Topic

Barack Obama's announcement speech was delivered in 2007 to announce his candidacy for the US presidential elections (which took place in 2008). Given the context and the purpose of the speech, the topic that Barack Obama explores is how to overcome socio-political issues in the US. The speech is about American unity as a solution to challenges and adversities: “In the face of a politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union.” (ll.…

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Socio-political issues and the need for unity

One issue that Barack Obama explores in his speech is the failure of the political class to work in the interest of the American people, or as he puts it “the skewed priorities of politicians a thousand miles away” (ll. 28-29). According to the speaker, political leaders have deceived and failed the American people and this needs to change: “What's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics –  the ease with which we're distracted by the pe…

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Argumentation

Barack Obama's announcement speech is mostly conveyed using open argumentation. Open argumentation means that a speaker conveys his or her points directly and explicitly.

Throughout the speech, Barack Obama openly expresses his intention – to run for the presidency—as well as his views on American society and the importance of American unity as a way of solving the country’s problems: “That is why this campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us – it must be about what we can do to…