Burkean Analysis on President Obama’s speech on “Race”

In Philadelphia, at the National Constitution Center on March 18, 2008 the future President Barack Obama gave his empowering speech called, “A More Perfect Union” based on race in the United States. In terms of Kenneth Burke’s, Dramatism Pentad, I will evaluate the act, agency, agent, scene and purpose of this historically significant speech. What I intend to figure out, is whether or not this speech was relevant in terms of time (when he gave this speech) and location. Could anyone else have given it? And if so, who?
The scene physically takes place at a monumental site, the National Constitution Center, where hundreds of years ago our founding fathers set in motion the democracy of America. The future President stood at a wooden podium with two American flags standing behind him on each side and a simple blue background. He stood stationary for the entirety of the speech and merely glanced back and forth at his audience. The seriousness of this speech became evident before I even pushed play on the website.

The fact that our Constitution was written at this site, historically says so much about the speech that President Obama was about to give. It became in a sense, another historical site due to the power of this speech. Not only will it be remembered now by the history that was made at this site two hundred and twenty two years ago but also now because the first African American President gave his speech on race at this very location.

The connection that can be made between the two has so much significance on the location. The Constitution itself bears the idea of equal citizenship; something that we as American’s know was not always the case. The scene was, that in his campaign for presidency, Barack Obama was under attack for various racial reasons. As much as we would like to take pride in the fact that racial discriminaccy is much lower than it used to be, we cannot state that it has disappeared. Therefore, the place that he gave his speech was significant in that it represented the argument that was once written in our Constitution.
The agent was future President, and an African American himself, Barack Obama. He, along with Jesse Jackson in the 80’s, was one of the only candidates for Presidency to confront directly the issues of race being used against him in his campaign and he did so by beginning his speech with his own historical background. Barack Obama himself could only tell the drama of this story. It is his story after all. He stresses the idea of unity in a nation that had become more separate, than equal. The significance of a black Presidential candidate giving a speech on race is outstanding and appropriate for this time. Had Hilary Clinton, John McCain, Sarah Palin or anyone else at this time, tried to give this speech, it would have been severely less significant. President Obama was at a point in his campaign where it was appropriate and necessary to indentify and rearrange the questions being brought in front of him. He stated, “This is not to say that race has not been an issue in the campaign. At various stages in the campaign, some commentators have deemed me either "too black" or "not black enough"… And yet, it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn.” If anyone else were to address these issues, it wouldn’t have had the same impact.

The agency of this speech was an address to the nation about all topics of race that had come up this far in his campaign. He addressed all aspects, his friends, his family, his staff, his former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright and the nation as a whole, on the issues that had been brought to light in terms of race, throughout his campaign for presidency. What could have been a better time for unity to shine through? The future President nipped every issue in the bud by bringing them all to light and addressing each one personally. He needed to explain his background. He needed to explain his thoughts on Reverend Wright’s remarks. He needed to tell personal stories of experiences with racism that he had had. He needed to bring to light that it exists within everyone. (Which he did.) And he did so in a way that was least offensive. Thus far in his campaign it was stated that he was “too black” or “not black enough” as he said, however these needed to be addressed by him, without interruption. It was vital that he come right out and address it head on, in front of the nation.

The purpose was to was to better his campaign. By addressing the nation about issues that are presently being brought to light during his candidacy he was about to better his image in running for President. By giving this speech he was able to identify with many races.

Another purpose that makes sense in my own opinion was his many references to his pastor, Reverend Wright. I believe many expected him to dismiss the reverend, and if he had he would have been doing what the media wanted him to do. It would have chalked one up for the media and zero for the running candidate. I was glad he didn’t do what was maybe expected. He brought light to the idea that racism touches everyone. Instead of giving in and saying, “What Mr. Wright said was wrong”, he simply stated he disagreed. He brought out the idea that even his own grandmother had racial thoughts that he disagreed with. He made everyone equal, which was tough to go about.

The act of President Obama’s speech ties in with the purpose. He was doing this to address the constant criticism at that time about his childhood pastor, and race (in general) in America. He broadened the thought and made it equal to all American’s no matter their racial background.

This speech was not only delivered at an appropriate time, not only delivered by the right person but delivered in such a way that made the speech unique to each listener in their own way. Burke’s elements of the Pentad help me organize my opinions in a way to allow me to understand purposeful meaning of the speech.

Danielle Hritzak
Wilkes University 10'
Communications