An Analysis of Obama's Acceptance Speech

Senator Barack Obama gave an electrifying speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, August 28^th 2008. After saying thank you many times to the ebullient crowd, he made it clear off the bat that he is a common American just like everybody else while scanning every face in the venue. Obama establishes a tangible relationship with his audience by talking about how everyone in his family has pursued the American dream while facing hardships along the way. He made references to his mother who was able to raise him while working a job and attending college simultaneously. His message proved to be more effective as he succeeded speaking conversationally rather than condescendingly. In order to lure the audience into his main message, he uses the common emotional thread that unites all Americans, their families and the belief that all dreams can be achieved.

The core of Obama's speech consisted of varying topics and rebuttals to McCain's stances and beliefs. He used repetition and exaggerated the tone of his voice when saying "Enough!" and telling the audience that we cannot afford a third term of George W. Bush. Obama effectively pauses for a dramatic effect, such as when he quoted one of McCain's chief advisors saying that Americans are "just suffering from a mental recession and a nation of whiners" to allow the audience to digest the point that has just been made. Obama tactically found the McCain campaign's weak point and used it to emphasize that Americans are hard working people that want to find solutions to their problems. He also mentions how Republicans have a "you are on your own" mentality and when they are in power, they do little within the government because they believe that the less they meddle in people's lives, the better. Obama uses this topic by saying that handicapped veterans, single parents, and people struggling to pay their mortgages are "not on their own" and will receive help from the government.

Though the Illinois Senator jumps from case to case attacking McCain's positions, he does so with smooth transitions; maintaining the audience's attention throughout his acceptance speech. He animates his speech with hand gestures and waving a pointed finger when speaking of McCain's wronged policies. His speech comes together through ideas point by point versus key words, allowing him to remember most of his speech and add on as he goes to where he thinks he needs more stressing to do. Throughout his speech, he always relates back to the audience, engaging them the entire time and emphasizing that the election is not about him, but that it is about the American voters that have brought him to the Democratic National Convention this day. He unites with his supporters by using the word "our" in the context of "our dreams, our obligations, our children" and the word "we" in the context of "we can make change" and never isolating his listeners. He realizes he is on national television and not only coalesces with the physical audience, but also with the viewers at home.

His message that night was patriotically charged centralized around doing things in the spirit of America, keeping jobs in America, and giving every child in America the right to an education. This burst of nationalism got the crowd rowdy and excited for the changes Obama is promising to deliver if he is elected president. His choice of vocabulary enables him to connect with his listeners on a comfortable level and not boring the audience with complex sentence structures that are hard to follow and words that are not used in daily conversation. His points are brief and concise, never spending too much time any one topic of discussion, but using repetition when necessary to increase attention. Obama encapsulates the need for a better education system, tax cuts for the middle class, more efficient aid for veterans, and helping the needy move off of welfare and finding them jobs, all in a quick twenty minutes. Everything said in an orderly sequence helps voters remember key points better rather than scattering his thoughts and randomly talking about his beliefs.

Obama took responsibility on the mess of foreign affairs that the previous president has left him, promising a better future and always using positive lexicon. He removes the barrier between party lines, further uniting the crowd, calling for a reform in politics and iterating that patriotism has no political party. The central theme of his speech was keeping unity in mind as he spoke and that change is possible and will happen. His voice gets louder after the audience applauds him on certain positions, allowing him to set himself up for his next point.

With his stage charisma and use of simplicity in words and ideas, Senator Obama wins over the crowd in Denver, laying out the facts he believes will get him the presidency. His natural gestures when speaking including finger pointing (but unthreateningly) and opening his hands to the audience symbolize that he is willing to compromise and up for change. He intelligently ties up his speech by once again pointing out that the people are in control, giving them the reigns and power to choose. The level of familiarity he establishes with the crowd makes him an accessible candidate thanks to his smooth and comforting speaking style. In this situation, his gift of public speaking may just tip the scale for some voters in his favor on Election Day.