As President of the United States, you are expected to perform a multitude of jobs and duties. Presidents are expected not only to lead the country and its people to success, but also to motivate and encourage them along the way. There are many ways to do this, but the most effective strategy is to give speeches. Speeches are used to connect and motivate listeners so they can reflect and hopefully take away something that will positively impact their lives. Barack Obama, the forty-fourth president of the United States, was undoubtedly one of the best speakers to reside in the Oval Office. President Obama has given numerous speeches such as the 50th anniversary of the Selma Marches in Montgomery, the Naturalization Ceremony speech, and the A More Perfect Union speech. All of these speeches provide evidence that Obama gives meaningful and effective speeches. Obama delivered the “A More Perfect Union” speech at the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential nomination, in which he addressed racial tensions, white privilege, and racial injustice in the United States. The effectiveness of Barack Obama's speech is due to the strong use of rhetorical references to pathos and ethos. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay President Obama effectively demonstrates the use of appeal pathos in his More Perfect Union speech. Pathos is a strategy that will typically appeal to the emotions of readers and listeners, as well as creating images that will appeal to those emotions. Obama presents his use of appeals to emotion, speaking to examples of racial injustice found in our nation. Obama highlights these injustices when he describes, “Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven't corrected them, fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, and the inferior education they provided, then and now, helps explain the pervasive achievement gap between black and white students today.” By identifying an example of racial inequities from our past, Obama effectively appealed to the public's emotions. These emotions will make the public understand and hopefully work towards a more unified country, instead of being separated by racial discrimination. Obama goes on to say, “The lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came with not being able to provide for one's family, contributed to the erosion of black families.” This excerpt effectively uses emotions to exemplify the racial inequalities that African Americans face in society. This appeals to the readers' emotions because they are able to sympathize with people who are the only ones providing for their families. Obama effectively appeals to pathos as he uses the audience's emotions to further demonstrate the need for a more united nation. As Obama continues to unify the country through his speech, he also demonstrates the rhetorical appeal of ethics. Ethics establishes credibility through authority created through logical support, research, and, in Obama's case, evidence. He continually brings up America's racial history. Obama, who is mixed race and has been constantly exposed to racial injustices throughout his life, understands these struggles firsthand. Having experienced these things, Obama justifies himself, “embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of them.” Having encountered these things, Obama can establish his credibility and relate to his audience. But.