Satire And Irony Speech: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Hillary Clinton

In the concession speech following the 2016 American presidential election, runner-up Hillary Clinton employed a variety of rhetorical strategies to connect with and reassure her loyal voters. Through the use of satire and irony, ethos, and anaphora, Clinton was able to effectively communicate her message of perseverance and hope in the face of adversity.
At the heart of Clinton's concession speech was a message of resilience and determination. Throughout her speech, Clinton used irony and satire to address the disappointment and frustration felt by her supporters in the wake of the election. For example, she quipped, "To all the little girls watching...never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity

As a seasoned politician and public figure, Clinton was well-positioned to offer words of comfort and reassurance to her supporters. Through her tone, demeanor, and the wisdom and experience she shared in her speech, Clinton was able to convey a sense of authority and reliability, inspiring her listeners to trust in her message. She does this when she says “Very rowdy group. Thank you, my friends. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so very much for being here. I love you all, too.” In this Hillary says “thank you” a lot and really wants the people to know she is thankful for their support. This establishes herself as a human character to appeal and relate to the people. Shows her sincerity and thanks to the group after defeat. She also conveys this when she says “Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time.” Hillary wants continuous participation in politics all the time rather than just when people really care about it. This establishes herself among the masses by saying “our” to make her more relatable. Clinton also tries this when she says “I want everybody to come out from behind that and make sure your voices are heard going forward.” Hillary wants everyone coming from behind “that” to make sure their voices are heard. She states herself as the one wanting something from her people, establishing

For example, she repeated the phrase, "We will rise," several times throughout her speech, driving home the point that even in the face of adversity, her supporters should never give up hope. By using anaphora, Clinton was able to create a sense of unity and shared purpose among her supporters, inspiring them to come together to overcome their struggles. Hillary uses this amphora when she says “Very rowdy group. Thank you, my friends. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so very much for being here. I love you all, too.” Hillary says “thank you” a lot and really wants the people to know she is thankful for their support. She repeats the term “thank you” to create a feeling of emphasis to her actual thanks. It connects her to the people (her supporters) to help ease their sorrows. Also Hillary in the speech says “That if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strengthen our convictions, and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us. Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together and we will go forward together.” Clinton wants the people and herself to stand, work, believe they are stronger, and go forward together. She repeats the word “together” to hint that she is part of them and that she wants to unite with the people. Relates to them by saying they are together. Another