Obama on War

Last night, or September 10, President Barack Obama outlined his plan to deal with the terrorist organization known as ISIS, or ISIL, as Obama referred to the group. Looking directly into the lens of the camera, he calmly stated the four aspects of his strategy while making small motions with his hands to emphasize his point. The setting was typical of a presidential speech, from the American flag on one side to the presidential seal in front to the flag pin on Obama's suit. The constant eye contact with the lens of the camera and, by extension, the viewers, helped to promote the idea that Obama was speaking directly to the people of America, providing a semblance of closeness despite the formal setting. This idea, in my opinion, helps with the persuasion part of his presentation.

Another smart move in Obama's speech was the relative simplicity. By presenting the strategy in four clearly laid-out points, it was easier to follow the direction he was going with it and understand what exactly he was proposing. Few, if any, digressions are made from the specifics of each point, which helped focus the viewers' attention (and keep the whole thing fairly brief - about 14 minutes - which helps with limited attention spans as well).

Obama drew on the sympathies of his audience, describing the brutalities of ISIL, while also invoking a sense of patriotism and American pride, mentioning many things Americans are helping with around the world.

Despite the consistently matter-of-fact tone of voice throughout Obama's speech, I consider it to be fairly effective in presenting his plan to the American people and inspiring them (kind of) to take action and believe in the leadership of this country.