On October 27th, the National Broadcasting Company television network attracted millions of viewers for a special broadcast featuring Ronald Reagan’s highly anticipated speech titled “A Time for Choosing.” Despite being known primarily for his acting career since 1937, Reagan stepped into a new role by openly endorsing Republican nominee Barry Goldwater. Goldwater, an accomplished businessman and five-term United States Senator from Arizona, was the Republican Party’s presidential candidate in the 1964 election.
In his speech, Reagan employed various rhetorical techniques such as style, delivery, pathos, logos, ethos, and hyperboles. These techniques played a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of his message.
Reagan’s speech at the beginning showcases his distinct style, effectively conveying his message. With a clear and precise tone, he expresses concern for the issue at hand. Throughout the speech, Reagan maintains a serious and compelling tone, aiming to ensure that the audience fully comprehends his perspectives and emotions towards his ideas. He firmly believes in the importance of expressing these ideas for the progress of the country. To illustrate how government interference negatively impacts Americans, Reagan provides examples and alludes to historical events like the revolution, emphasizing how the founding fathers opposed excessive government involvement. Reagan acknowledges that he has an uncomfortable feeling about relying on current prosperity for future hopes. What sets Reagan apart from others is his extraordinary ability to connect with his audience despite not always discussing topics directly relevant to each individual listener. His background in acting equips him with exceptional speaking skills that enable him to establish stronger connections with his audience. Reagan firmly believes that America is heading in the wrong direction and facing numerous challenges both domestically and internationally during this time of economic crisis.Reagan recognized the importance of delivering a powerful and promising message to citizens, instilling hope for a better future. His speech “A Time for Choosing” not only provided informative and inspiring content but also offered lighthearted entertainment to America. As the speech progressed, its style shifted, creating an optimistic atmosphere for what lies ahead. Reagan effectively builds a case for Goldwater and concludes with a statement expressing Goldwater’s faith in the American people’s capacity to make their own choices and shape their own destiny. Through his concern for the future combined with an optimistic belief in change through Goldwater, Reagan engages with American citizens in an inspirational manner.
The speech titled “A Time For Choosing” lasted around thirty minutes without any breaks or scene changes. It did not incorporate PowerPoint presentations to break the potential monotony of such a lengthy speech. Reagan’s remarkable ability to maintain the audience’s attention during this extended duration was achieved by evoking emotional responses. He appealed to their compassion by informing them about the financial crisis that had caused Kansas to be declared a depressed area. Additionally, he elicited laughter from the audience while mocking the government, stating, “When the government tells you you’re depressed, lie down and be depressed.” Towards the end of his speech, Reagan used repetition to establish a connection between himself and the audience. In the final three paragraphs, he repeated the phrase “You and I” four times. This inclusion of “You and I” made the audience feel involved and conveyed a sense of shared values and opinions with Reagan. Perhaps one of the most famous lines from this speech is “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.” The speech resonates as Reagan instills hope in both Americans’ future as well as that of their children. His emphasis on our capacity, dignity, and right to make decisions and shape our destiny conveys an impactful message. Repetition serves as a rhetorical technique employed by Reagan to emphasize unity among American citizens.Reagan’s speeches were so captivating that they left the audience wanting more. He discussed various issues and proposed solutions to them. Reagan also highlighted flaws in the existing government and questioned its once strong support base. In addition, he exposed how corruption among officials was affecting the mindset of fellow Americans. Reagan pointed out cases where people resorted to extreme measures like divorce just to increase their income and provide for their families, emphasizing the importance of finding alternative solutions and facing these challenges together.
Reagan employs pathos by referencing the recent escalation in Vietnam. He mentions, “As for the peace that we would preserve, I wonder who among us would like to approach the wife or mother whose husband or son has died in South Vietnam and ask them if they think this is a peace that should be maintained indefinitely. Do they mean peace, or do they mean we just want to be left in peace?” Through this anecdote of a grieving mother and wife, Reagan aims to establish a correlation between the threat of communism and the preservation of freedom. He further asserts that “there can be no real peace while one American is dying some place in the world for the rest of us”. By employing this emotional narrative, Reagan effectively establishes the necessity for an interventionist foreign policy that confronts communism wherever it prevails, with the ultimate goal of attaining peace. This emotional story resonates positively with the audience as they are able to empathize with the struggles faced by military families in our nation. Reagan’s utilization of pathos enables him to establish a connection with his audience, demonstrating that he shares their concerns regarding foreign policy. “There is no foundation like the rock of honesty and fairness, and when you begin to build your life on that rock, with the cement of the faith in God that you have a real start.” He portrays himself as a father figure who desires his son’s success, which is a sentiment most parents can relate to.
Reagan uses facts, figures, and reasoning to argue for economic conservatism and criticize the current government’s fiscal policy. He presents concrete evidence, such as the increase in debt limit three times in the past year and our national debt surpassing that of all other nations combined, to show that our government consistently spends more than it earns and fails to balance the budget. Through these deductions and evidence, Reagan emphasizes the unsustainability of our nation’s fiscal policy. He effectively communicates the dire financial situation our country is facing while establishing himself as a logical and intelligent speaker. Additionally, he appeals to ethos by presenting himself as trustworthy and competent.
Regan effectively utilizes direct description, religious and moral references, and an evident tone with moral implications to convey his message. The central theme of his speech revolves around concerns regarding the nation’s direction in terms of foreign relations. He juxtaposes the freedom of the United States with the oppressive nature of totalitarianism to portray his democratic opponents as weak and prone to appeasement rather than defense. Throughout his explanation, Regan employs a critical tone to attach negative attributes to his opponents, emphasizing his own superior character. Notably, he constructs a favorable perception of another individual, Barry Goldwater, while speaking on his behalf. By claiming that he has never encountered a more honest and honorable man than Goldwater, Regan not only speaks directly about Goldwater’s character but also presents it as a reflection of his own integrity.
In his speech, Reagan employs hyperbole to inject humor and levity. He shares an anecdote about his friends conversing with a Cuban refugee who had escaped from Castro, remarking that “We don’t know how lucky we are.” The Cuban retorts, “How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to.” While there may have been alternatives for the refugee, Reagan uses this story to underscore American ideals and values. The global admiration for these unique principles and devotion to them is evident among less fortunate individuals around the world. Another instance of hyperbole used by Reagan is when he claims that “government programs, once launched never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.” This witty exaggeration prompts both laughter and contemplation regarding the growing scale and influence of government. The utilization of hyperboles by Reagan emphasizes his ability to blend humor with serious subjects, ultimately establishing his renowned oratory style known as the Reagan wit.
Reagan’s speech, “A Time for Choosing,” demonstrated intellect and promise to both the people and his own political career. Ronald Reagan’s celebrity status, knowledge of both political spectrums, and skill in using rhetorical appeals made him an excellent choice to deliver this speech. Reagan used these appeals to convince the audience that the government needed to change in order to better represent our country’s freedoms and ideals. He provided solutions to problems and answers to questions, all while firmly standing by his claim that Barry Goldwater was the right choice. “A Time for Choosing,” also known as “The Speech,” will remain powerful and memorable for years to come. Reagan made a strong argument in this speech, using various logical appeals skillfully to engage the audience. By presenting Goldwater as a common-sense solution, he appeared to be the obvious choice. Although Lyndon B. Johnson won the election, Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” greatly benefited the Goldwater campaign and serves as an excellent example of persuasive rhetoric.
Work Cited
“A Time for Choosing” by Ronald Reagan – YouTube. YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2013. .
The website “American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States” includes the online source called “American Rhetoric: Ronald Reagan — A Time for Choosing.” This source was accessed on October 7, 2013, although its specific publication date is not stated.
The United States presidential election of 1964 was a significant event in the United States government, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. This information can be found on their website and was accessed on October 7th, 2013.
