Politician (pol-i-tish-uhn) - a seeker or holder of public office who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.
Synonyms: officeholder, orator, baby kisser.
Maybe that isn’t the exact entry that Webster would use to define politician, but it is dangerously close to the definition that most Americans would use. The truth is, here in America, most politicians usually know exactly what to say in order to make people feel secure. They usually say all the right words and have all the right answers to everyone’s questions. This could be because they all have at least one skilled writer on their payroll that will write their speeches for them. When making a speech that the entire country can hear, politicians don’t want to say the wrong thing and get everyone riled up. They hire people who know how to write a good speech to tell them what would be the best thing to say in the current situation. Their speeches are very carefully deliberated and written in order to bamboozle the audience. This means that they are meant to deceive, con, and trick those who are listening (Cross 124). If you actually pay close attention to a political figure’s speech you will be able to recognize the many ways in which they try to persuade you to support them and their ideas. President Barack Obama’s 2009 inaugural speech is a good example of the many techniques that are used to draw people in and bamboozle them.
When Obama was elected President, most Americans were distressed about the country’s economic situation and they were looking for someone who could offer them some help.

However, many people were skeptical about whether or not Obama was the right man for the job. Many people did not think the US was ready for an African American president. In fact,
McCain actually ended up beating Obama among white voters by an impressive 12 point margin
(Noah). Obama needed to use his inaugural speech to make a good impression on the people and try to calm some of their fears. So, it isn’t hard to figure out why he would include many words of comfort and encouragement. However, some of the tactics that are used in his speech are mainly there just to make him look good and to make the American people feel like they did the right thing in electing him President. No one knew exactly what Obama would do as President, but his speech makes it sound like he planned to “remake America.” This essay will show you the different persuasive techniques Obama used, how and why they were used, and the effect they had on the overall effectiveness of his speech.
Many people are hesitative to trust politicians and believe their promises. This could be because most people believe that politicians are more interested in looking out for the wealthy than those in the lower and middle classes. So, the first thing Obama needed to do in order to gain people’s trust was convince them that he is different from past politicians. He does this by using a technique called the plain folks appeal. This is when a speaker tries to win the audience’s confidence and support by appearing to be someone who is just like them (Cross 125-126). He attempts to do this when he says, “A nation cannot prosper alone when it favors only the prosperous,” (President). Obama is saying that as long as a nation focuses only on the needs of the wealthy, it cannot be prosperous as a whole. He is trying to convince the nation that he wants what is best for everyone instead of a select few. He wants them to believe that he is not a “hot shot”, but instead he is just a concerned, hopeful American like the rest of us.

Another persuasive technique that Obama uses in his speech is called argumentum ad populum, or stroking. Stroking is basically the act of telling people what they want to hear, or bragging on them (Cross 126). This is a very effective technique because it targets people’s emotions instead of their thoughts. People have a strong tendency to act on emotions instead of what is rational or sensible. If you make people feel good about themselves then they are more likely to support you because they will expect to hear more good things from you. Because stroking is so effective, Obama uses it in several different parts of his speech.
The first example of this technique can be seen when he says, “We gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord,” (President). Obama is insinuating that the American people have done something great and have made an exceptional choice by electing him President. He is trying to make them believe that they have done something far greater than just elect someone to office. This makes the people feel good about themselves because they think they have done something important.
Obama uses this same persuasive technique once again when he says, “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit, to choose our better history,” (President). Obama is trying to cheer people up by talking about the great spirit that Americans usually possess. He is also trying to create a sense of patriotism amongst them by talking about the great history of America.
If he can get people excited about being Americans then he is hoping to get them excited about his plan for “remaking America.”
Obama uses the stroking technique once more when he reaffirms the greatness of our nation. He states, “Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. 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 to prosperity,” (President). Obama is saying that America is as great as it is because of all its hardworking citizens who have remained strong through the good times and the bad times. He is trying to make the people feel good about themselves by giving them the credit for making America what it is today- “the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth,” according to Obama.
It is no secret that the word “politician” has quite a few negative connotations. Obama actually confronts this fact during his speech. He states, “On this day we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas that, for far too long, have strangled our politics,” (President). Obama is saying that America’s politics have been troubled for a long time and it needs to stop. He is blaming the current situation that
America is in on previous politicians and their false promises. He is proclaiming that he will be the person to change that. He realizes that many people are skeptical of political figures. So, he tries to get the audience on his side by agreeing with them. By talking about the mistakes that previous politicians have made, Obama is trying to make himself look different than his predecessors and make people see him as one of the good guys.
There is one instance in Obama’s speech where he uses three different persuasive techniques in the same statement. He states, “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. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them,” (President). The first persuasive technique used in this statement is the false dilemma. False dilemma, or the two

extremes fallacy, is basically separating a situation into two separate groups and only those two groups. For example, saying something can either be black or white with no in between is a false dilemma (Cross 131). In this statement Obama talks about those people who do not believe the
US can achieve its goal of getting back on track. He talks about “them” as though they are the enemy. This is where the false dilemma comes into play. Obama is basically saying that there are two groups-those who are for America and those who are against America.
The next part of the statement contains a persuasive technique that we have already talked about-stroking. Obama says, “……what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage,” (President). Obama is basically saying that Americans can do whatever it is that they set their minds to. He is saying that we have the ability, creativity, need, and the courage to accomplish all of our goals. He is trying to convince the American people that there isn’t anything they can’t do.
The last persuasive technique Obama uses in that statement is name-calling. Namecalling is basically self-explanatory, calling someone a name, and is usually negative (Cross
124). Obama does not call any single person a name, but he labels one of the groups from his false dilemma situation as cynics. Being called a cynic is usually a negative thing. Obama is saying that all those who do not believe that America can be straightened out are cynics. Since people do not like to be thought of negatively, and being labeled a cynic is typically a bad thing, this statement could persuade people to support the “remaking of America” so they will not be labeled a cynic.
Those were a few of the persuasive techniques Obama used in his inaugural speech to try and bamboozle America. I’m sure when you first started reading this essay you thought I was being too hard on politicians. However, the definition that was used at the beginning of this essay

is an actual definition taken from an online dictionary (Politician). When the actual definition of the word politician is negative, that is a sure sign that something is wrong with America’s politics. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to change this. We cannot control what politicians do once they are in office. However, we can control how we respond to it. Many people vote for the person who shares the same views as they do. Then, they are disappointed when that person gets into office and completely goes against what they initially claimed to stand for. One of the mistakes that many people make, myself included, is that they allow themselves to be persuaded easily by what politicians plan to do for our country if we elect them. For example, by the end of George W. Bush’s presidency, many Americans were discouraged and looking for change. So, when Obama came along promising to “remake America,” many people jumped on board with him. Then, when Obama was elected president and time went by without any change, people began getting disgusted with him for not following through with his promises.
As I mentioned earlier, there is nothing we can do about these false promises. However, we can brace ourselves for the upset. We can recognize the techniques that are often used in political speeches to draw people in and garner their support. If we realize what they are trying to do before we fall for it, we can save ourselves a lot of disappointment. That is what the purpose of this essay is-to help you recognize when politicians are trying to bamboozle you. The definition of politician may never be able to be changed to something more positive. So, hopefully in the future Americans will learn how to open their minds and look beyond the speaker’s charming words and be able to see their true intentions. If they can do this, they can brace themselves for the upsetting impact that is almost surely going to come.

Works Cited
Cross, Donna Woolfolk. “Propaganda: How Not to Be Bamboozled.” Language Awareness:
Readings for College Writers. 9. Clark, Virginia, Eschholz, Paul, and Rose, Alfred. Boston:
Bedford St. Martin’s. 123-133. Print.
Noah, Timothy. "What We Didn't Overcome on Election Day.” Slate Magazine 10 Nov. 2008:1.
Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.slate.com/id/2204251/>.
"Politician." Def. 2. Dictionary.com
. Web. 21 Sept. 2010.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/politician>.
"President Obama 2009 Inaugural Ceremony." C-SPAN Video Library . 20 Jan. 2009. Web. 21
Sept. 2010. <http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/283479-1&start=2087&stop=3397>.