Paper #3

[Cowboy13012]

EN 103 Project #2
March 10, 2006
Can the President be PERSUASIVE?

On January 31, 2006, the President of the United States, George W. Bush, gave the State of the Union Address. The State of the Union Address is a speech that the President gives to the people of the United States to state the nation’s current condition. Sometimes the President makes some important points. The most important job of the President in the speech is to persuade the people that are listening. I obtained Bush’s speech from the White House’s official website. In Bush’s speech, he talked about “Global Leadership, Foreign Affairs, Competitiveness Initiative, Energy, Health Care, Economy, Tax Relief, Baby Boomers, Immigration, and [the nation being a] Hopeful Nation” (cbsnews.com). I focused on the beginning section where he talks about global leadership, which can be found from the first paragraph to the fourth paragraph. In this section, President Bush states his point of view of the current state of the country and he tries to get people behind him. He talks about everyone working together to make the country better than it is. He says that our leadership will make the United States continue to live on. President Bush’s speech is persuasive. For some people, it would have major impact. His speech became persuasive because of his use of rhetorical appeals, types of evidence, and rhetorical features.

President Bush uses the three rhetorical appeals, Logos, Pathos, and Ethos, to make his speech persuasive. Logos is the appeal to logic and “soundness of argument” (“Persuasion” 194). Pathos is the “emotional power of language” (“Persuasion” 194). Ethos is “the credibility or integrity of [the] writer [or speaker]” (“Persuasion” 194).

The President uses pathos, as one of the rhetorical appeals to make his speech persuasive, a lot throughout the section. He uses it the most out of all the rhetorical appeals. In paragraph one, he says “Tonight we are comforted by the hope of a glad reunion with the husband who was taken so long ago, and we are grateful for the good life of Coretta Scott King.” For the people that are missing and remembering Mrs. King, Bush’s comment appeals to their emotions. This comment would make people have a common ground with Bush and they would be willing to listen to him. In paragraph four, he says “The only way to protect our people, the only way to secure the peace, the only way to control our destiny is by our leadership.” This comment would make people feel like they are important and they matter in making the world a better place. By appealing to people’s emotion, Bush makes his speech persuasive.

The President uses logos, as one of the rhetorical appeals to make his speech persuasive, to get people to agree with him. He uses it the least out of all of the rhetorical appeals. In paragraph two, he says that “We have served America through one of the most consequential periods of our history....” This comment would make people go back and think about the events that occurred during his time. People would agree with him because of events like the bombing of the Twin Towers and Hurricane Katrina. In paragraph three, Bush says “In a system of two parties, two chambers, and two elected branches, there will always be differences and debate.” This comment would make people agree that this is true because of issues like tax breaks, education, and heath care. These issues are some of the many things that are in debate, which the people, in those positions, have different feelings and ideas. By appealing to logic, Bush makes his speech persuasive.

The President uses ethos, as one of the rhetorical appeals to make his speech persuasive, to give people an idea how important he to them. He does this a few times in the matter of a few words. In paragraph two, he says “it has been my honor to serve with you.” This comment makes people think that he is at their service and he is grateful for being the President. In paragraph four, he says “I will makes choices that determine both the future and the character of our country.” The first four words express and make people think about how important he is in that one minor or major choice can change the nation in a big way for as long as America exists. By using his title as President, Bush makes his speech persuasive.

President Bush uses evidence, as a way to make his speech persuasive, to back up some points he expresses. Evidence is used to prove a point, give an idea and/or make people think. He gives one example of evidence in paragraph three: “But even tough debates can be conducted in a civil tone, and our differences cannot be allowed to harden into anger. To comfort the great issues before us, we must act in a spirit of goodwill and respect for one another....” This evidence shows that people in power need to set things aside and fix the country. This type of evidence is effective. People would understand this piece of evidence because they know that the only way to find a solution with a group of people is to set all things aside and attack the problem. He gives another example in paragraph three: “Tonight the state of the Union is strong – and together we will make it stronger.” This evidence shows that people can make a country stronger no matter who they are. The evidence is effective because people could create or join foundations and organizations to help other people. They can give to a cause. The creation of these foundations and organizations and the giving to a cause is what can me the country stronger. By using evidence, Bush makes his speech persuasive.

President Bush also uses rhetorical features, as a way to make his speech persuasive, to grab people’s attention. One rhetorical feature he uses is repetition. Repetition is used when a word or a set of words being repeated in order to make someone do or feel something. Bush does this a lot. An example of this is the word “we.” He says this word in every paragraph. For example, in paragraph four, his says “We will choose to act confidently in pursuing the enemies of freedom – or retreat from our duties in the hope of an easier life.” This comment would make people feel that they have two options in which they have to choose. It makes people feel involved and make them feel important. Another example, in which he uses a set of words, is in paragraph four: “The only way to protect our people, the only way to secure the peace, the only way to control our destiny is by our leadership.” This comment does appeal to pathos but it is also effective as repetition. The set of words being repeated is “the only way.” Those words would make people feel that leadership is the key to the future of our country. This would make people want to become leaders to make their country a better place for now and the future. By using repetition, Bush makes his speech persuasive by using rhetorical features.

President Bush makes his speech persuasive by appealing to people’s emotions, appealing to logic, using his title as President, using types of evidence, and using repetition. The speech would make people to want to be involved and help built the country for a better today and tomorrow. In making people feel this way, Bush was able to get some more people to listen his solutions to the country’s problems. He was able to get some people to consider his solutions and make them think that it is leadership. Bush’s focus on leadership, in this section of the speech, helped make his speech more persuasive from the start. But I am not affected by it. Bush does not make me agree with him. He cannot change my mind because of what I know about the happenings of his time as President. Events like the bombing of the twin towers and Hurricane Katrina cannot be erased from my mind. Some people would feel the same way I feel but yet I do believe that he does convince some people.



Works Cited
Bush, George W. “2006 State of the Union Address.” The White House. 6 Mar. 2006. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2006/index.html>.
“Interactive: 2006 State of the Union.” CBS News. 6 Mar. 2006. <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/31/politics/main1264991.shtml>.
“Persuasion.” The Mercury Reader. Ed. Janice Neuleib, Kathleen Shine Cain, Stephen Ruffus, and Maurice Scharton. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2002. 194-198.

[Cowboy13012]

What you guys think?

[Cowboy13012]

Do you guys think this paper is good??

What grade would you give it, and what are the good and bad points.