An initial reaction to the appearance of Barack Obama on the American political stage has been one oscillating between reluctant approval, enthusiastic appreciation and mistrusting rejection. The chance of the first African-American president brought about much support for Obama, as well as critique claiming that he would just be a tool of liberal forces to put forth a politically correct agenda. The problem of race, very early on in the presidential
primaries and later in the general election, was oddly
unspoken of, yet permanently present.
[...]
Two speeches of Barack Obama will serve as a foundation for
analysis. One is "A More Perfect Union", given in March 2008
in the height of the Democratic primary campaign. It deals
with the race problematic in America. The other one is his
Inaugural Address from January 2009 which of course has a
much more celebratory tone. Both speeches center around the
question of how the American society does deal and should
deal with times of economical distress though their topical
focus is an entirely different one. However, the effect both
aim for, and to a large degree surely achieve, is a uniting
one. Uniting different racial groups, uniting political
opponents, uniting most of the divisive tendencies of
society to reclaim the American Dream.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Framing the Progressive Thought
3. Creation of a presidential myth
3.1. The Audacity of Hope
3.2. Analyzing "A More Perfect Union"
4. Inaugural Address
5. Conclusion
6. Resources
7. Appendices
Research Objective and Core Themes
This paper examines how Barack Obama utilized rhetorical strategies and political framing to construct his public persona and unite the American electorate prior to his 2009 inauguration. By analyzing "A More Perfect Union" and his First Inaugural Address, the work investigates how Obama navigated divisive societal issues to reclaim the American Dream through a shared values-based discourse.
- Rhetorical analysis of presidential political personas
- Application of George Lakoff’s framing theory in modern politics
- The intersection of personal narrative, race, and religious discourse
- Strategic use of "The Audacity of Hope" as a unifying concept
Extract from the Book
A More Perfect Union
Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.
The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.
Of course, the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution - a Constitution that had at its very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law; a Constitution that promised its people liberty, and justice, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research focus on Obama's rhetorical construction of a political persona and the choice of his 2008 and 2009 speeches as case studies.
2. Framing the Progressive Thought: Discusses the theoretical background of political framing and the necessity for progressives to move beyond ideological labels.
3. Creation of a presidential myth: Examines the sociological construction of Obama's persona and how he bridges personal vulnerability with public leadership.
3.1. The Audacity of Hope: Analyzes the origin and political significance of Obama's "Audacity of Hope" concept as a modern interpretation of the American Dream.
3.2. Analyzing "A More Perfect Union": Investigates how Obama transformed a political crisis involving his former pastor into an opportunity for a national conversation on race.
4. Inaugural Address: Explores the rhetorical strategies used in the 2009 Inaugural Address to shift from personal campaign rhetoric to a collective national mission.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes Obama's role as the "Great Uniter" who successfully used rhetorical strategies to mediate societal conflicts and propose a return to shared core values.
Keywords
Barack Obama, Rhetorical Presidency, Framing Theory, American Dream, Political Persona, Unification, Race, Inaugural Address, Discourse, Values, Progressive Thought, Leadership, Narrative, Identity Politics, Social Cohesion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this study?
The study examines the rhetorical strategies employed by Barack Obama during his 2008 campaign and 2009 inauguration to build a political persona and foster national unity.
What are the central themes discussed?
Key themes include the use of political framing, the role of personal narrative in politics, the navigation of racial discourse, and the utilization of shared moral values to address economic and social challenges.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The objective is to analyze how Obama’s rhetorical techniques, particularly his approach to framing, allowed him to transcend divisive political issues and position himself as a leader who could reclaim the American Dream for all citizens.
Which scientific methods are applied in this analysis?
The author uses rhetorical analysis, specifically applying the framing theory developed by George Lakoff and Jeffrey Feldman, to deconstruct the internal logic and symbolic meaning within Obama’s public speeches.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the framing of progressive thought, the sociological construction of Obama's presidential persona, a detailed analysis of the "A More Perfect Union" speech regarding racial discourse, and an examination of the rhetorical narrative in the Inaugural Address.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
The paper is characterized by terms such as Rhetorical Presidency, Framing Theory, Identity Politics, and American Dream, reflecting its interdisciplinary focus on political science and linguistics.
How does the author characterize Obama's relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright?
The author views this relationship as a complex reflection of American contradictions, where Obama rejects the divisive rhetoric but acknowledges the human connection and the complexities of the black experience in America.
In what way is the concept of a "persona" applied to Obama?
The author suggests that Obama’s public political appearance is a "performance" in the sociological sense, consciously constructed to allow a diverse electorate to project their own hopes and values onto him.
What makes the "A More Perfect Union" speech historically significant in this study?
It is viewed as a masterful rhetorical turn where Obama converted a potential campaign-ending controversy into a necessary, honest dialogue about race, inequality, and the need for a "more perfect union."
- Quote paper
- Annegret Märten (Author), 2009, Obama's Rhetoric and the Myth of Virtuous Power, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/138091
