Drivers ed Name: Rhetorical Analysis Practice: Obama’s Candidacy Speech (2007) Read the following prompt and answer the close reading questions that follow: Question 2: Rhetorical Analysis On February 10th, 2007, Illinois Senator Barack Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States on the steps of the Old Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois, the same place where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous “House Divided” speech in 1858. Barack Obama went on to run a successful, grassroots political campaign under the slogan “Yes We Can” over the succeeding year and a half and citizens across the country were mobilized in numbers never seen before to get involved in the political process. Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, in the process making history as the nation’s first black president. Read Obama’s speech from the night he announced his bid for the White House back in 2007. Then, in a well-developed essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies Senator Obama utilizes to communicate his message that he is going to be a president of the people. Who is the speaker and what is the exigence of this speech? What is his goal? Who is the audience? Is there a secondary one? Why is the following detail included in the prompt - “the same place where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous “House Divided” speech in 1858”? For students who might not know what a “grassroots” campaign is, what words from the prompt provide insight into this type of politics? What predictions can you make regarding Obama’s tone? What predictions can you make regarding his message and the impact he hopes this message will have on his audience? Read the speech (uploaded in a PDF on Classroom) and brainstorm below moves in preparation for our next Zoom class later this week. There are a bunch, so list out at least 5. Write an introduction for this essay. We are going to talk through moves and thesis statements at our Wednesday / Thursday Zoom meeting, so it might be best to hold off on submitting your final copy of this assignment until you are able to look over those hints/reminders. However, feel free to work ahead on this introduction if you so choose.