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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Barack Obama's Yes We Can

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On January 8th, 2008, Barack Obama spoke as a candidate and a citizen as he constituted a new symbol of hope and change in American culture. Obama’s “Yes We Can” primary speech in New Hampshire given to supporters brought a fresh sense of shared patriotism and conviction. Although he spoke directly to the Democrats, he truly presented his ideas to all of America and the world. As he connected with the public and utilizing refrain, Obama proved that even without incorporating logical data he was able to reach his audience on a more unified level. Obama frequently used the pronouns “we” and “our” to dissolve the gap between him and the audience, “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, and this defining moment, change has come to America.” (Obama, Barack “Yes We Can” New Hampshire) By decreasing the space between them, Obama binded himself with the people, despite being the one in power. Not only does he create a link between the citizens, but he also connected himself with other distinguished and influential leaders in American history. For instance, he quoted Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, "As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it …show more content…

In order to attain this goal, Obama attempted to speak to every demographic, “It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled.” This connected him with not just one person, but the entire country. Although, Obama stood as a candidate, he portrayed himself and the citizens as “one people” that “will begin the next chapter in America’s story.” Consequently, this depicted the nation; a nation that will make change united and not

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