In the early 20th century, after serving two terms as President, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a now famous speech in Osawatomie, Kansas, where he outlined a new political philosophy an ideology, which he referred to as New Nationalism. This philosophy was grounded in the beliefs that the United States, somewhere along the line, had begun to falter and stray from its American values. Outlined in his speech at Osawatomie, Roosevelt’s New Nationalism called for political, social, and economic reform in order to create a government and country where the protection of human welfare and equality for all citizens was paramount. President Obama, over 100 years later but at the same location, delivered a very similar speech describing, and at times even directly quoting, many of the same arguments and ideals presented by President Roosevelt. In calling for …show more content…
Despite dealing with different issues over 100 years apart, both Obama and Roosevelt overlap, presenting almost identical arguments regarding the direction of American values, the need for social and political equality, and on reform within the economy. Furthermore, the goal of this paper will be to examine each of these president’s speeches, and show how, despite a century-long gap, the ideals of Theodore Roosevelt helped shape the goals of Obama’s presidency.
One of the earliest similarities between the speeches of Roosevelt and Obama can be seen in their opening statements, where both men present, what they believe to be, great examples of American values and citizenry. For President Roosevelt, he commends the soldiers of the Civil War,
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most successful presidents that were ever alive. Theodore Roosevelt, also known as “Teddy” was most known for beginning construction on the Panama Canal. Even though Roosevelt’s presidency was unexpected to the whole country, Roosevelt was probably one of the most successful presidents. Roosevelt wasn’t a popular man before he became the president, but here’s how he was known. After the 1896 presidential election, William McKinley appointed Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
On a clear Kansas day in August of 1910, Theodore Roosevelt planted a flag on the fissure that ran through the Republican Party. At the dedication of the John Brown Memorial Park in Osawatomie, the former Republican president — and soon-to-be Progressive Party presidential candidate — sought to blaze a new path through his old party in a speech entitled “The New Nationalism.” The speech is best known for laying out the progressive agenda and served as the cornerstone for Roosevelt’s 1912 presidential platform. However, it served a secondary purpose: to unify a still-divided nation under an empowered federal government. Roosevelt’s discussion of John Brown offers the clearest exemplar of this attempt to unify, as his patriotic language and euphemistic
The ascension of Theodore Roosevelt to the presidency marked a dramatic turning point in bringing meaningful reform in America because he was the first ever president to lead hands on and believed that the government should serve as an agent of reform for the people. Roosevelt abandoned his Republican counterparts’ ideals of a ‘laissez-faire’ economy and turned to helping the American people through welfare programs and minimum wage laws. Above all, Theodore Roosevelt served as a voice for the masses and implemented what they had long desired. Around 1902, exposing the evils of industries, politicians and the rich and famous was a very hot industry.
On December 7, 1941, the United States was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor, and a day later, our president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt responded with a speech to influence the people to enlist in the draft and support for America joining World War II. At a time when America felt defeated, hopeless, and attacked, FDR responded with hope and determination to let the American people know that the United States would do everything in its power to defend themselves and obtain victory. As the president of the United States of America, it was Roosevelt’s job to lead and make the best decisions for the US based on what happened. He had to appeal to his audience with emotion, logic, and his authority.
At a major campaign speech, Herbert Hoover is refuting the charges that he was a see-nothing, do-nothing president, and prove himself to his audience and all of voting America. He began by arguing that he was a solid and productive president. Consistently leading his phrases with “we,” he incorporates himself with his administration and all Americans. Hoover reviews that the United States
Foreign policy, Roosevelt is remembered by “Speak softly and carry a big stick” (Hair 2015). He was hesitant to put forth his upmost until 1904, where he was rewarded full term. Although he disregarded Republicans in Congress, their support was needed for him to win. Roosevelt being a progressive president still didn’t refrain
A month before the end of the American civil war, President Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address to the nation. In his speech, Lincoln shifts the blame of starting the war towards the south through juxtaposing the northern and southern parties. But at the same time he also applies anaphora and biblical allusions to create a sense of unity between the two opposing sides in the hope that they can better their future together. Early on in his speech, Lincoln uses juxtaposition to contrast the northern and southern parties. He claims that the South “would make war rather than let the nation survive,” while the North “would accept war rather than let it parish, and the war came.”
Franklin Roosevelt uses pathos, ethos and logos all throughout his speech. “December 7th 1941- A date that will live in infamy.” This quote will forever be in the minds of Americans. The bombing of the Pearl Harbor is an event no one can forget and neither is Franklin Roosevelt’s speech. It was this that brought American into World War Two and changed history.
In President Roosevelt’s speech, there are multiple rhetorical devices that can get a point across. Using these rhetorical devices, the audience may be able to become swayed by the main message being expressed. The goal of a speech is to catch the audience’s attention greatly and persuade them to gain similar beliefs on whatever is being spoken of. In Roosevelt’s speech, the mood expresses a ray of hope yet a feel of strictness. One rhetorical device used by Roosevelt is personification.
In FDR: Advocate for the American People, David M. Kennedy paints Roosevelt in a bright light by stating, “he had a profound feeling for the underdog, a real sense of the critical imbalance of economic life a very keen awareness that political democracy could not exist side by side with economic plutocracy.” Essentially, Kennedy saw Roosevelt as someone who cared for the American Public and placed the needs of the people first. Kennedy is able to show readers that Roosevelt truly cares for the public when he states that, Roosevelt truly believed that the people could not be “self supporting” and that “without the help of thousands of others, any one of us would die, naked and starved.” By referencing to Roosevelt’s speech, Kennedy is able
With the presidential election finished it is time to look back on our previous president and examine their inaugural address that they gave to million of american around the united states. These inaugural addresses have some similarities and differences in them. In William McKinley inaugural address his main points were to fix what was broken mainly toward economics and industrial machinery. His main points were "we need to revise the financial system and to allow the government to supervise currency". His points on currency actually helped his presidency while he was in office.
In the month of April in 1906, the realization that the nation was growing faster than the government was all to real (okayfey). Monopoles were influencing Americans negatively and the federal and State powers could do nothing about it. The rich had control of almost all the wealth in the United States, and the middle class was not happy about it. They were in a cage match that was only going to end in bloodshed and an unsettled dispute. That being said, President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt was left between all of this to be the intermediary.
Rhetorical Analysis Former Illinois State Senator and soon to be Forty-fourth president of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, recounts what happened in the past to make America what is today and how he intends to maintain the ideas of America’s founding fathers throughout his term of presidency. His intended audience of the first inaugural address is the citizens of America and his purpose was to comfort them about the past and encourage the future of America. He creates a patriotic and empowering tone in order to appeal to pathos. His diction throughout the speech illustrates patriotism, allusions, and anaphoras. Obama opens his speech by discussing the views of our forebears and documents and how we have followed through with those views.
The 44th and first African American President, Barack Obama, in his Inaugural Address, promotes a call to action. Obama’s purpose is to express his gratitude for his opportunity to become president and discuss his plans for economic advancement. In order to reach the American people of the U.S., Obama adopts a serious and thought-provoking tone to urge them to support his plans for advancement. During this time of economic crisis, Obama clearly conveys to the American people through his use of metaphor, allusion, and anaphora, that it is time to take a stand and make a change in America.
Barack Obama’s win for President in 2009 was a historical moment for the United States. His inaugural speech was much anticipated, because this was going to set the tone for his presidency. His speech told the American people that improving the economy is one of his priorities, but there were also other areas he would like to improve like healthcare and the education system. This was a speech that was meant to persuade the American public to take action for them to rise as a nation again, and for them to put their trust into him. His message addressed a couple of specific points like his gratefulness to the American people, the different crises America is facing, how America will overcome these crises, replying to his cynics, addressing the world, and then he reminded America again to be brave like they’ve always been to overcome the hard times (5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama's Inaugural Speech, (n.d.).