Rhetoric, White and Blue: President Obama's State Of The Union Address

On the evening of January 24, 2012, President Obama gave the annual State of the Union address. Speaking in front of Congress, President Obama also addressed the present distinguished guests and millions of ‘fellow Americans’ watching the televised event. Now that’s an audience!

Listening to the president’s delivery, I tuned into the rhetoric used in his speech, from the words spoken to the very delivery itself. I recognized a number of techniques, such as his use of pauses and the organization of his speech, but what also really struck me was his effective use of the word ‘we’.

Of course, President Obama is referring to Americans and he himself is an American, but I couldn’t help noticing how the frequent use of the word ‘we’ in his speech puts himself on the same level as the average American. By using this pronoun, the President of the United States identifies with the audience rather than alienating himself from them.

Listening to his speech, it is clear that the President kept his audience’s concerns in mind, addressing the topics most concerning to Americans, including the weakened economy, education system, unemployment rate, and illegal immigration. And while it seems appropriate that he address the audience’s concerns about the nation, I couldn’t help but feel as if he was also speaking as a presidential candidate rather than as a president. It was as if he had a checklist of topics he wished convey to potential voters.

Throughout the speech, President Obama acknowledges the setbacks that have struck America, as well as the developments made and the expected improvements America has the potential to accomplish. He keeps his speech positive, saying, “If the playing fields are level I promise you America will always win.” Once again appealing to the audience, President Obama speaks of America’s potential to succeed rather than any imminent failures. No American wants to hear bad news.

The president makes use of specific examples, such as “in the last 22 months, businesses have created more than 3 million jobs.” Using such statistics makes the president’s speech more credible the use of empirical evidence appeals to the modern audience.

Overall I thought that the president’s address blended well both appeals to emotion and rational through the use of ‘we’ and his specific examples. Here’s to hoping that next year’s State Of The Union Address is just as good or better, both in terms of delivery and in content. 

Transcript for President Obama's State Of The Union Address