USA – Cambridge Speechwriter

Statistics for Evil

A few weeks ago I looked at Malenkov’s use of statistics and then on how he threatened the USA with nuclear war.

Statistics are often used as evidence – sometimes more menacingly than others. This is part of the rhetorical branch of logos (the use of logic).

While Malenkov used statistics to gloat of an apparent Soviet success, other speakers have used statistics as a form of fear mongering.

In his notorious Rivers of Blood speech in 1968, Enoch Powell used statistics on the number of immigrants to strike fear into his audience.

In an attack on Britain’s immigrant population, Powell said…

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Threatening the USA

Last week I looked at Malenkov’s ridiculously long sentences and somewhat meaningless statistics. This time, I want to look at his use of threats!

Despite starting with boring statistics, Malenkov’s speech picked up when he started talking about international affairs. He placed a great emphasis on characterising the USSR as friendly but powerful if it needs to be.

On the one hand he said…

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The Rhetoric of Donald Trump on Twitter

I think it is safe to say that if you have done something that evokes an angry tweet from Donald Trump you’re winning at life. His tweets are famous for their manner, their meaning and their outright chutzpah!

Some people laugh at his tweets, others praise him for his frankness, and some are outright horrified by what he has to say. Whatever your views are, it is impossible to deny that he is a colossal figure and what he says matters.

But politics aside, the rhetoric behind his tweets are fascinating. Before I go on, I will quickly mention that it is easy to think that rhetoric is only found in grandiloquent speeches delivered by eloquent speakers and that it isn’t used in the realm of twitter. But that would be wrong. On the contrary, rhetoric is used everywhere, and by everyone – and that certainly includes Donald Trump on twitter. Continue reading “The Rhetoric of Donald Trump on Twitter” →

I hereby declare, today, for the world to hear, that this blogpost is published

Some people are saying that President Donald Trump’s speech in Poland last week was actually quite good. Even Donald Trump himself sent out a photo (of himself) with an excerpt from the speech reading: “I declare today for the world to hear that the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization will triumph”. It is quite the rhetorical bubble. It sounds a lot more dramatic than simply saying ‘the West will never be broken’. But why? Continue reading “I hereby declare, today, for the world to hear, that this blogpost is published” →