Rhetoric: A Presidential Weapon

            President Obama and Governor Romney had their last debate tonight very close to the presidential elections in the United States. Both of them had to take their best arguments and make the people believe in them and give them their vote of confidence for such a crucial position. It is impressive how President Obama used logos to counterattack Governor Romney’s argument about the military budget. He declared that the United States was currently spending more on its military than the next ten countries in the top spending list combined. Therefore, it is not necessary to spend more on the military since it is not asking for more and this would also mean taking away an important amount of the money used for education and other vital services. Romney’s effective use of deliberate arguments is truly impressive. He provided the people of the United States with two choices: either to continue killing terrorists and members of extreme groups who continuously kill Americans or citizens of allied countries, or device an effective plan for the future in which further action is taken and leadership is demonstrated by the United States in order to prevent more damage to be done to the country’s citizens. On this same topic, Governor Romney also uses pathos when he describes why terrorists need to be killed. He reminds the horrible events that have occurred because of extremist actions by these groups and recalls the tragedy of September 11, appealing to the emotions of most Americans who feel that that has been one of the worst calamities that has taken place on their soil.

            Presenting an argument for the topic of education and its urgent need of improvement, Governor Romney does a very effective job in terms of demonstrative rhetoric. This can be seen when he says that the only way for the country to expect future entrepreneurs that take the initiative to create businesses is to have a good education system. He made it clear that he felt one of the most important things in a young child’s life was to receive high quality education and the state which he is governing has been ranked first out of the fifty states in the fourth and eighth grades in math and science. On the other hand, President Obama uses ethos very well, since he positions himself as the current Commander in Chief and makes it clear that he is very knowledgeable in the military area, one of Romney’s most vigorous arguments. This forms a character by which Obama stands by and supposedly will live up to. Also, President Obama makes excellent use of forensic arguing, since he blames Governor Romney several times of having proposed an erroneous point of view or idea. It is impressive to see the way in which it is not only important to have good information and a good argument, but to be able to express it in a way that is effective and that persuades the audience and makes them want to follow ones ideas.