Frieda Nanyeni-Kanyemba
A new chapter in the history of American politics was opened, when, for his entire political life, Joseph Robinette Biden, who is also set to be the oldest ever, in the history of American presidents took an oath of office and was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United State of America, at the Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on 20 January 2020.
Biden took the office, amid the coronavirus pandemic therefore, only fewer people attended the ceremony because of Covid-19.
The rhetoric of his inauguration speech, Biden saluted the “Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence”, his distinguished guests, and the rest of his fellow Americans. Although, he collectively acknowledged the presence of his “predecessors from both parties”, Biden did not mention his recent predecessor the former President of United State Donald Trump who was absent from the Capitol.
Trump had left Washington before the now president Joe Biden was inaugurated. This is probably because he was still living in denial of the results of the election. Due to his absence, the handing over of symbols of presidential power to the elected president Joe Biden was not observed. Therefore, it was completely a different inaugural address as some aspect of the tradition of peaceful transfer of power, so to speak, was broken.
Joe Biden set the tone for his presidency by incorporated different rhetorical strategies to achieve political persuasion in his inaugural speech. It is important to note that speeches are vital to modern presidency. It is through speeches that the audience is informed about the president’s policies’ preferences and allow the president to fulfil public expectation. “The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded” Biden deliberately emphasised the prevailing and importance of democracy in America. He shifted the attention away from himself and put the whole focus of the celebration to all Americans.
“Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause. The cause of democracy” He made it very clear to his audience that the purpose of the celebration is not for his triumph but for the Americans to celebrate the cause of and prevailing of democracy.
With that, he set forth the political principles that will guide his administration. This is also vital as this was the first occasion, his inaugural speech on which he had to establish his ethos.
Inaugural addresses are a subspecies of what Aristotle characterised as “epideictic rhetoric”. Epideictic rhetoric is defined as a form of rhetoric that praises or blames, a ceremonial occasion that invites the audience to evaluate the speaker’s performance, recalls the past and speculates about the future while focusing on the present.
Biden commemorated the nation’s past by referring to the recent violence of the attack of the US Capitol on 6 January 2020. Those who have caused this attack are allegedly instigated by Donald Trump.
However, despite this, Biden’s rhetoric shows the importance of rehearsing of traditional values. This is referred to the carrying out of the peaceful transfer of power although, this was done, up to a certain extent. Biden indicated that this is one of the exercises that has been ongoing for more than two centuries.
Moreover, Biden’s rhetoric unifies the audience by reconstituting its members as the people, who can witness and ratify the ceremony. He motivated and inspired his audience on how America can never fail when they act together.
He also rehearsed the communal values drawn from the past. Biden referred to, and compared his commitment to unify America, with the rhetoric of his former President Abraham Lincoln when he stated in his inaugurations that, “If my name ever goes down in history, it will be for this act and my whole soul is in it.” Therefore, Biden has stressed that his whole soul is also in it.
Finally, the constant use of the group dynamic “we” exhorted the audience for collaborative effort. Equally, it brings Biden and his audience at the same level.
Biden effectively used his rhetoric to communicate to the audience. Arguably, this is an important aspect of a democratic regime.
*Frieda Nanyeni-Kanyemba holds a PhD in Presidential Rhetoric Studies from the University of Cape Town.