Thursday, October 1, 2015
Ethos: JFK's Moon Shot Speech to Congress
John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960 as the 35th President of the United States. He made history as the first Roman Catholic to run the country. JFK had much extrinsic ethos that helped back him in his run for presidency. From being a military hero, to being a member of Congress and the Senate, JFK won the votes and hearts of Americans. During his Moon Shot speech to Congress, his use the Soviet Union as a motivator gave credibility to his argument that space travel is possible. He solidified his intrinsic ethos by providing specific goals he has for America. His tone during the speech showed his confidence and knowledge regarding the Space Race. JFK attempted to rally the American citizens together and ask Congress for permission to continue their study into space. To do this, he needed to show Congress and the people that he himself was determined and knew that the end goal was feasible. President John F. Kennedy had a very impressive track record that made him a respectable and reliable leader.
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Nice analysis, but how did he use the Soviet Union as a motivator to give credibility to his argument? I think you could have analyzed that aspect a little more. I also don't think someone's tone can show they are "knowledgable" but it can make someone seem confident. Someone would seem knowledgable through the content of their speech, not the tone they deliver it in.
ReplyDelete-Nebeyu
You did a great job focusing on Kennedy’s background and extrinsic ethos! I’m not sure how being the first Roman Catholic to run the country contributes to his reputation when discussing the Space Race though. As for intrinsic ethos, I think your post would be a lot stronger if you provided specific examples from his speech to give people a sense of his tone as he is speaking. I also wondered what JFK’s “specific goals” for America were and how they tied to the Space Race.
ReplyDelete-Anjali
You laid out a well thought out blog post on why JFK was a successful politician and why he appeal to the majority of Americans. His ethos was critical when he gave speeches or was on his campaign. The character he had cultivated over his life allowed him to have more influence as president.
ReplyDelete-Garrett Fitzgerald