Speeches That Changed the World

I.Setting/Climate of the Speech

A. The Speaker: Michelle Obama is the first African-American woman to become first lady of the United States. She is the wife of Barack Obama, the 44th and current President of the United States. Michelle started taking gifted classes by sixth grade. She went to Harvard for law school and earned her J.D (Obama, 2013). According to New York Times, she founded the Chicago office of Public Allies, which is a nonprofit program that works with young leaders on social issues. Michelle advocates for the fight against childhood obesity and has started the Let’s move initiative, a new fitness program for kid.
B. The Occasion: This speech was delivered recently on September 4th 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Democratic National Convention. During this time just prior to the 2012 election, the United States was facing one of the hardest, challenging economic crises (Obama, 2012). Michelle advised voters to Obama not just as the President but also as someone who is a caring husband and father who understands the struggles and hardship of every American. Her speech was given in an effort to extend the President Obama’s term from one term to two terms in office (Epstein, 2012).
C. The Audience: Americans, democratic delegates, and public officials attended the 2012 Democratic National Convention to support President Barack Obama. The speech was received well by viewers and commentators alike whom agreed it was a political victory.
D. The Impact of the speech: Michelle was involved heavily in the 2012 campaign for Obama’s reelection but this speech in particular was memorable and significant. It was stated by Huffington post that the speech “electrified” the crowd. She connected with the people of the United States on personal level, allowing people to trust that President Obama has the best interest of everyone in mind (Pace, 2012). The speech showed real connection and experiences similar to the ones the every American can relate to.

II.The Speech itself
A.The title of the speech is the Obama campaign, to the Democratic National Convention on,Sept. 4, 2012.
B.The thesis or theme of the speech is to convince people that President Obama is the most qualified person to run the country for the second term.
C.The main points made were:
1)1)ECONOMY:"He’s thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day’s work. That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses . That’s how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again – jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.(Obama,2012)
2)EDUCATION: When they were first married, the Obamas' combined monthly student loan bills cost more than their mortgage, she said. That's why Barack Obama wants to increase student financial aid while keeping interest rates low, Michelle Obama said.
3)WOMEN: In a subtle shot at the Republican platform on abortion, Obama said the president believes that "women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care." The president also signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, she said, which makes it easier for women to sue for equal pay if they earn less than their male counterparts.
D.One of the memorable lines, that people remember is “Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it…and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we're from, or what we look like, or who we love.And he believes that when you've worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity…you do not slam it shut behind you…you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.”(Obama,2012)
E.The speech was closed by ensuring people that Obama is the right choice for America for the next 4 years. That his vision for America is the one that would make our country more prosperous.She painted a portrait of a leader who knows first-hand the struggles of everyday Americans, who listens to them as president, and who pushes an agenda with their interests in mind.