Romney vs. Obama

Romney vs. Obama Convention Speech

            Although both speeches did address very similar issues, their deliveries varied. Governor Romney tried really throughout his speech to show voters that he’s like us. He was telling us who he is to help us relate to him better so that voters would like him more. He did this through a lot of emotional appeal provided through anecdotes. He demonstrated that he was nostalgic about the time when he was a father and about the story of his parents and how his mother knew his father had died the one day there wasn’t a rose for her. This level of pathos, I believe, would appeal to anyone and everyone. It tugs at humanity’s love for love, and I think he did a great job at humanizing himself through these stories. I think that he did especially well at appealing to his “base” audience, or the die-hard republicans. He spoke a lot about how wonderful America is and how small business owners made this country and should be honored and respected for that. He really appealed to the “we built this on our own,” mentality that most conservatives promote. Also, I think him talking about the importance of community and faith in his life and how those are foundational principles of America, really resonated with his primary audience, because those are values the majority of them hold. Therefore, I would give Romney an 8 out of 10 appealing to his “base” audience. In regards to those who may have been on the fence or were tentatively Obama fans, I think he did a decent job- at least better than I had expected. He definitely tried to appeal to women and feminists (who are typically more liberal and therefore lean towards democratic), but I thought his arguments seemed a little forced. However, the fact that he said that a mom’s job is harder than his, I am sure spoke to many women. He also did make some arguments for college students/the younger crowd, which may have drawn a few voters over to the right. However, what I thought probably would have been the most effective for those who were undecided was when he said, “hope and change is what we voted for…that’s what America deserves,” and later said “if you felt that excitement when you voted for him, shouldn’t you feel that way now that he’s President Obama?” in response to his decrease in popularity since he took office. Because of these statements, I would give him a 5 out of 10 for being persuasive to those not already on his side, because he made some good points but I think he could have done a lot better.

            I thought Obama’s speech was incredible. Coming from a point of view of someone who is undecided, what he said really grabbed me – he is an incredible public speaker. He seemed very confident speaking, but didn’t present himself as a politician trying to manipulate voters, but as a good guy trying to help people do right. If this was a political move, it was brilliantly played. His speech was also very patriotic, talking about how under his presidency products will now proudly say, “made in America.” This would appeal to all Americans-patriotism is something we all value. I thought the President used a decent amount of logos; just enough to give rational methods for how he would help America, but not so much that it gets lost on the average viewer. He talked about all the jobs that have been created under his administration and his plan to create more. This is an issue at the heart of this election, and therefore the fact that Obama has a plan and has been successful in some of his endeavors, will be very important to all voters. I think that Obama did a great job appealing to democratic viewers, or his “base”. He spoke about his pro-choice, gay marriage stance, and the reality of global warming, which appeals to a lot on the far left. He also spoke to what he has done in office since he became president and how he really has fulfilled a lot of his promises- one being to end the war in Iraq. What I thought was the most powerful argument, was when Obama said, “four years ago the election wasn’t about me, it was about you!” and then preceded to talk about how all those who voted for me made the significant changes in America. This was not only incredibly emotional, but also an incredible motivator for  his supporters to actually go out in vote. Obama clearly catered towards his audience, and therefore I would give him a 10 out of 10 for effectiveness to his “base” audience. I thought, in regards to voters who are in the middle, Obama presented himself in a way that many voters would like. He phrased and worded his arguments very well, so that I think if voters weren’t intently listening to the content, they would get swept up in the powerful emotion of  it. However, the content of the speech itself was very democratic, and Obama did not skirt around the issues he believed in, even if they openly opposed republicans (gay marriage, abortion, healthcare, higher taxes on wealthy…etc). I did, however, think that quoting Lincoln at the end of his speech, with the comment about faith, was a good choice and appealed towards the religious sensibilities of those who are more conservative. All in all, I would give Obama a 6 out of 10 for effectiveness to Republicans.