Barack Obama's facts and emotional appeals in New Orleans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laHW0sF1nmM&feature=user

This speech was given on February 7, 2008, by Barack Obama at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He gave this speech for his campaign to become President of the United States.



In the introduction of his speech, Obama uses historic facts of New Orleans to make the people feel as if he knows the problems and issues that their beloved city is facing, and have trust in him to help New Orleans get back on its feet. At the same time he uses these facts as a transition statement from his introduction to the body of his speech (0:25-1:02). I find it unique that he used these facts in this sort of way.

In his speech, Barack Obama uses facts and emotional appeals to make his speech more effective to his audience. He adresses both the recent destruction of the city and corruption of the city government to win over the people of New Orleans. He also uses specific examples to show the greatness of the city and its people. He uses examples such as: Mardi Gras parades rolling along the city's streets, the new and improved streets cars along St. Charles drive, the superbowl winning quarterback, Eli Manning, who is a native of New Orleans, and the hardworking people of New Orleans rebuilding their city (1:52-2:55). Barack Obama uses facts and emtional appeal to make the people of New Orleans know that he cares about the people, the city itself, and the state of Louisiana.

I believe that Barack Obama's speech was very effective. Besides his use of facts and emotional appeals, he maintained eye contact the entire time of his speech and spoke with confidence. He definitely knew his audience, as well. This can be proven by the facts and emotional appeals he used. Overall, it was effective and his point was proven to the his audience. The only the thing he could have done better was not bad mouth President Bush. I feel that he disrespected him by saying that President Bush saw the people of New Orleans out of a window of an airplane. If it would have been him in that situation, he would not have wanted to get out that airplane either. Beside that remark about President Bush, I believe that he did an excellent job.