Bill Clinton Political Language Analysis

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How are Words Important in Politics? Specific uses of language have immense power in politics. As seen in President Bill Clinton’s inaugural address, there are many uses of propaganda, double speak, rhetorical schemes, and war language. President Clinton also uses ethos with the Aristotelian appeals, which add credibility to his speech. Clinton also uses pathos with Aristotelian appeals to reach out to the people listening and watching his address emotionally. Throughout the address Clinton uses political rhetoric to gain the peoples support and trust. In the beginning of Clinton’s address, his first sentence, “My fellow citizens, today we celebrate the mystery of American renewal” is an example of band wagon and card stacking.…show more content…
He says, “and the urgent question of our time is whether we can make change our friend and not our enemy” (N.P). War language is “Using war terms in examples that do not have to do with war” stated by Jon Hooten’s Fighting Words. (437) This is an example of war language because Clinton uses the word “enemy”. When you hear the word enemy, thoughts that come to mind are fighting a battle with someone or something that is opposing you. Name calling is a device used to make us form a judgment without examining the evidence on which it is based on. This is also an example of name calling because Clinton is essentially stating that staying the same would be the enemy and gives change the word friend. This is an example of pathos because President Clinton is reaching out to the emotions of the audience and making the sound of staying the same terrible by calling it the…show more content…
Polysyndeton is the deliberate us of many conjunctions. This quote is an example of polysyndeton because Clinton deliberately uses the conjunction “and” to slow down his speech and let the audience focus on the details he is talking about. Also this quote is an example of band wagon because he is trying to get the audience on his side. Clinton stresses the fact that he would not be in office if it not for the people whose toil and sweat got him there. This quote is also an example of plain folk because of Clinton making an attempt to acknowledge and understand the struggle of the common man. If the audience thinks that he is one of them, then they will feel more comfortable with him. Also this quote is an example of pathos, because President Clinton is trying to reach out to audience and make them believe that he understands
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