Comparing Speeches

The victory speech delivered by the new president of the United States, Barrack Obama, is one that will be studied for generations to come, similar to that of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. He acknowledges his opponent, Senator McCain, and his running partner, Sarah Palin, and thanks those who helped him along the way, including his family, the new vice-president Joe Biden, and his chief strategist, David Axelrod. Obama is brief in his thanks, but swiftly moves to the more serious issues his country faces, most notably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, as well as two wars in the Middle East. The rhetorical devices and imagery used by Obama are so vivid that it gives the 250,000 people watching in Grant Park, and millions of others watching live on television, hope for the future of the United States. Obama says things like "I will listen to you, especially when we disagree" and "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep" to acknowledge the American people, and ensure that their voices will matter in the future. The hope and pride in Obama’s voice is something that people all over the world, not just in the United States, should be happy about.

The other speech made that night, in Phoenix, Arizona, by Obama’s opponent John McCain, was impressive for different reasons. He commends Obama for the great job that he’s done, but more importantly, makes it clear that his country is the most important thing to him, and he will support the new president to the best of his ability. McCain asks the audience to join him in support of Barrack Obama, in what is certainly a difficult time to take over the presidency. McCain mentions the “invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House” in his speech, which signifies the massive change in racial tolerance in the United States over the last century. What I found made McCain’s speech so good was how gracious he was in defeat, and the incredible thanks that he gave to all those who helped him get to where he is. The concession speech given by Senator McCain and the victory speech given by Barrack Obama are very different, although their morals and hopes for the United States are very similar. Both men, regardless of who had won this election, were committed to improving their country, as was evident in their speeches. They should both be commended for what was the most riveting election in a very long time, possibly ever, and will both certainly have a huge impact on what happens to America for years to come.