Congress what felt like an urgent call to action. First, Johnson builds up the legacy of John F. Kennedy through ceremonial rhetoric. Then he showed how Congress could honor that legacy through the passage of the Civil Rights Act, a New Rhetoric concept. Finally, he used pathos to create in his audience a sense of urgency. Was Lyndon B. Johnson effective with his speech? Johnson used several tactics to push Congress into passing the Civil Rights Act in his speech in November of 1963. But it was not until, in July of 1964, that President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, showing that his speech was successful in persuading Congress and marking another victory for John F. Kennedy (History.com Staff,
First, Johnson calls to the mind of Congress the legacy of John F. Kennedy so that Congress may be persuaded to pass the Civil Rights Act to honor Kennedy. Using communication to reflect on someone’s life is an example of ceremonial rhetoric which was first suggested by Aristotle. This branch of rhetoric commemorates or blames someone or something. However, newer theorists say that …show more content…
Johnson uses ceremonial rhetoric to establish a platform that allows him to issue Congress what felt like an urgent call to action. First, Johnson builds up the legacy of John F. Kennedy through ceremonial rhetoric. Then he showed how Congress could honor that legacy through the passage of the Civil Rights Act, a New Rhetoric concept. Finally, he used pathos to create in his audience a sense of urgency. Was Lyndon B. Johnson effective with his speech? Johnson used several tactics to push Congress into passing the Civil Rights Act in his speech in November of 1963. But it was not until, in July of 1964, that President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, showing that his speech was successful in persuading Congress and marking another victory for John F. Kennedy (History.com Staff,