Free Write

 The following video was taken from youtube and is entitled, "Yes We Can Barack Obama Music Video".  The video is a strong collaboration of music and speech.  The base of the video is a famous speech of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama which has been since titled the "yes we can" speech.  The video features numerous celebrities from all industries supporting Obama and restating the hopeful words of his speech.  There are musician like: Will I Am, Nick Cannon, Common, and others who sing the words of change.  There are actors and sports icons like: Scarlet Johansson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar that speak and reiterate the power of hope.  All the while, the powerful voice of a hopeful leader can be heard as Barack Obama shouts to the world, "Yes We Can". The video is very powerful and calls out to all Americans.  The Video is political and these celebrities are giving their support to Barack Obama but it is not just a video for Democrats.  Barack Obama is telling the world that this notion of hope and change isn't something new.  Throughout the history of our country, Americans have always believed in themselves and it is now time to believe again.  The power of the people calling out and entrusting there hope in one man is daring and risky.  When asked if we can trust this one visionary to save our nation, I will reply, "Yes We Can".  

VP Debate Rhetorical Analysis (group 1)

The Vice Presidential debates are always a strong example of rhetoric in action.  In the following rhetorical analysis, I will comment on the democratic candidate Joe Biden's use of logos.  Joe Biden employed logos in to his answers many times throughout the debate.  First of all, when asked what promises his campaign couldn't keep he quickly answered with a logical straight-forward answer.  He says that the country must "slow down on" foreign assistance, which can be logically interpreted as taking care of your own before others. Biden then begins to start to challenge the views of the republican party by listing things in which he disagrees with that they support.  Biden says he will not support the huge tax cuts for the wealthy which is a great use of logos since most of Americans aren't extremely wealthy.  Joe Biden logically then takes his answer in a new direction when he starts to talk about all the things that he will not "slow down on". He says that education must be supported so that we can support our future generations.  He talks about the importance of a new energy proposal that would create new jobs.  Then Biden deliver the "bottom line": "The bottom line here is that we are going to, in fact, eliminate those wasteful spending that exist in the budget right now, a number of things I don't have time, because the light is blinking, that I won't be able to mention, but one of which is the $100 billion tax dodge that, in fact, allows people to take their post office box off- shore, avoid taxes.  I call that unpartiotic". Biden uses strong pathos and logos when he calls for an end to offshore postal accounts calling them "unpatriotic".  This causes an emotional and logical response in a TY audience because Americans are very proud people so when something is listed as "unpatriotic" that would really cause some heads to turn.

Presidential Debate "Healthcare"

The following video is from the third and final presidential debates of the 2008 candidacy.  The debate is between republican candidate John McCain and democratic candidate Barack Obama.  The question addressed in the video asks how each candidate feels about the current health care plan and problems that America faces today.  Each candidate answers the question by rhetorically explaining their own health care plan for the nation under their presidency.  The presidential candidates have obviously been trained in rhetoric and they both display the styles of pathos, logos, and ethos in their answers.

Senator Obama is first to answer the question. He wastes no time by quickly outlining his own personal plan for the health care crisis.  He seems to first draw his audience in by using pathos and describing a "heart-breaking" story of two 50 year old women who had recently lost their job and health insurance.  This was a great move for Senator Obama because it creates that connection between him and his audience.  He is showing the world how he has seen their suffering.  He then goes on to explain his plan to logically (logos) solve the situation.  Senator Obama dismisses some criticism of his plan by explaining right up front that it would be expensive but that it would pay for itself in the long run.  I believe Senator Obama explains his plan in this manner to show that he is prepared right now to start making the necessary changes to the current system.

Senator McCain is next up to bat.  He follows a similar rhetorical strategy as Senator Obama by first using pathos to bring the audience in emotionally. Senator McCain even uses some logos by adding factual numbers and data to his opening statements to show how bad the current health care crisis is: "It is a terribly painful situation for Americans...47 million Americans are without health insurance".  Senator McCain then goes on to explain his plan using both ethos and logos.  He covers a broad range of things that need to be addressed like childhood obesity, high premium rates, and uninsured Americans.  He then goes on to specifically explain his plan of giving everyone a 5,000 dollar insurance credit.  I believe that Senator McCain explained his plan in this manner to make it appear larger that it is by covering the issues broadly and then narrowing down to specifics.  Senator McCain frequently uses the word American which bring the audience in on all levels.

The whole debate event could be described as a huge success because it allows America the chance to see two presidential candidates describe and argue over their plans and views.  The only problem with the debate is that it is extremely controlled and scripted.  The two candidates are fully aware of the type of questions they will be asked and have teams of people creating the perfect answers.  But all in all, I have faith in the debate system because it allows all who watch it the chance to become more informed voters.

-Jeremy B

Envision Questions

Chapter 1

1 How can rhetoric be employed in more than just visual and oral communication? 

2 Which way is easier to prove a point, oral persuasion or visual persuasion?

3 Does the use of color increase or decrease a political cartoons rhetoric? 

Chapter 2

1 In today's commercials which is more prevalent Logos or Pathos?

2 Who could be looked to as having high Ethos? 

3 Are there any examples of media that displays Logos, Pathos, and Ethos? 

Cubing Exercise

1. Generalizing: consider what you have learned from the event or experience that will be the occasion for your reflections. What ideas does it suggest to you? What does it suggest about people in general or about the society in which you live?
People of all ages come to swim. I don't know what drive people to do this but I want to know. Perhaps, the people come for fitness and health reasons.  We live in a society that demands perfection and calls for a return to youth.  Maybe by swimming these people can reclaim something that time has taken away.
2. Giving examples: illustrate your ideas with specific examples. What examples would best help your readers understand your ideas?
Shirley is a 93 year old woman who came and swam laps.  There was a water aerobic class full of older women.  The pool and the water seemed to wake me up.
3. Comparing & contrasting: think of a subject that could be compared with yours & explore the similarities & the differences.
The subject of working out in a weight room could be compared to swimming in a pool.  They both are for fitness and health but I think there is something that water gives the body that lifting weights does not.
4. Extending: take your subject to its logical limits & speculate about its implications. Where does it lead?
People come to a pool to swim.  Swimming uses all the muscles in the body which in turn creates a great fitness exercise.  So people come to swim for fitness which makes their bodies healthier and the more healthy one is the greater life span they should have.
5. Analyzing: take apart your subject. What is it made of? How are the parts related to one another? Are they all of equal importance?
My subject is the pool and the swimmers that use it.  The pool exists only because it is used by the swimmers.  Without the swimmers the pool would lack a purpose.  On the other hand, the swimmers depend on the pool to be able to swim.  Each part is dependant on one another so they are equally important.
6. Applying: think about your subject in practical terms. How can you use it or act on it? What difference would it make to you & to others?

You use the pool to swim in.  Each person experiences the pool in a different way and but ultimately the results seem to be similar.