Introduction

Senator Hillary Clinton’s “Presidential Campaign Concession Speech” was delivered on 8 June, 2008. In her speech, most popular female presidential candidate in the history of America, suspended her ground-breaking campaign for the presidency, and summoned her numerous backers to support the candidature of Barak Obama instead. “The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next President of the United States,” the former first lady proclaimed when addressing her followers at the grand National Building Museum (Clinton, 2008). Mrs. Clinton’s speech was aimed at declaring her support for Obama’s presidency and persuading her voters to follow her example in the name of unity and shared ideals. She also pledged her commitment and expressed gratitude to those eighteen million people who stood for her in the course of the elections.

ETHOS

The credibility of Hillary Clinton’s speech is primarily emphasized by the fact she is speaking not for herself, but rather for the common good. When suspending her presidential campaign and practically granting her eighteen million votes to Obama, she does not want herself to be viewed as a looser or a weak fighter. She provides logically consistent and clearly stated arguments for her decision. The listeners observe her words as being sincere and her intentions noble, as these are the ideas she actually promotes in the speech.

Mrs. Clinton proves own credibility by providing detailed examples of dealing personally with her devoted supporters. When telling the touching story of an aged lady, “who was 88 years old and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside”, not only does she appeal for human emotions and sentimental feelings, but also convinces the audience of own knowledge about and involvement with such specific individual cases (Clinton, 2008).

Clinton does not ignore or conceal her background. Instead, she uses it as an additional argument for own trustworthiness and sincerity. “I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life, and I want the same for all Americans”, she declares, avoiding aggressive and skeptical public attitude toward her exceptional living conditions and obvious privileges she has enjoyed during the lifetime. What people hate the most about politicians is playing a hypocrite when referring to personal life troubles. Senator Clinton refrains from such irritating remarks, adding: “The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going” (Clinton, 2008).

In her speech, the former first lady is making frequent allusions to her long-lasting political career and large public service experience. “I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades”, Mrs. Clinton comments, mentioning, as well, her marriage to the twice-elected democratic president, Bill Clinton. There are few possible reasons to mistrust a woman, who has devoted most of her life to politics and social service and has still remained well-admired and respected by the general public.

Logos

The mission of Senator Clinton’s speech is to persuade her followers to change their preferences and cast own votes for the candidate, whose victory they considered unwanted up till the moment of Clinton’s declaration of campaign suspension. Her purpose, therefore, does not seem to be the one easily achieved. However, when listening to the speech record, one can observe how initially reluctant and disappointed audience turns its hesitation into loudly pronounced approval and support.