Barack Obama's 2004 Democrat National Convention Keynote Address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWynt87PaJ0

            Barack Obama’s keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention did more than give the Democrats a final push in the election that year. Not many people were aware of Obama on a national level, but at the conclusion of his speech people, regardless of political affiliation, could not stop talking about him.

            When you begin to examine the speech in detail it is important to first talk about the ethos attached with his persona. As a Senator from Illinois, and relatively new on the political scene, the speaker had a clean slate. The general public did not know a lot about him, but because he was in a high political office the audience trusted him. He enhanced his ethos by starting the speech by talking about his journey to his current position.

            Next, we must look at the logos associated with this speech. The 44^th President of the United States uses a lot of anecdotes in his speeches. Within most of these small stories, he uses numbers to connect the listener to the narrative. By using numbers, alongside his small stories, Barack Obama helps to strengthen his argument with cold hard facts.

            Finally, and without a doubt Barack Obama’s most important form of persuasion is ethos. The nation’s first African American President uses rhetoric that enables the listener to make a distinct connection with him. He says, “My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America, your name is no barrier to success,” at the beginning of his speech. This statement establishes an early connection with his listeners. It also helps to make him more personable. By relishing in his ability to connect with the listener on a very personal level, Barack Obama uses one of the strongest form of persuasion to get voters to listen to Democratic ideas.

           Regardless of political affiliation you cannot deny that his rhetoric is what propelled him up the political ladder at an accelerated speed. Even though the Democrats did not get the result that wanted in the 2004 election, their keynote address provided as much help as possible.