Political Canidates Speaking Styles

Neil Delimont

Mr. Bateman

English 101

February 4, 2008

Political Candidates Speaking Styles

With the political primaries underway across the U.S., the idea of who is the best

candidate for president is the question on everyone’s minds. Should people choose based on experience or what is said? Many Americans listen to the speeches and debates and hear not only what is being said, but how it is being said as well. Grabbing the audiences attention is necessary to convey the messages the speaker is trying to say. Using Pathos, Ethos and Logos appeals is an important factor in the acceptance of the messages.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both strong speakers. While their views may be different, their communication styles are similar. Clinton, for example, tends to speak in more of a Logos appeal than any other. After opening a speech, clear facts and numbers seem to dominate her structure for the speech. On May 24, 2007, Clinton addressed the issue of over spending on health care. Clinton stated, "We spend 16 percent of our gross domestic product - $2 trillion -- on health care. And by 2016, health costs are scheduled to exceed $4 trillion, or almost 20% of GDP. That means that within less than 10 years, 20 cents out of every dollar produced in America will be spent on healthcare”. The tone and demeanor remain strong throughout the presentation, but with that also comes a sense of “fakeness” as the listeners take in her messages. The artificial approach seems to arise when Clinton attempts to use an Ethos appeal in her speeches. She aims to establish trust with the audience through her deliverance and tone. By forming what the listeners consider a relationship with their speaker, Clinton may get more support and extra attention to her messages. Although full trust with the speaker is ideal, at times it seems that Clinton’s Ethos appeal is often forced and unnatural. While addressing New Hampshire on October 11, 2007, Clinton focused the conversation on higher education costs and solutions. Clinton said, “ How many of you have ever wondered how we're going to pay back those loans? Well, we don't exactly make it easy for you, do we? College costs are up 35 percent in the last five years alone. The average student graduates with $20,000 in debt”. As stated in the quote before, Clinton attempts to connect on an emotional level with audience but immediately returns to her logos safety net with facts and numbers.

Obama, on the other hand, tends to really grasp the idea of Ethos. He tends to build trust with the listeners and portrays himself in what appears to be a genuine way.

Obama’s