Faith in America-Ethos, Pathos, Logos

In Governor Romney’s speech, his purpose in giving the speech on faith was to inform voters that he would not let his Mormon faith impede or determine his abilities as President of the United States. Furthermore, he wanted future voters to know that he being Mormon would not affect his ability to be a great candidate and possibly great president.

            Mitt Romney refers to people that believe that Romney straying away from his commitments as a Mormon would be morally wrong. This builds to his credibility because he defines himself as someone who keeps commitments. Someone who keeps commitments regarding one’s faith or moral belief should be trusted and kept in high regard. Because he is faithful and loyal to his religion, he reasons that he will be faithful and loyal as an American, candidate, and future president. This obviously builds to his credibility or ethos as a writer/speaker. Also, he used a authoritative voice to give himself credibility, because he was a high government official who had to be elected to office. As a former governor of Massachusetts, this has immense authority and presence. 

            Mitt includes how John F. Kennedy, who was a Catholic running for president, was an American running for office. The Governor made this comparison to himself as an American running for office, not a Mormon running for office. This was a logical claim because he was using a past example that worked very well, and applied it to himself. It is logical to use an example that worked great for a secular faith president and apply it to his candidacy. By referring to JFK, this provides relevance to his logos appeal. Mitt, who is a non-Protestant, is running for president, and Mitt's example of JFK was also a non-Protestant who was running for president. 

            Lastly, Mitt Romney used pathos by referring to the prayer example in the First Continental Congress near the end of his speech. This example of praying among different faiths as patriots connected the audience to their traditional American values. As an American, I am patriotic because I love my country and the things that the United States of America stands for. By referring to this patriotic reference, Romney connected the audience to these emotions of love for their country. Also, he was able to connect this patriotism to religion in America, further arguing his point about being religious as well as being a patriotic president. This example of the First Continental Congress provides a concrete example to the pathos appeal.