Rhetorical Analysis Campaign Ad – Asha Ighodaro

After watching this ad, I know this ad is directed to all American voters, but most importantly those who are afraid of the current social climate. He highlights that he doesn’t want people to  see him as someone who condones or encourages the riots and looting but he does support the actual protest and marches for change. He also highlights to voters that a vote for Trump will only continue to fuel the fires.This ad is highlighting the fact that under another four years of Trump’s America, Trump will instigate more fear and violence in the country as he did these past four years. Biden begins this ad by denouncing the the looting and rioting because Trump’s extremely gullible following have been attempting to make people believe that Biden supports rioting and looting they want to make it seem as though the protest that have been happening are not protest but in fact looting and rioting, in this ad Biden clearly differentiates the two because he knows the difference, he is aware that people are trying to put words in his mouth and he wants to make it clear that he will not allow people to do that. Biden promises that if he were to become president he wouldn’t continue spouting destructive and divisive rhetoric as Trump does when he tweets things like “when the looting starts the shooting starts” threatening the lives of his own American citizens who he claims to love so much. This ad gives the audience a feeling of clarity and relief, when he talks about what he will do in his presidency versus what trump is already doing you feel a great sense of relief that if he were to become president he wouldn’t allow his supporters to become “armed militia” highlighting the fact that Trump’s supporters are extremely violent and a danger to society.  This ad is both positive and negative, its positive because he talks about all he will try to do to make this country better for the people fighting for a better social climate, it’s also very positive when he makes it clear he does not support the violence being done in this country whether is be from rioters and looters or the trumps supporters aka “armed militia” or the armed forces being put in the streets to attack even peaceful protesters. It’s very negative when there are clips of these rioters and looters as well as armed forces attacking the citizens in this country fighting for change, he uses pictures from the affects of the riots and looting which gives people a negative feeling. Biden uses pathos by calling on people emotions through these extremely sad time he wants people to know that he will stand for what’s right and won’t be fear mongering as trump does he amplifies the fact that trump wants the run this country with fear by using swat teams in states with protesters even if they are peaceful Over all this ad is the polar opposite of the majority of Trump’s ads, there is a lot of lighting and brightness in this ad, whereas in Trump ads he is being very dark and trying to fear monger the audience he also tries to demonize Biden and a lot of liberals in his ads. Whereas in Biden’s ad although he does use three clips of trump, he just uses the actual clips and doesn’t try to edit or change them in any way them to demonize him, Biden probably does this to amplify the fact that he doesn’t need gimmicks or editing to make Trump look like a monster because trump does that all in his own. The background music is very uplifting it gives the vibe of positive and ready for change. I think this ad is successful in that it tells the audience the truth in what the current president is doing and how damaging it is. This ad makes the watcher feel ready for change and that change would come with electing Joe Biden as president.