Kennedy Speech Analysis

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John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, served as a courageous advocate for major economic and political reforms during the 1960s. The unprecedented spike in steel prices resulted in President Kennedy taking initiative, in regards to the “public interest.” As a result, Kennedy called upon the nation in a news conference on April 11, 1962. The purpose of the conference was to reach out to the people to come together during a time of economic recession and convey support for a reform on the increase in steel prices. President Kennedy’s message is able to successfully appeal to the citizens of the United States based on word choice and incorporating credibility. Word choice can offer support for an author’s argument, …show more content…
President Kennedy’s claims about the steel prices can be seen as logical arguments, mainly due to the reason that he included a variety of sources. Thus, it can be proven that Kennedy can be seen as a dependable figure. Kennedy lists government agencies, to which he was basing his argument on. For instance, in his speech, Kennedy remarks that, “it would add, Secretary McNamara informed me this morning, an estimated one billion dollars to the cost of our defenses, at a time when every dollar is needed for national security and other purposes” (32-35). During this time period, the United States was recovering from an economic recession. Economic growth was vital for the nation to further prosper, however, the “3.5 percent” increase in steel prices affects the nation negatively. This information is provided by Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara during the 1960s. By including people, such as McNamara, Kennedy is able to validate the statement that increased prices has harmed the nation’s economy. Likewise, McNamara is a reputable source. In addition to this, President Kennedy connects to the audience by the repetition of “we.” The audience is able to understand that they are the topic of conversation. Kennedy relates to the audience to show that the increase prices affects the nation, as a

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