This paper examines the speech of Barack Obama “Yes we can”. The focus lies on the used concept of the American Dream. The second focus involves a statement that Hillary Clinton made during the primary campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The work concentrates on Barack Obama’s own biography “Dreams from My Father”, his book “Audacity of Hope” describing his thoughts of reclaiming the "American Dream", and Jim Cullen’s often cited book “The American Dream”. The main sources for the analysis of the speech are Harald Frank’s book “Rhetorische Analyse der “Yes we can” Rede von Barack Obama” and Shel Leanne’s book “Say it like Obama”. For the concluding evaluation of Barack Obama’s political achievements various articles and statistical data are used.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Barack Obama’s biography
3 The "American Dream"
4 Barack Obama’s "Yes, we can" speech
4.1 America’s situation when the speech was given
4.2 Main topics of the speech
4.2.1 Change in politics
4.2.2 Unifying the American nation
4.2.3 Barack Obama’s political agenda
4.2.4 References to the "American Dream"
5 Evaluation of Barack Obama’s political agenda
5.1 Hillary Clinton’s statement "all rhetoric, no substance"
5.2 Achievement of Barack Obama’s political agenda
6 Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this research paper is to examine how Barack Obama integrated the concept of the "American Dream" into his 2008 "Yes, we can" speech to mobilize voters and address his political agenda. Furthermore, the study evaluates the validity of Hillary Clinton’s contemporary criticism that Obama’s platform was "all rhetoric, no substance" by assessing his actual political achievements during his presidency.
- Rhetorical analysis of the "Yes, we can" speech themes: "Hope" and "Change".
- Examination of the socio-political context of the 2008 US presidential primaries.
- Assessment of Obama’s usage of the "American Dream" as a unifying narrative.
- Comparative evaluation of campaign promises versus actual policy outcomes in areas like health care, education, and taxation.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.4 References to the "American Dream"
The climax of the speech was when Barack Obama wanted to motivate the people who had felt disenfranchised to believe in the "American Dream" again. He hoped to motivate them to believe that they could overcome challenges such as global terrorism, climate change, education, health care and tax reform and by doing so achieving the greater social as well as economic opportunity and equality characterized by the "American Dream". The slogan "Yes, we can" was intended to convey that for the Americans everything is possible with will and optimism.76
With the reference to the "single creed"77 and its main principles being freedom, equality, justice and humanity, Barack Obama wanted to express his belief that the American people together could live up to the "American Dream":78
"[...] generations of Americans have responded with a single creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can."79
Barack Obama referred to occurrences of major importance in American history that seemed to be unreachable. The way he integrated these historic events into his speech made it easier for the listener to understand the context. Below, there are several historical occurrences that he named in his speech.80
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the 2008 presidential primary context and defines the research questions regarding the "American Dream" and Obama's rhetorical substance.
2 Barack Obama’s biography: Outlines the personal history and academic background that influenced Obama's perspective on the American Dream.
3 The "American Dream": Explores the historical origin and evolution of the "American Dream" as a concept of equality and upward mobility.
4 Barack Obama’s "Yes, we can" speech: Analyzes the rhetorical strategies and main topics, including political change and national unification, used in the speech.
5 Evaluation of Barack Obama’s political agenda: Investigates the gap between Obama's campaign promises and his actual performance as president, specifically addressing Clinton's critique.
6 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that while his performance was mixed, Obama effectively used the American Dream to solidify his legacy.
Keywords
Barack Obama, American Dream, Yes we can, rhetoric, political campaign, US presidential election, hope, change, political agenda, Obamacare, social equality, upward mobility, national unity, Hillary Clinton, speech analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the rhetorical influence of the "American Dream" concept within Barack Obama’s "Yes, we can" speech delivered during the 2008 US presidential primaries.
What are the key thematic areas addressed?
The study covers Obama's biography, the evolution of the "American Dream", rhetorical strategies such as tricolons and anaphora, and an assessment of his political agenda during his presidency.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks how Obama utilized the "American Dream" to deliver his messages and whether the criticism of being "all rhetoric, no substance" holds up against his actual policy record.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author conducts a rhetorical analysis of the written speech transcript and an evaluative assessment of political outcomes based on secondary sources, media reports, and statistical data.
What content is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main part analyzes the socio-political situation of 2008, the specific rhetorical devices used to promote "Hope" and "Change", and an empirical evaluation of his major political reforms.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Barack Obama, American Dream, political rhetoric, campaign promises, and presidential legacy.
How does the author define the "American Dream" in this context?
The author views it as a goal of equality, freedom, and upward mobility that allows individuals to achieve their personal aspirations regardless of their background.
Was Hillary Clinton's accusation "all rhetoric, no substance" proven true?
The research suggests a mixed result; while Obama faced significant legislative challenges, he achieved his top priority, the health care reform, which contradicts the "no substance" claim.
What is the role of the "Yes, we can" slogan?
It acts as a unifying catchphrase that focuses audience attention and reinforces the belief that collective action can overcome national challenges.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Luisa Grötsch (Autor:in), 2019, The American Dream in the Speech "Yes we can" by Barack Obama, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/937090
