Although I am not really interested in politics, I really did enjoy watching the 2011 State of the Union address. Obama used several tactics throughout the speech in order to leave an impact on the nation. He urged Americans to recognize the importance of innovation and reforms in order to keep the United States as leader among the rest of the world. He believes that it is our Sputnik moment; it is our time to win the future. In order to do so, he pointed out several ordinary people that may have only done small things, but these small actions caused great things to occur. For instance, he recognized a man whose small company was named the "Plan B" in order to rescue the miners. While they were the back-up plan, they worked tirelessly for days and ultimately, became the plan that was used to rescue the miners. It are the stories like these, typical American companies and corporations that have the potential to greatly influence the rest of the world. Obama effectively used these stories, in addition to The Wright Brothers and Edison to show how powerful and great America is. The history of our country is successful and today, there are several figures that have risen to the occasion to help recreate America. Obama proved that we are a country of intelligence and composure by reminding us of all the success that has taken place. This was a positive approach because he put faith back into the typical American citizen. However, America is not perfect and he was not afraid of admitting this. He urged the importance of budget cuts, health and education reform in order to get Americans truly back on track. This requires great cuts and change, but he is ready and willing to make the sacrifices. I felt that Obama made a great speech; not only was the content relevant, his leadership skills were reflected. He is firm when he speaks and he makes the average person feel like they should make a difference. He gives us hope, but also urges us to make a difference.
