President Trump Delivers Remarks at Theodore Roosevelt Library

Today we come to the heartland of America to pay tribute to a man who embodied the heart and soul and fight and spirit of our country as much as anyone who ever lived. TR had transformed his country by the reach of his vision and by the force of his will into one of the greatest empires ready to take its rightful place as the strongest and most respected nation anywhere in the world. The life of Theodore Roosevelt reminds us that Americans never give up.

Glittering Generalities Vague emotionally positive phrases like 'heart and soul and fight and spirit' are used as rhetorical flourish without substantive meaning — for example: heart and soul and fight and spirit of our country, take its rightful place and Americans never give up.

Appeal to Prejudice The phrase 'heartland of America' invokes in-group identity and a romanticized notion of 'real America' to create an us-vs-them framing — for example: heartland of America and Americans never give up.

Exaggeration/Hyperbole Describing the United States as 'one of the greatest empires' and 'the strongest and most respected nation anywhere in the world' are extreme superlative overstatements — for example: 'strongest and most respected nation anywhere in the world'

We don't give up. He never stopped, never quit, never surrendered. Theodore Roosevelt reminds us all that to be a great nation and to be a free nation, we must have courage.

Repetition Three synonymous phrases are repeated in quick succession for rhetorical emphasis rather than to convey distinct factual information — for example: 'never stopped, never quit, never surrendered'

Transfer The authority and legacy of a respected historical figure, Theodore Roosevelt, is borrowed to lend legitimacy to the political message about national greatness and courage — for example: 'Theodore Roosevelt reminds us all that to be a great nation'

Glittering Generalities Vague emotionally positive terms like 'great nation', 'free nation', and 'courage' are invoked as rhetorical flourishes without specific policy substance — for example: 'to be a great nation and to be a free nation, we must have courage'

Without courage, you have nothing. He refused to accept failure, mediocrity corruption decay or decline, and neither should we. As America turns 250 years old, we look at this remarkable man and we recall that with effort, determination, and drive, there is nothing that Americans of competence cannot do.

Glittering Generalities The sentence uses a sweeping, vague moral claim about courage to evoke an emotional response without substantive content — for example: Without courage, you have nothing and with effort, determination, and drive, there is nothing that Americans of competence cannot do.

Loaded Language The sentence strings together emotionally charged negative words to provoke a visceral reaction against abstract enemies — for example: 'failure, mediocrity corruption decay or decline'

Appeal to Prejudice The phrase 'neither should we' invokes an in-group identity, implying that the audience shares a noble refusal to accept decline — for example: neither should we and Americans of competence.

Transfer Invoking America's 250th anniversary borrows the symbolic authority of national heritage and founding ideals to validate the rhetorical message — for example: 'As America turns 250 years old'