Obama speaking in both a formal and less formal situation. It is interesting that despite this, it does not necessarily mean that he will follow the conventions that are expected within each context. However, one must acknowledge that the improvised nature of his interview with David Letterman will undoubtedly create a less formal register. It is also worth noting that Obama was not President, but Senator at the time of the interview, which may also have had an impact. Barack Obama creates rapport with his audience during his victory acceptance speech in a multitude of ways.
In terms of structure, he opens his speech by directly addressing those in front of him, ‘Hello Chicago! ’ This creates an instant link with those before him. He then goes on to address those who may have doubted his chance at victory and immediately follows this by thanking ‘the lines’ of voters who have brought him to victory. This personal approach would engage the audience and make them feel directly involved in his success. Obama goes on to thank colleagues, some of whom he calls ‘partner’, again alluding to a close union and kinship, before finally thanking his family.
I think the order in which he thanks people demonstrates how grateful he is to the American people for making him president, as he is sure to thank them first of all. The intimate way in which he thanks ‘the love of my life’ his wife would make the audience feel that he allowing them into his world by disclosing his feelings about his family members so openly. These sincere thanks to a variety of sources make him appear humble and not over-confident. However, he still displays confidence in the way he makes definite and unifying assertions – ‘We are, and always will be, the United States of America’.
The Essay on Obama Represents Zeitgeist of 2008
Being born in a black-white family, experiencing hardships throughout the child and teen stages, Barack Obama, as the first African American President of the United States, embodied dreams of thousands of people, both black and white. Obama became a symbol of the new U. S. history and personifies the brand new page, which is uncertain for the world, but rather clear for American citizens. What was ...
Obama also discloses intimate details about his family during his interview with David Letterman; he seems keen to emphasise the ‘normality’ of his upbringing. ‘They got points for that’ he says of his mom and grandma for taking him to Disneyland and the audience obliges with expected amusement. In his victory acceptance speech, Obama’s references to everyday places and situations also make his audience feel more connected with him. His use of phrases such as ‘on the streets’, ‘on the train home’, ‘in the back yards’ and ‘living rooms’ demonstrate how even though he is President, he is also one of them.
However, to lend his speech a weight of authenticity there are also references to familiar patriotic symbols to stir up the emotions of the audience – when discussing the humble roots of his campaign, Obama echoes the Gettysburg address – an address deeply embedded in the heart of American culture, he says, ‘a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth’. He also directly quotes the much revered President Lincoln, again making the a
