All presidents are ambassadors of their own countries. Although a presidents job is a huge job with gigantic responsibilities it doesn’t differ from any other profession; for each and every job shares the same characteristic which is: serving the country for the sake of the nation’s prosperity. It is well known that every four years a new president is elected by the Americans to lead the United States of America. Since the United States is considered to be the role model and an elite government of the whole world and so is its president, many things are expected from this strong body. “We lead the world, by deed and example” (The American Moments). Sadly for the past few years the United States has disappointed not only its people but also the whole world for it hasn’t yet fulfilled what is expected from it. On November 4, in the year 2008, stood and for the first time an African American, humble and most determined newly elected American president by the name of “Barack Obama” and gave a brilliant speech; A speech that will be marked to be the new dawn to all citizens of the United States of America and the whole world. Although his speech wasn’t that long, it was very comprehensive and effective. He gives an oath to make change in the aspects of the war in Iraq, the global warming threat, education and many other threatening aspects. In his speech Obama directs his citizens with, Pathos, Logos and Ethos in order to deliver his message which is: a new vision, inevitable change, and unity of the whole universe.
Pathos is the call for emotions, beliefs and values. Obama’s use of pathos is everywhere in the speech. He addressed the doubtful and pessimists by saying “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible…; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer” (Barack Obama 2008). Obama wants his citizens to trust and believe in their country. He also wanted to make no room for the cynical and doubtful individuals by saying “those who have been told for so long…to be cynical…and doubtful…to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day” (Barack Obama 2008). Obama wants to spread his strong hope, faith and ambition in his country and fellow supporters. “Now it’s our moment to lead — our generation’s time to tell another great American story” (American Moment). He believes that with the right planning and the right decisions a better America and eventually a better world will rise. Obama believes Americans should be patriotic and caring for each other. Again he is spurring the feeling of loyalty and unity when saying “In this country, we rise or fall as one nation — as one people” (Barack Obama 2008).
Logos is the appeal to facts, assumptions and reason. Barack Obama utilizes logos in his speech to further deliver his message that Americans are able to do the task at hand. He appeals to America’s great history, struggle of survival, and progress by telling a story of a 106 year old African American woman called Ann Nixon, who just gave her vote to Obama in this year’s elections. He says” She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin” (Obama 2008). Going more in depth in Obama’s speech, he uses more logos when talking about his campaign such as “It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to the cause”(Barack Obama 2008) to illustrate all that he went through during his campaigning period just to be who he is now. He wants Americans to have hope and faith in themselves; hope for a change and faith to ensure it. Further more Obama stresses on the Americans ability to succeed by using the phrase “yes we can” more than four times in his speech. He believes in his people and thinks they should believe in themselves.
In Obama’s speech he approaches his audience personally by appealing to ethos to ensure his credibility and morals. During his strong and emotional words, Obama shows his audience how he is, not only as a leader or president, but also as a father and husband. Ethos appears in several parts in his speech. First he mentions his deep thanks towards senator McCain and Governor Palin by saying” I congratulate him and Gov. Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead” (Obama 2008). This shows a lot about Obama’s personality. These honorable words show his sportsmanship and how noble he really is. Second, he mentions his vice president Joe Biden by saying” I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware. This shows how respectful and humble this 47 year old man is. Third, he mentions his deep thanks to his wife saying about her” I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next first lady, Michelle Obama” (Obama 2008). Fourth, he then mentions his deep infinite love to his two daughters, Sasha and Malia. In addition to that Obama gives his audience a glimpse of his morals, and shows how grateful he is towards his fellow team members, David Plouffe his campaign manager, and David Axelrod his chief strategist. Fifth, he thanks his audience and everyone who took his or her time to listen to what he has to say. He believes his success wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for all the supporters who believed in him, and he is deeply grateful to each and every one of them (Obama 2008). Furthermore, he adds to his CV that is full of morals and ethics with extreme humbleness and determination by saying” I will listen to you, especially when we disagree…and above all I will ask you join in the work of remarking this nation…block by block, callused hand by callused hand” (Obama 2008). After all the great thanks from Obama to almost everyone, he didn’t forget about people, whom he lost his votes; he showed his tolerance and open-mindedness when talking to them saying” I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too”(Obama2008).
Adding to his credibility, Obama showed how sincere and honest he is with his fellow citizens; he wasn’t scared to tell the bitter truth about their mission and how enormous it is (Obama 2008). Towards the end of his speech, Obama says” to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores…our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand” (Obama 2008). Obama delivers a message to the whole world, a message of hope, unity, ambition, and above all change.