Please read the “ground rules” listed below before posting at least 3 contributions to our discussion. (Note, you may contribute more if you'd like. Remember, if you choose not to join us live, there are many opportunities to contribute to our discussion after watching/reading the President’s Address, the Democratic Party Response, and the ensuing political/media fallout in other ways: online video clips, online news/media analysis, print articles, twitter feeds, etc. Tonight’s State of the Union Address : January 30th at 7PM on every TV and cable news network; it’ll be streaming online on YouTube, news network, and the Whitehouse.gov websites. In short, it's hard to miss. Discussion Ground Rules: Keep all comments related to the materials associated with rhetoric and its effectiveness avoid attacking/discussing the political viewpoints or personalities unless it's genuinely relevant. Abide by all behavioral expectations as a real-life classroom....
The President is wearing a blue tie. This could be an attempt and showing a bi-partisan front. I wonder what the media will make of this.
ReplyDeleteI agree that President Trump wearing a blue tie is a way of connecting the two parties. President Trump just called both Democrats and Republics to action in hopes of unifying to strengthen the government and nation as a whole.
DeleteI wonder why the president is wearing a blue tie instead of the red tie that he is often pictured to wear. A large portion of his cabinet are wearing red ties but he is not. Furthermore, blue is associated more with the democratic party. I wonder why this decision was made. Maybe to be more serene seeming?
ReplyDelete"A clear vision"... Really?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the rhetorical purpose of this allusion that he is currently reciting?
ReplyDeleteTrump uses lots of inspirational and positive words, trying to create an association that this first year has been good. He uses positive rhetoric to make the audience think of only the good things that have happened in America, and all the good things that Americans have done.
ReplyDeleteI agree, he is focusing intentionally on positive words, and strong patriotism in order to drive his "unity" message home.
DeleteIs it standard to not say the names of the Speaker of the House, Vice President, and First Lady?
ReplyDeleteThe President clearly opens with the idea of resiliency by recognizing the events of recent hurricanes and recognizing specific military/public service figures. He engages his audience by developing his pathos. He gets Americans to feel united and appreciatated to lighten the mood before he proceeds with possibly controversial topics (strategy: find common ground with the American people to establish a connection).
ReplyDeleteI also noticed that the president seems to be recognizing only individuals or events. He didn't recognize any movements that lasted throughout the year. I wonder why he didn't reference ongoing movements/activities?
DeleteI think this is a rhetorical strategy. It is non-refutable. No one is going to say that a veteran isn't heroic. There are people who will argue that various movements are not beneficial. In addition to this, the individual event make him look better because most of the major movements of the year were not positive for Trump. Even the ones that were pro-Trump, ended up back firing (Ex. Charlottesville).
DeleteThrowing humor into a situation to avoid tension by calling the representative the legend of Louisiana.
ReplyDeleteReferencing individuals who have done heroic work in the past year is an interesting application of pathos, in expressing sympathy and support for them. It's a good draw and provides support for the president.
ReplyDeleteTrump uses words like "we", "us", and other group association words when referring to everyone in the room with him as well as when referring to all American people. An attempt to unite everyone's opinions, or to appear as though everyone shares in his beliefs?
ReplyDeleteI think that through saying words like "we" and "us" Trump is trying to show that these are his goals for everyone, not just a specific group or class of people.
DeleteTrumps recognition of coast guards and firefighters could be seen as an attempt to appeal to the "average" American and working class.
ReplyDeleteRecognizing coast guard and firefighters also appeals to the entire audience instead of just his supporters
DeleteHe starts by telling the short anecdotes to honor various people to seek to set the tone and show American pride and dignity before continuing the address
ReplyDeletePresident Trump also includes very strong language. He uses words that sound strong as well as enforce his point that he has strengthened the U.S.. President Trump also uses a very firm tone and stands up straight to try to seem stronger. He makes eye contact with the subjects he's addressing, and is seen smiling. Could this be to change the way the public sees him? Is he trying to change his image to be more presidential?
DeleteChallenge, tame? Isn't that what you reserve for wild animals?
ReplyDeleteMy little brother said the exact same thing haha
DeleteHe starts his speech by using "bigly" words to describe various events that happen in America this year including hurricanes, fires, shootings, etc. As Tom Brokaw said in the NBC news intro, "he sells sizzle instead of substance." I'm wondering if his entire speech is going to be praise for his year in office and events he was president for. Is the use of dramatic, meaningless phrases common for this speech?
ReplyDeleteWhile I do see your point, it is also only the beginning of his hour long speech so I wouldn't have expected him to come out with phrases that carry much weight.
DeleteHe's 35 minutes in and he still hasn't changed his rhetoric or the way he wants to get his message across.
DeleteI know I am joining in late, but I have noticed how Trump uses many filler adjectives like "beautiful, clean coal". I just don't find this very necessary at all. I understand that this he will be talking for around two hours, but it still isn't that important to use elementary school level words about coal. He's just doing his best to stretch the time.
DeleteThinking back to Trump's inauguration speech, that was a very doom-and-gloom speech. However, tonight Trump is speaking very positively, with a very favorable outlook. Why is he changing his rhetoric? Could it be how his first speech was received by the people and media, and is him trying to rectify it?
ReplyDeleteHe is most likely switching tones because he was trying to make it sound terrible when he came into office but now that he is the commander in chief, he is trying to make it sound wonderful.
DeleteYeah, I think that is a very interesting point. Maybe he is proud of what he has done in office so far? Or it could be the reception from the public after the inauguration speech? Either way, it is smart for him to sound positive because making a doom-and-gloom speech about your first year in office probably won't encourage your supporters (or anyone for that matter)
DeleteTrumps begins his speech with positive and inspiring words, then uses numbers to back up his claims.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, throwing numbers at people seems to be a very good rhetorical strategy for him. Nobody is going to stand up and go "that's wrong," so he can use whatever numbers he chooses to support his claim. Additionally, the applause he gets for this positive statements is valuable, as it makes the claim seem absolutely legitimate.
DeletePresident Trump says at one point, “We’re here for you, we love you, and we’ll pull through together.” He’s using such strong communial language to convince the audience that his priority is teamwork and peace amongst the nation. This rhetoric is especially useful given how many Americans have a negative view of the president with his actions and views on the LGBT community, women, and immigrants.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that too. I also thought that it was interesting that he almost immediately brought up the horrible storms that hit the east coast despite the fact that his administration came under fire for how they managed the repairs, especially in Puerto Rico.
DeleteBig logos boost for Trump here. He is giving us a lot of statistics (jobs, wages, tax cuts, etc.) to help develop his decorum (logos-ethos-pathos triangle).
ReplyDelete-“tax free”
-“slashing tax bills in half”
-over 2,00,000 new jobs
-“more take home pay”
Lots of economic statistics to appeal to lower/middle class Americans.
I agree the use of logos to describe his accomplishments has been the main rhetorical strategy in this speech.
DeleteI think that its interesting that Donald Trump began his speech by talking about the great things that America has achieved this year and not things that he has done. I think this was done in order to win over some of the audience. He then went into talking about what his actions have done to help the country and you can see that he's not trying very hard to win over those who don't agree with him.
ReplyDeleteHe might do this because it is much harder to hate "great things" that the country has achieved instead of attaching his name to it and causing everyone who despises him to despise the action/event.
DeleteMany people were probably going into the State of the Union ready to dismiss most everything Trump was going to say. By talking about America and not himself, he causes people to concede to him because they will agree with the things he is saying about America
DeleteTrump starts out his speech giving almost all good things that have happened during the year making sure to only give exact numbers to things that have had a large growth while being vague on the smaller ones. He is wearing a blue tie maybe in an attempt to unit both republicans and democrats.
ReplyDeleteWhen he talks about take home pay for Americans, he never mentions a number and just says a lot more to be more vague and positive sounding.
ReplyDeleteWelp, bipartisanship lasted 23 minutes
ReplyDeleteDid he mispronounce Obamacare on purpose?
ReplyDeleteGood catch: this could easily be his way of denouncing Obamacare...this cleverly calls the American people to act against it in favor of Trump’s health care reform plans.
Delete"oPamacare" !!! Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Bernie Sanders were not amused
DeleteTrump says, "a new tide of optimism is sweeping across our land." I found this interesting considering the outbreaks, riots and protest marches that have happened. Trump is trying to focus on the present and the future in order to help the public to see him as an authority figure who leads our nation with confidence and optimism through ethos.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that President Trump is constantly looking to his left, witch is conveniently the location of the Republicans. This shows that he gravitates towards the people that like him, witch is natural, but I'm not sure if it is the smartest move for him. I wonder what the people will have to say about this after the speech?
ReplyDeleteI noticed this as well. It seems like Trump is seeking approval through what he is saying, and wants to look at the people who are nodding their heads and giving Trump the social reassurance that he wants. I don't think that he is doing this because he wants to turn his cheek to the Democratic side, I just think that Trump is either consciously or subconsciously seeking this social approval that the words he is saying are being approved by the people he is speaking to.
DeleteI agree Julia. Trump throughout his campaign and in most of his speeches and actions has developed a strategy of solidifying support within his base without a huge effort to reach across the isle to those that disagree with him. It's a strategy that worked for him and got him elected, so it makes sense that he would stick with it. He did make more of an effort to connect with democrats in this speech on some things though.
DeleteI agree. He also turns left whenever there is applause, regardless of whether its towards a person in the audience. Its almost as if he is turning his back on the Democrats that doubted him and facing the Republicans that have supported him.
DeleteI was wondering if this was a deliberate move or if Trump did this out of habit because he would have more friends and close ones on his left. I could see either being the case, but I was wondering whether it was intentional or just that he felt more comfortable looking at the people who are close to him.
DeleteAs Christine said, major logos. He's starting to get a little more into Ethos, with some anecdotal evidence.
ReplyDeleteTrump is using many different personal, average American stories to further prove his point of improvement.
ReplyDelete^^^notice that all of Congress gives a standing ovation when Trump recognizes different indiviuals for their accomplishments.
DeleteUses Cory from Ohio to represent the general public and their benefit from the tax cuts. This creates a common feeling of success and unity (American Home).
DeleteThroughout his speech, it’s clear that Trump is trying to appeal to the audience, by using sympathetic language, humor, and recognizing others for their achievements. He’s trying to paint himself as a charasmatic man.
ReplyDeleteIt's clear that he is not trying to win over those who are protesting him. After almost every statement he will turn is back towards those who are protesting him.
ReplyDeleteTrump also spends some of his time recognizing other leaders and heroes. This is pathos because he is trying to appear charismatic, appreciative and respectful by asking the audience and the public to appreciate the services and well doings of others.
ReplyDeletePreston’s placement right next to the First Lady really speaks to the President’s focus on the “future generation” of the country. He makes this kid stand out to help prove his plans to usher the country into the next generation/promote a better nation for the sake of its future.
Delete"You can dream anything, you can be anything, and together we can do absolutely anything" He's appealing to the American dream and trying to paint everyone together rather than separate parties, which also explains the blue tie to make him seem more inclusive
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about " The ability to do anything under the American Flag" he was clearly looking at the Democrats.... interesting
ReplyDeleteWhat are the purple ribbons all about?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing! According to CBS news, its to bring awareness to the opioid epidemic
Deletehttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/state-of-the-union-senators-wear-purple-ribbons-bring-awareness-opioid-crisis/
He's making an allusion to a matter that has been very divisive. The debate between the right to free speech and the respect of the flag was a major topic during the year. Is this an attempt to place more blame upon the people who oppose his ideas?
ReplyDeleteBy wearing the a blue tie, the president sets up a bipartisan front. He also creates a casual and friendly mood by entering and shaking congressman hands. Along with this, he begins clapping with everyone else, somewhat boosting his image.
ReplyDeleteHe starts off his speech with praise for accomplishments among the government and also emphasizes togetherness among democrats and republicans in order to create for unity.
I agree! The blue tie shows that Trump is making an effort to unite the Republican and Democratic parties, and he is making an effort to seem like a friendly, and successful President.
DeleteDid he just mistake the 1st Amendment for the 2nd?
ReplyDeleteTrump is also looking a lot to the left indicating his support and appreciation for the republican party.
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure what the president is trying to convey. I feel like its just been a mixture of anecdotes that sound good but don't clearly relate to each other. What is the rhetorical strategy of this?
ReplyDeleteI feel like he is focusing primarily on pathos by using all of his stories to personally connect with groups of Americans.
DeleteI do not believe his speech will be all anecdotes but I do find it hard to analyze his speech with all the breaks for clapping
DeleteHis use of bipartisanship at the beginning of his speech is a surprise and a change from his usual rhetoric. His purpose is to steer clear from controversial topics and focus on topics that both parties can agree upon, such as small business owners and patriotic children. This improves the impression the speech leaves on people, if the tone is positive and celebratory.
ReplyDeleteThe war on "beautiful, clean coal"!?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if all of you just caught that, but essentially what he just said is he wants to give cabinet members the power to fire people that aren't loyal enough or they don't like. That's a big deal.
ReplyDelete"we have eliminated more regulations than any other administration" He is pandering to his own audience. Democrats might tend to see this as a bad thing, while more conservative people like this approach.
ReplyDeleteThe President transitions to the nation’s energy statistics. He builds his argument by using specific word choice and timely pauses to engage the audience (and promote constant reactions from the audience).
ReplyDelete-“engines reving again” - jeux de mots
-“clean coal”
Use of anaphora when he says "Americans are coming back, they wanna be where the action is, they wanna be in America"
ReplyDelete"Tonight I call upon all of us to set aside our differences to seek out common ground and to summon unity we need to deliever for the people". Trump uses this line to make everyone feel united and like we are all on common ground with him, he personalizes it and makes everyone feel like they have a part in where our world goes, gives us all a part.
ReplyDeleteDid he just motion for the democrat side to stand up after that last point of his?
ReplyDeleteHe just did it again. Does he have anything to gain from doing this? As a viewer it just seems like he is making an unnecessary snub at democrats.
Delete"No people on earth are so fearless or daring or determined as Americans". This quote shows the people that Trump admires them and that we, the people, are great. This is pathos, used to relate to the people on a personal level.
ReplyDeleteWhen he mentions prescription drugs he points out the democrats and motions for them to stand. This is very interesting because there is a greater older population in the democrat party and lower prices on prescription drugs is important for the older generation. It is apart of the Medicare system.
ReplyDeleteJust motioned the Democrats to stand up after talking about lowering price of prescription drugs.... definitely marks a turn of attitude than from the beginning of the speech
ReplyDelete"Recognize that the state of our union is strong because our people are strong"
ReplyDeleteBy saying "our" he personalizes this and makes everyone feel apart of it. He also compliments the American public.
He is using many phrases such as "new" "haven't seen this in a long time" etc. to hammer home the idea of the many new changes and the aesthetic that trump is attempting to convey he has created.
ReplyDeleteCalls for action FOR BOTH PARTIES:
ReplyDelete-rebuild America’s infrastructure.
-1.5 trillion dollar infrastructure investment that our country so “desperately needs”
-“reclaim our building HERITAGE”
-“American heart, American hands, and American grit” (alluding to/playing off of his “build a wall” statement to transition to domestic/American needs/the American Dream)
"American hearts, American hands, and American grit" Instance of the rhetorical strategy of parallelism.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be trying to appeal to the democrats in a lot of what he's saying. This is obvious when he mentioned "paid family leave."
ReplyDeletePresident Trump begins his speech by making the audience feel as if they were one by pointing out the natural disasters that have effected everyone. He recognized a heroic women who saved families from the hurricane Harvey and by this showed the audience that we are one in these disasters. This effort was in attempt to bring both sides of the government together rather than more separated. He then continued talking to the audience about the positive changes he has made while being president like tax cuts, new jobs, ect. The tone of his speech seems to be wanting to inspire the audience to be a united country. The rhetoric he uses makes himself seem well educated about the current world and wanting to continue to make positive changes by his use of inspiring and hopeful language.
ReplyDeleteReally powerful anecdote that hits families hard on a personal, very emotional level. This is an effective use of pathos to unite the country, particularly families...he appeals to humans’ common desire to care/protect their loved ones. He layers various types of content to balance republican, democrat, the media, and the country’s reactions.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, but at the same time it is divisive because it makes it seem like the only people who murder are illegal immigrants and that those who have lost due to other things or people are somehow less able to grieve.
Delete"Americans are dreamers too."
ReplyDeleteHis strategy seems to be shifting slightly- the last few minutes he seems to be looking more to his voter base than the democrats.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn’t he looking directly into the camera? As a viewer, it is harder to establish a connection with the speaker, Trump, when there is minimal eye contact, but this hints to his purpose: appealing to congressmen and congresswomen.
ReplyDelete"Thousands and thousands and thousands...": Use of polysyndeton to emphasize his argument and statements.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the beginning of his speech, President Trump spent a lot of time highlighting the success of many first responders and military personnel. I think that he uses these examples as they are very hard to refute. It is a very weak base for anyone to claim that the first responders he mentioned and others are not heroes. No one could create a strong argument against his statements as it would attack subjects that many, likely bipartisan, would consider improper, like claiming that first responders and the military are not heroes.
ReplyDeleteHe is essentially using absolute “T” truths to bolster his ethos/decorum. Similar to some of our concession/free argument techniques.
DeleteI thought it was interesting that Trump was talking about prisons and how inmates are going to be given a second chance at life and at work, but he doesn't explain it a lot about how. Then he talks about gang violence and uses real-life examples to show victims of the gangs and also people helping to prevent the gang violence. But then he talks briefly about how many of these gang members are going to be sent to prison, but he also expands on how "horrible" these gang members are. Does this weaken his rhetoric by showing how inmates are being given a second chance but then saying that the people going into these prisons are horrible people?
ReplyDeleteDescribes his plan as "Four Pillars." Pillars are used to support something, so saying that his plan consists of pillars says that they will make a sturdy country, and support the people.
ReplyDeleteTrump uses logos by stating specific facts regarding drug addiction and the drug epidemic. He uses this to support his claim regarding the opioid crisis.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Trump uses logos to back up his argument about drug addiction and the drug epidemic. He also uses pathos though when he talks about "...but, as Americans always do, we will prevail."
Deletetrump had made a statement on coming together, he had put his arms up gesturing to everyone in the crowd. this helps him to appeal a bit more to everyone in the room as he is gesturing to everyone.
ReplyDeleteTrump on nuclear weapons:
ReplyDelete“We are not there YET, unfortunately” (referrring to nuclear retreat)
This is a very current and global topic. His wording gives the American people hope/comfort...he shows the audience that he is on their side.
Trump is calling on many people from the audience and using their stories to bolster his positions, clearly displaying a strong use of ethos.
ReplyDeleteHe is definitely trying to make it clear that he recognizes ALL of the American people. This is the key to connecting with your audience. You can’t engage/get the support of the audience if you don’t express your sympathy and understanding of them and their lives
DeleteTrump establishes his definition of terrorists as “...not criminals..but unlawful enemy combatants” to avoid any misinterpretation, which can ensue in the media if he is not clear. Interesting that he specifies his word choice for this particular topic. This appears to be his way of communicating with certain media sources that have negatively depicted Trump for his word choice.
ReplyDeleteReally good observation. Definitely noticed this as well.
DeleteTrump is making very exaggerated gestures towards the democratic side of the chamber... An attempt at bipartisanship
ReplyDeleteMaybe not an exaggeration but a gesture to unite everyone (an ongoing theme in his speech). A lot of the Democrats, in fact, stood up and applauded for one of the first times this entire time. The defeat of ISIS is evidently a topic that both parties agree on and Trump simply thanks them for agreeing finally.
DeleteHe is now clearly positioning himself towards the democratic side of the chamber as he discusses North Korea. Trump is really using body language to connect with the audience.
DeleteTrump smoothly transitioned between Jerusalem and funding for other foreign nations, rather than properly addressing the means by which those countries are trying to stop the decision. I would be curious what he would say if prompted directly with that question.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that the president seems to be jumping from topic to topic. It sounds appealing and helps establish his rhetoric. However, it is at the sacrifice to being confusing to follow.
ReplyDeleteI agree. He is going into “rapid fire” mode (likely the climax of his speech). Very different to the calm, slow pace of the early portions of his speech. It gives the audience a lot to take in while not giving them too much time to judge him...everybody tries to keep up, so it is potentially a distraction as he addresses so many controversial/emotional topics at this time.
DeleteI also agree with this, but I also thought it weakens some points of his rhetoric because of the lack of detail. I do think the rapid fire transitions from topic to topic help keep people focused on what he's saying, and he does use a lot of proof of people's stories and experiences. However, if someone was to want to know more about topics like how Trump is specifically dealing with things like the opioid/drug crisis, that information may not really be available on the specifics of how Trump is dealing with the crisis and also may be unclear to people on how to get involved themselves.
DeleteOtto obviously shouldn't have died because of what he did, but Trump conveniently left out the fact that Otto pulled down a poster of Kim Jong Un while he was in North Korea. North Korea is not a place where you don't follow every rule there is. By leaving this out, he demonized North Koreans. They did overreact, but Trump left out the true reason that Otto was arrested, which affected the lens that this story is seen through.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Trump brings the actual heroes and people affected by different issues (such as illegal immigration, drugs, hurricanes, etc…) is a direct use of pathos. He emotionally connects with his audience and by doing so it only emphasizes the importance of the issues he’s addressing.
ReplyDeleteTrump emphasizes words including vulnerable and tragically by fluctuating his tone or raising his voice. This psychologically and mentally places importance and significance on these certain words and/or phrases in the mind of the observer. This more clearly conveys his perspective and hits hard on the points that he really wants to audience to take away.
ReplyDeleteHe also uses hand gestures to place emphasis on phrases and words as well.
ReplyDeleteThe president used a lot of pathos in his speech as a method of unifying the two parties. By telling stories of regular Americans doing great things, as well as stories of people who fought through hardship, he manages to draw at least some sort of unification from the whole audience.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Trump uses pathos as a way to help unify the parties as the stories and the examples that he gave appealed to people as a whole and not just as a party.
DeleteTrump built his campaign on the idea of putting America first, and during the first part of his speech he talked all about America and the economy along with trade and tax cuts. Trump uses his "America first" ideas as rhetoric, but he also went into more context to make it a reality. Often Trump says "Make America Great Again," and he did a better job than usual during his speeches of using examples and policy to push his basic ideas further. The visuals used during the speech also were impactful, such as the North Korean defector with his crutches.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think that the message last evening was strong? Some people would say this was incorrect because the state of the union is extremely divided and most people hate our leadership...Some would say this is correct because of our economy and how it is going up (the stock market is going up and value of dollar is high).
ReplyDeletePresident Trump used carefully chosen words and body language as his main rhetorical strategies. In the beginning, the diction was implicative of peace, unity, and cooperation. He also stayed true to an "America first" approach. Instead of talking about international affairs, he talked about what kinds of policies we are working on at home. Trump's body language was softer in this speech than in some of his other public appearances, like the debates. He used large, sweeping motions as a device to try to include everyone in what he was saying.
DeleteAt the beginning of the address, President Trump reviews his first year in office, highlighting the good and the bad and he also takes the time to recognize key individuals who aided America in her times of crisis. This recognition appeals to the average American, especially those who are or have been involved, or have relations to, our nation's military and first-responders. He also, in spite of the growing political divide within America, calls upon members of both the Democratic and Republican parties to work together as one to return to the original foundation of what it means to work for the government: to represent and aide the people of America. He then describe our nation's identity by using an anaphora to describe our nation's resiliency and determination. As he goes on to describe his achievements since being in office, such as the soaring economy, low unemployment rates, and high tax-cuts, he uses unifying words such as "we", "us", or "Americans" in order to create a community spirit among the people. He also calls on both Congress and American people with goals in mind of how to truly make America a better, safer, and greater country for the deserving citizens of the United States.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think Trump leveraged logos in his speech, however, now that people have had a chance to fact check the speech, I don't know how much of the facts and datasets he presented were reliable. However, the logos that was true enhanced his rhetoric.
ReplyDeletePresident Trump takes time to recognize key individuals and people who also were affected by the hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and California. He took time to thank those who are in the military and first responders. He also mentions that people came together after the shooting, and not as Democrats or Republicans, but as representatives of the people. The pathos that President Trump uses draws the audience into listening by making the audience feel something.
ReplyDeleteTrump spends the first part of his speech engaging in "tribal talk" by listing the accomplishments of certain individuals and how "no people on earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans". He then uses the audiences feeling of pride and patriotism to transition into his accomplishments and thus makes them have a more positive outlook on his speech.
ReplyDeleteI think Trump's rhetoric, although not in diction, is polite to a fault. He seems to be trying to set a tone with adjectives and phrasing, however his monotonous voice and stiffness juxtaposes and, in a way, neutralizes it.
ReplyDelete