Garrett Minor JFK vs.

Obama RD 11/14/13 CRAW

JFK vs. Obama Essay

America has been faced with quite a bit of adversity in its existence. John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama were chosen to lead the country in these times of incredible turbulence. John F Kennedy was elected in 1960 and inaugurated into office in 1961. He was a young president at the age of 43 and was a very ambitious and likeable man. His youthful energy helped him gather plenty of American support before and throughout his presidency. Although people were giddy about their new presidents age, plenty of domestic and foreign issues were either coming to a head or just beginning in the early 1960s, making Americans nervous. The country was faced with the civil rights movement, communism and the constant threat of nuclear war. Barack Obama was elected in 2008 and inaugurated in 2009. In a similar way to Kennedy, Obama was a young president being only 47 years old when he was inaugurated. His youthful appearance and attitude had the same effect on America as JFK did. People were hoping for change and they believed that President Obamas youth and knowledge could do just that. Obama took the reins right after one of the biggest economic collapses in United States history and less than a decade after the events of 9/11. With the economy in shambles and both foreign and domestic terrorism a constant threat to the nation, Obama had quite an agenda on his hands. Consequently, the obstacles that Americans faced scared them and they looked toward the newly elected leaders for security. Kennedy and Obama responded to their fellow Americans in their inaugural speeches. If a reader looks closely, he will see that the language of

Garrett Minor JFK vs. Obama RD 11/14/13 CRAW

the inauguration speeches display both JFK and Obamas intended message. Because both JFK and Obama realize that they are addressing a fearful and uncertain nation, they focus their speeches on the message of change, unity, and fate. In any event, JFK and Obama know that change does not happen overnight. Following the discussion of his plans for interaction and unity between America (democratic nations) and Russia (communist nations), JFK says this: All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days, nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of the administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin. Although JFK doesnt explain the process of how the change will occur, he uses comparatives and superlatives here by beginning the quote with the time period of one hundred days and ending with our lifetime on this planet. This stresses the incredible time and effort that will be absolutely necessary for change. He also leaves the quotation off with a short but effective, But let us begin, hitting the audience with a motivating and uplifting emotion. Moreover, Barack Obama addresses change and its lengthy accumulation in his inaugural speech. He says, Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America they will be met. Like JFKs quotation about change, Obamas quote comes soon after he identifies the issues facing America. He also avoids the specific details regarding the process of how he plans on accomplishing this change he so longs for. The last four words in this quotation are similar to JFKs ending word choice in his previous quote. They both end with a short phrase that uses pathos to inspire. These phrases comfort the American people and

Garrett Minor JFK vs. Obama RD 11/14/13 CRAW

transmit an everything will be okay or you can count on me kind of message , forming a connection between them and their new presidential leaders. In addition to their similar desire for change, JFK and Obama want to create a more unified country. Both men know that it will take a unified effort in order to combat the tense times and create change in America and the world. Because of this, their speeches describe similar ideas of placing the fate of the country into the hands of the American people. For example, in his inaugural speech JFK utters one of the most famous quotes of all time, And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country. This quote is pretty self-explanatory. JFK wants people to work as one so that they can better the country they live in rather than be individuals who depend on the government to take care of them. He creates this quote to be thought provoking and effective by using the same phrase twice, but in a different order. He also places his desired version of a strong and unified America last so that it is emphasized and sticks with his audience. Leading into the famous JFK quote above, the newly elected president makes it clear that it is absolutely necessary for American citizens to rise to the occasion and accept their calling. JFK says, Now the trumpet summons us again not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need not as a call to battle, though embattled we are but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. This quote is an indicator of the continuous hard work that must be done in the United States and the importance of a reckoning of American citizens. The syntax of the quote helps transmit JFKs intended message

Garrett Minor JFK vs. Obama RD 11/14/13 CRAW

as well because it contains an anaphora, beginning phrases with the words not and though. This syntax helps create a contrast between America the aggressor and America the peace maker. JFK is telling his audience that he wants America to fight for peace and prosperity, not to kill and destroy. Using this quote in his speech, JFK makes Americans feel confident about their ability to change the world. Towards the end of JFKs speech, he distinctly clarifies that it is the American people who will determine the fate of the country. JFK says, In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. JFK strongly believes that it is entirely up to the people to determine where his plan goes. The nation can either remain divided and unsuccessful or become unified and end up moving mountains. It is JFKs job to motivate and convince Americans to become that solid nation that can accomplish great feats such as eliminating tyranny, poverty, disease, and war. Likewise, Obama uses a sort of call to arms style in his speech where he tries to stimulate action on behalf of the American people. He does this early on while talking about the adversity facing the country regarding terrorism and the recent economic collapse. He says, Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom. This quote suggests that since the very start, America has been run by those hard-working, every-day Americans who are obscure in their work and represent many. Because so many can relate to what Obama is saying in this speech, the new president hopes to use it to point out that Americans have more control over their fate than

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they may think and that those hard-working Americans should continue to stay hopeful about the future. In another quote Obama also talks about the power of the American people. He says, Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. In this quote, Obama talks about those who question the scale of the big plans that he has for the country. Those who question are most likely right-wing Republicans and other countries, friend and foe alike. He gets back at them by alluding to the earlier years of America, especially in times of desperation, where the citizens held strong, fought together, and overcame the odds. A couple examples of these times are World War Two and the Revolutionary War. These are times in Americas history where the people stayed unified and accomplished great feats. Obama refers back to those times and compares them to the year 2008, instilling hope into the minds of his audience. Despite the fact that both presidents are democrats, both are relatively young, and both have been inaugurated in times of desperation and fear, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama have some differences in the way they transfer their messages to their audiences. JFK tends to beat around the bush and go heavy on the tropes and schemes while Obama tends to be more direct and to tell it like it is. A perfect example of this is the quote where JFK uses a metaphor by saying And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion. The jungle of suspicion is a metaphor for the feelings felt between America, a democratic nation, and Russia, a communist nation. On the other hand, Obama says things like

Garrett Minor JFK vs. Obama RD 11/14/13 CRAW

That we are in the midst of a crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. As a reader, I think it is much easier to understand Obamas speech due to his simple diction and syntax. The styles in rhetoric are also different in regards to the inaugural speeches. John F. Kennedys speech relies on pathos by stirring up emotion in the audience and Barack Obamas uses more logic than JFKs, but also contains some pathos. For example, John F. Kennedy uses lots of antimetaboles such as United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder., Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate., and my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country. Antimetaboles like the ones above are excellent at proving points by doing so in a clever kind of way. They display a pathos kind of tone because they are motivating and thought-provoking. Barack Obama alludes to events in Americas past that have brought adversity upon its people who have eventually persevered. This is the pathos in Obamas speech but he is also logistical as well, being straight forward when it comes to naming off problems and possible solutions that America is facing in 2008. He focuses more on informing the public than actually motivating them and digging up emotion. An example is shown through the quote, The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads

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and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technologys wonders to raise health cares quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. In this paragraph, Obama lists off things he plans to do while president of the United States, but he does not evoke as much emotion as JFK does. One can see that JFKs speech may be more difficult to understand, but it has a heavier motivational ring to it than Obamas logical and comprehensible approach. Although one speech may be more effective than the other, both presidents do an excellent job of accomplishing their goals. The language chosen for both speeches magnifies the importance of the change, unity, and teamwork needed in the United States during these time periods. Both speeches give hope to the American people through their choice of diction and syntax, as well as their focus on the pathos though used in different degrees. Because of this, Kennedy and Obamas speeches will go down in history as some of the best. With a combination of excellent language format and an inspiring, clear-cut topic, JFK and Barack Obamas speeches are very effective for their purpose; leading a country that has seen better days.

Garrett Minor JFK vs. Obama RD 11/14/13 CRAW