Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator

1000 Words2 Pages

Ronald Reagan is known as the "Great Communicator" by many. In 1992, as he delivered a speech at the Republican Convention, one would not doubt his excellence in public speaking. He demonstrated superiority of speech and was easy to critique because of the situation, the content of his speech, his credibility, and his delivery.

The Republican Convention was held in support to reelect Republican Candidates President Bush and Vice President Quayle. There was an extremely large audience in support of the Republican campaign. Reagan was overwhelmed by the amount of applause and cheering from the audience. In fact, balloons, posters, and flags were everywhere displaying the pride of the nation and the Republican Party. The audience was composed of individuals from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. A majority of the crowd consisted of male and female working class people. Representatives from each age group were present. Throughout the speech, all members of the audience showed support and approval through chanting, "We love Ron" and "God bless Ron."

The audience members of the upper and middle age brackets were conservative and more understanding toward the speech. Each member's perception of Reagan's speech was affected by his or her individual experiences and social framework. These educational and occupational experiences molded each listener's view. These members of the audience had quite a different opinion towards what Reagan was saying compared to the opinions of the younger members.

Reagan began his speech slightly agitated due to the overwhelming response of the audience. He used hand gestures and repeatedly thanked the audience for their continued support. After regaining the audience's atte...

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... citizens share many of the same interests as the president; therefore, the co-orientation of the speaker is superior.

All of these elements previously stated contribute greatly to the speaker's intent and purpose. Reagan was a fantastic speaker. As an audience member, I would have never guessed this man was ever nervous. However, little did the nation know that this would be the last of the many great deliveries of Reagan.

In addition, Reagan's speech is an example of an Aristotelian way of teaching. The audience has an exigency to hear improvement for the future of America. Reagan fulfills this need by providing inspiration in his speech. This convention is a political rally, and Reagan seizes the opportunity to persuade all to vote Republican: for if a Republican candidate is in office, the country will have a better chance for an improved America.

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