A Rhetorical Analysis Of Barack Obama Speech

Politics, in this country, it is a world a person learns to love and hate simultaneously, both entertaining and frustrating. Throughout the years, the United States has gone through some interesting politicians and each one more unique and different than his or her predecessor. No politician is like the other and the same can be said for their political speeches. From a speech given at an elementary school to a speech given to the world, each inimitable speech as mesmerizing or dull as the speaker giving it. Some people say a politician is only as good as his oratory delivery, but what exactly does that mean? Barack Obama, the Forty-fourth president of the United States of America would know exactly how to answer that question. In 2004, Barack …show more content…
In a word, his speech could be described as masterful. The flow so elegant yet powerful, his tone so inviting and yet strong and decisive. Obama opened his speech giving Americans something they were not familiar with in a politician, energy. It began when he walked onto the stage and there was a slight bounce in his step to his firm and robust handshake with the opening speaker. These micro actions helped to set the tone for such an energetic speech. When he began to talk about his home life and his family, he kept his gestures open as if he was ready welcoming the audience into his home. He then gently placed and hand over his heart when he referred to himself, as if he loved who had become because of his past. Throughout his speech, Obama would walk the stage and point at the audience when he was trying to make a point as if telling the audience this word right here is important. He walked the stage and constantly made eye contact, not only with the cameras but also with the people sitting in front of him, showing his confidence in his words. He would pause his movement when he was saying something he felt was important and slow down his movements and words so that he could draw the audience attention in closer and focus them on the next thing he was about to say. Some arguments could be made that Obama may have used too many …show more content…
The fact that America now knows him as President Barack Obama is evidence enough that the previous statement is true. Now it is known just how a man without a name came to become the most recognized man in American history. His brilliant use of tone, gesturing, and wording at just the right time throughout his speech propelled a once unknown American citizen to the highest seat in the United