On Thursday, October 2 2011, President Obama gave a speech at a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) dinner.

He spoke about gay rights, tolerance, and becoming a more united nation in order to overcome our issues. His logic and credibility are constantly underscored by his emotional appeals, and his delivery is the cherry on top. Although there is an alternative reason for this speech (reelections coming up), it is apparent that he does want to leave a great legacy in the country that he currently runs. The president opened up by telling a joke about going to California to speak with the leader of the gay community, Lady Gaga. He does this to give his speech a more intimate feel, and to show that he is fond of the group. Once the crowd is laughing and all warmed up, he goes on to thank Joe, their president, to show that he is respectful of the HRC, and that he cares. He wants to be on their good side. Finally, he dives into the speech, in which he talks about gay rights, and how the country needs to come together on this issue, as well as many others, in order to become a more perfect union. Obama says that every American deserves equal treatment. It isnt fair that the LGBT community is treated like second-class citizens. He vows to stand up for them, along with his wife, and that he would make lasting changes. He speaks of the progress he made in the past, such as abolishing Dont Ask Dont Tell, encouraging the members of the audience to not give up. He was basically saying we have made changes- it is possible to be better, and we will continue to be so. He then goes on to say that just as we as a country need to unite on issues such as gay rights, we need to come together on other things, like the economy. America, according to President Obama, is not a small America. We believe in a big America, an America where everybody has got a fair shot, and everyone pays their fair share. An America where we value success and the idea that anyone can make

it. (Obama). He is confident in our country and the people who reside in it. Throughout the speech, he makes a strong statement, proving it both with fact and the use of compelling stories and touching words. There is no question that our President is a smart and convincing man. He graduated from Harvard, and was the editor of the Harvard Law Review. That already shows he is extremely intelligent, and is likely to know what he is talking about. He has a reputation already for his great speeches, and has proved himself on numerous occasions. And if that isnt enough believability, he is the President of the United States, someone of authority who is usually respected and admired by the people over whom he governs, regardless of political views. As far as this specific speech though, there is plenty of evidence to prove that he is a reliable speaker. Near the beginning of his speech, he talks about the progress he has made in this country over the past two and a half years, by abolishing the Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy and establishing the American Jobs Act. This establishes trust between him and the audience. He has already proved himself, and the audience therefore can believe him. He makes specific cultural references, such as the It Gets Better videos. This shows that he is living in their universe, and that he knows what is happening in their world. He also speaks directly at the audience, not as politician to potential voter, but person to person. He tells his audience that he needs them, and that they have to have his back. While this could also be viewed as pathos, it makes the audience believe in what he is saying, and they want to trust and support him. Obama is clearly a credible speaker. But what about his argument? His HRC speech presents a very logical point of view. He says that every American deserves equal treatment. That statement comes straight from some of our founding documents. The

country is built around opportunity and respect. Why should somebody be denied these basic rights? Here in America everybody gets a fair shot, and they pay their fair share. Thats hard logic to argue with. We believe in success. How can we achieve success if we struggle and fight against each other? President Obama addresses this in his speech. According to him, it is essential to come together as a country. It happens when people look past their ultimately minor differences to see themselves in the hopes and struggles of their fellow human beings. (Obama). That is the only way to become a more perfect union. His point is clear, and it makes perfect sense. The third of the rhetorical appeals is probably the most important. Pathos is the appeal to the emotions. A lot of times, when something touches straight at the heart, it is more powerful than something that speaks to the mind. And in this particular speech, pathos is used much more than the other appeals. At the very start of the speech, when Obama made the joke about Lady Gaga, it could be argued that it was a form of pathos. He wanted to lighten the mood of the audience and get them ready for the rest of the presentation. Even as the body of the speech is delivered, it becomes obvious that the entire piece will be pathos-based. The President starts off saying that everyone deserves an equal shot, as discussed previously in the ethos and logos sections. He shows his support for the LGBT community, You should never have to look over your shoulder to be gay in the United States of America. (Obama), then goes on to share stories that go straight to the heart. He talked about the lady who was not permitted to be at the bedside of the woman she loved, even as she lay dying. He talks about his vision of the perfect America, when a father realizes he doesnt just love his daughter, but also her wife when a soldier tells his unit that hes gay, and they tell him they knew it all along and

they didnt care, because he was the toughest guy in the unitwhen a video sparks a movement to let every single young person know theyre not alone, and things will get better where change is happening. (Obama). He talks about the gay soldier who got booed, and said he would NEVER tolerate such a thing. President Obama even went as far as to say that he and his wife love and care about the students that are hurting every day. He says they promise to stand and fight alongside the LGBT community until justice comes their way. He draws away from the professional, scripted version of his speech to yell Im fired up too! at a man who screamed out in the middle. This speech was definitely centered around the emotional side of the issue, and Obama did a very good job in relating to it. Delivery is another vital element of a great speech. And like the other rhetorical appeals, Obama shows he is more than capable of proving himself. Throughout his presentation, he convinces his viewers and listeners that he really believes in what he is saying, and that they should too. His voice is his biggest method of delivery. He is constantly changing his volume level as well as his tone. At the end, he keeps raising and raising his voice until the reaches the peak of the speech; he then drops his voice to his normal tone. When talking about the more sensitive, emotional concepts, he speaks more gently, and when talking about uniting, he uses a very authoritative tone. His facial expressions are another element of delivery. His emotions are clearly etched on his face, emphasizing his points and his message. Although sometimes overlooked, without these expressions, the change in voice wouldnt really matter. His delivery is what takes this great speech from being just words to something with lots of meaning that people can really buy. He could say all the impressive and intelligent things he wants, but without

his convincing delivery, they wouldnt mean much. Delivery is definitely an important part of rhetoric. Rhetoric is something most people dont think about. Its something we use in our everyday lives without even realizing. But once you take the time to analyze it and see it used in real life, it is really an impressive thing. Looking into the elements of rhetoric helps one gain more of an appreciation for the speech and speaker. It helps to understand the speech on a deeper level. Obama is a great speaker. He is very credible, has a strong point, and can really tug at peoples emotions. On top of that, he believes in what he is saying and conveys that to the audience. He used rhetorical appeals to make a speech that would not only be informative, but promising. He used rhetoric to inspire America.