Relate President Obama\'s Second Inauguration Speech to the Book

President Obama's "Second Inaugural Address:" Rhetorical analysis

Knowing one's audience is a critical component of giving a good speech. When President Obama gave his second inaugural address, although he had been reelected by a significant majority, he knew he was still facing a divided country. To show his respect for patriotic values, he began his speech invoking both God and country yet in a manner that stressed the need for concrete government actions to deal with the nation and the world's problems. "For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they've never been self-executing. That while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by his people here on earth."

Obama addressed his speech to the American public at large, but he also had a clear eye upon his Republican critics, in his use of specific phrases and themes. His first term began with a very conciliatory approach to his political enemies, which many of his critics on his left felt stymied his ability to be an effective leader. Clearly, in his second inaugural address Obama was trying to demonstrate he was not willing to make the same mistakes twice. "Together we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce, schools and colleges to train our workers. Together we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play. Together we resolve that a great nation must care for the vulnerable and protect its people from life's worst hazards and misfortune." Obama turned the common 'Tea Party' rhetoric upside down, suggesting that it is patriotic for the federal government to engage in reasonable actions to preserve the health of the nation and its citizens.

As a president of a major world power, Obama's speech reflected the fact that he was well aware of the extent to which leaders from other nations and peoples of other nations were listening to his words. His immediate audience extended far beyond those who were listening to him in Washington D.C. "We will support democracy from Asia to Africa, from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice."

However, as well as rhetoric, Obama honored the principle that great speakers must support their ideas with analysis and facts. Even in an inaugural address, which tends to be characterized by more high-flown rhetoric than other political speeches, Obama fused information about the steps he would take to reform the country in his second term with his vision of America -- and more subtle jabs at the frequently-used buzzwords invoked by his political rivals. "The commitments we make to each other through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative. They strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers. They free us to take the risks that make this country great." Despite the fact that Obama had triumphed over Mitt Romney, he still inverted Romney's rhetoric about the majority of Americans being 'takers' and dependent on government programs to survive. Obama acknowledged the need to reform entitlement programs and other social welfare programs, but he insisted that the presence of such initiatives did not make America weak.