Rhetoric

Rhetoric Rundown!

Rhetoric is a form of communications that is persuasive in nature. The rhetorical situation is what creates rhetorical discourse. In 2008, there was widespread political dissatisfaction because of the economic recession. This created a rhetorical situation for the candidates in the 2008 Presidential Election.

The exigence is the ostacle or situation that the rhetoric intends to affect. For example, in 2008 Barack Obama wanted to convince voters that he and the Democratic Party could create needed political changes.

The audience is who the rhetoric is intended for. They are the ones who will actually create the change intended by the rhetorical argument. In this case, the voters.

The constraints are the people or things who have the ability to "constrain" the exigence. In other words, they can block the rhetor from creating change. John McCain made the effort to convinced the American people that sticking with the Republican party, and its ideals, was the right choice.