859. If you have a weak candidate and a weak platform, wrap yourself up in the American flag and talk
about the constitution. MATTHEW QUAY (1833-1904).
This quote by Matthew Quay demonstrates how the use of rhetoric is undeniably important in life, even things with things of great magnitude, such as a presidential campaign. Time and time again, the use of rhetoric persuades an audience more than the cold, hard facts. A rhetoric that many companies use in TV commercials are catchy and repetitive jingles. This tune sticks with a person more that a man or woman spewing out information about the product on TV. For instance, McDonald's had a Fillet O Fish campaign using a singing bass on a wall. This commercial had an obvious impact on the population; I remember that everywhere I went, everybody knew, or at least heard of, that jingle. Another example would be Subway's $5 Foot Long jingle. The simple tune, accompanied by a dance move, easily is ingrained into one's memory and easy to pass along to friends.
In Matthew Quay's quote, he describes a presidential candidate using rhetoric to create a better campaign. Who doesn't love an all American person running for leadership of the country? All candidates try to use rhetoric to associate themselves to something quintessentially American. For instance, in the 2000 elections, John McCain incorporated the fact that he was a prisoner of war in the Vietnam War and how he's unable to completely lift his arms because of the maltreatment and torture he received as a POW. This brought him a lot of sympathy and admiration support from Americans because he had protected the country and had suffered through torture. Another presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy, also used rhetoric in his campaign. Although Kennedy was less knowledgeable on the affairs of the nation, his charisma and charm won the hearts of the American people. This accurately reflects Quary's idea of "If you have a weak candidate and a weak platform, wrap yourself up in the American flag and talk
about the constitution." Using rhetoric, Kennedy won the presidential election and beat the incumbent Ronald Reagan.
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