Brandenburger 1

Macall Brandenburger
Professor Bevill
English 1302.02
October 3, 2015
A Line Drawn in the Sand
Ann Richards keynote address was delivered on July 10th 1988 at the Democratic
National Convention where she effectivity drew a line in the sand between the Republican party
and Democrats. Richards captivated the audience by underlining the Republicans failures, while
promoting two Democratic candidates, Michael Dukakis and Senator Lloyd Bentsen. The
Republican Party had been in office for the past eight years in which the Cold War took place.
The Nation had been struggling with employment and high inflation at this time. It was time for
a drastic change. Richards passionately connected to her fellow Texans attending by using a lot
of emotional attributes along with her credibility to reach the audience. Richards purpose of the
speech was to persuade voters to vote democratic, as well as bringing up failed policies of the
Vice President, who was running for President, George Bush. She was addressing democratic
supporters, but also to a television audience mixed with political affiliation; mainly democratic
and independent.
One of the biggest rhetorical appeals Richards used was emotion. She used an excerpt of
a letter written to her by a young mother in Lorena, Texas. The excerpt draws attention to how
the middle class is struggling. In using this letter, Richards was able to set the tone of the
audience. She talks about how her home brings in two incomes but still struggles day to day, and
how they do everything they are supposed to but feel they are forgotten. We arent vocal any
more. I think maybe were too tired. I believe that people like us are forgotten in America (2).

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Richards executed what she set out to do and that was to reach the minorities. She follows the
excerpt by agreeing with her saying that she has been forgotten along with the other minorities.
Richards goes on with her speech by relaying what she thinks is the Republicans political
message to divide and conquer (46). She uses hasty generalization Weve been isolated.
Weve been lumped into that sad phraseology called special interests (2). Richards uses
equivocation when she says the Republicans tell the working mothers its all their fault their
families are falling apart because they had to go to work(2). Ann is painting a picture that the
Republicans only interest is for the well-being of the wealthy.
The way Ann is able to hold and execute this speech is by using her validity to reach the
Democratic Southern based audience. Ann was very active within Texas and was elected Travis
County Commissioner from 1976 to 1982 then went on to be elected the State Treasurer in 1982
and re-elected in 1988, her opinions held a lot of clout at this time. She starts off by establishing
her credibility for her and the Democratic by pointing out the achievements of the party. And as
I sit there- I wonder if shell ever grasp the changes Ive seen in my life---if shell ever believe
that there was a time when blacks could not drink from public water fountains, when Hispanic
children were punished for speaking Spanish in the public schools, and women couldnt vote
and I will tell Lilly that those triumphs were Democratic party triumphs.(2). I Ann is an open
Democrat and frequently speaks on behalf of the party Now we Democrats believe that
America is still the county of fair play, that we can come out of a small town or a poor
neighborhoodwhether we are black or Hispanic or disabled or a woman(3). At this point she
is on a slippery slope and is overly sentimental, but it appeals to the all Democratic audience.
Ann has executed her credibility by conditioning the audience to believe what she is stating,

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regardless of any facts of these statements given. She would go on to serve as Texas State
Governor in 1991-1995.
Further in her speech she seizes the moment to endorse Michael Dukakis and Senator
Lloyd Bentsen. Ann and strategically uses this point in the ending of the speech to put her choice
of candidates in the mix. She uses a logical approach by presenting the short comings of the
Republican Party. Richards brings up the fact that the Republicans lied to the public how the CIA
was fighting a drug war while knowing about the trade routes of the Cartel into Chicago. She
also points out that the Republican war on terror is hypocritical because the administration was
giving weapons to Ayatollah, as well as the stating the Republican administration has led the
Country into the deepest deficit in the countrys history. The effect of this tactic is to persuade the
audience that the republicans views and ideas are failed ideas.
Although the Democrats lost the election, Ann Richards address launched her career,
where she went on to be the Governor of Texas and the Democrats later took the office with Bill
Clinton in 1992. Ann accomplished what she set out to do and that was to bring attention to the
Republicans failures and issues the nation was struggling with. Shortly after this the employment
rate kept trending upwards and the United States was on its way to being a more prosperous and
dominant nation.

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Work Cited
Richards, Ann. "American Rhetoric: Democratic National Convention Keynote
Address." American Rhetoric: Ann Richards - Democratic National Convention
Keynote Address. Michael Eidenmuller/ McGraw Hill, Apr.-May 2008. Web. 20
Sept. 2015. PDF