Obama Ethos In A More Perfect Union

Through centuries upon centuries of facing racism, one would predict that by 2014, African Americans will be as equal to their fellow white Americans. Much progression has been made, yet there is still a wall of segregation between skin colors. In 2008, our first black president Barack Obama addresses the issues of the lingering racism in America in his speech “A More Perfect Union.” While using historical context and personal anecdotes, Obama utilizes the rhetorical methods of ethos, pathos, and logos to establish his solutions to discrimination in the nation. When the nation discovered that a black man was running for the leader of the free world, many were skeptical of his abilities and his background. However, Obama proves his credibility

Therefore, he establishes a common ground with the targeted audience and since he has the blood of the two clashing races, he is the ideal candidate to lead America into racial reforms. Not only does he have the biological advantage, but he also claims to have “gone to some of the best schools in America” (2). Here, he addresses his intellectual ethos, where he has the authority to cite this speech because he is well-educated and demonstrates to the audience that his words are not spoken simply as a vexatious and ignorant preach. The audience is more compelled to trust Obama since they can be assured that he is knowledgeable and wise from the amount of education he has received. To further prove his education, he talks about the

Senator Obama uses the technique of pathos while addressing his racial relations. He mentions “all those who scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of the American Dream... those who were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination” (4). This appeals to most Americans, as many come from their home countries to the U.S in hopes of better opportunities. Instead of praising America as a land of hope, Obama recognizes that there are many problems that stop people from reaching their goals, driving an emotional surge from the audience as they become aware of the prejudice that flows within people's daily lives. He goes on to say that “This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children... This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care”(7). He states many races instead of just black and white to show the fact that they all can face the same consequences. This appeals to a wider audience, and using the example of children and sick people evokes more sympathy and compassion. Obama describes the various ways that racism manifested within our society, and pathos is achieved because of the powerful