Critique of President Bush’s 2004 Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech

Critique of President Bush’s 2004 Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech

Miniaci Performing Arts Center

After having done extensive and comprehensive research into a variety of President George W. Bush speeches, I was intrigued by Bush’s Presidential Nomination Acceptance speech that he gave during the Republican National Convention in New York City. The speech marked Bush’s acceptance as the 2004 Republican Party’s presidential candidate. Bush gave his speech on Thursday September 2nd 2004 to an immediate audience of well over twelve thousand people in Madison Square Garden. However, other audiences were targeted, including all of the American public, more specifically the undecided American voters, and the rest of the world.

My research included first examining a variety of Bush’s speeches over the years. In addition, I studied essential characteristics of effective persuasive speaking. Then based on my research of what constitutes a great speech, I analyzed and critiqued Bush’s acceptance speech based on the content of the speech, which I analyzed on the principles of Aristotle’s Artistic Proofs. Aristotle’s Artistic Proofs are ethos, which is the “sociology of good character”i, pathos, which refers to “the psychology of emotion”,ii and logos, which is “the logic of sound arguments.”iii Furthermore, based on my research, I examined the organization of the speech, especially the layout of the introduction and then the reinforcement of the organization throughout the body of the speech. Finally, I critiqued the use of language, vocabulary and grammar and also the way in which the President delivered the speech, with particular attention to the President’s physical appearance and presence.