Oklahoma Bombing Speech Analysis

One of the top 100 speeches of all time was said by Bill Clinton, when he was addressing the memorial of the Oklahoma Bombing. This was said In 1995 when tragedy struck the lives of hundreds. Innocent women, men, and children were murdered for no apparent reason, and people needed someone to turn to. This person was Bill Clinton, he responded In ways of composure and emotion that just added to his already powerful speech; he addressed the Issues the correct way. He was given the almost Impossible task to piece the nation back together after this ragged.
HIS goal was to mourn with the audience, but not to dwell on It, he wanted to try and help them to move on. HIS use of pathos, logos, and ethos added to the effectiveness of the speech. He began his speech by addressing the ones that were most effected, and then by addressing the rest of the world. He establishes himself and his credibility by not only being the president, but also being a father, a husband, a person. When he says “Hillary and I also come as parents, as husband and wife, as people who were your neighbors for some of the best years of our lives.
This builds his pathos and ethos and allows the audience to connect with him on a more personal, deeper level, knowing that he is just like the rest of them, that they share a common ground. This allows Clinton to talk to them, not above them. Immediately after this he uses the emotions of the audience to his advantage, through the use of pathos. He grieves and mourns with the audience; this is shown when he says “You have lost too much, but you have not lost everything,” everything being America. Clinton uses a quotation from a widowed mother that only helped the rhetorical sense of the speech.

He quotes her by saying, “The anger you feel is valid, but you must not allow yourselves to be consumed by it. The hurt you feel must not be allowed to turn into hate, but instead into the search for Justice. ” These words are powerful as is, but the fact that they were spoken by someone who has experienced what they are going through cause the words to mean so much more. They listen to her words more the Clinton in my opinion, because she has been In their shoes. Another use of quotations Is when he quotes Mr… Keating “If anybody thinks that Americans are mostly mean and selfish, they ought to come to Oklahoma.
If anybody thinks Americans have lost the capacity for love and caring and courage, they ought to come to Oklahoma”. This helps the audience feel closer to the situation, they may grieve together, but they will also fight together, for Justice. He also fortifies his speech by the use of parallel structure and repetition In order to add to the aspect of persuasion. His use of repetition is seen when he says “We mourn.. We share… We thank.. We pledge. ” The use of we signifies that Clinton, as the president and as a friend will mourn with them. It means that in these times ore than ever we must come together as a nation.
He uses repetition and parallel inspirational kind of tone to it, because of this the audience feels the need to stand up to evil and hatred, because good trumps evil any day. Another time we see this is through the “Who worked” sequence. This plays to the emotion of the audience and puts what has occurred into a reality. Lastly when he talks about planting the tree in honor of the children, this makes the audience believe and understand that he does care. Bill Clinton brought the nation together, and helped them move on when it was thought impossible.