TOW #9 - 4 things Obama should do- fast (Written)

This past week were the midterm elections. The outcome was pretty clear, those who ran against Barack Obama's stances won. CNN, a typically left-wing and liberal news source reflects on the elections in the article, "4 things Obama Should Do- Fast".  Written by Jason Johnson, a professor of political science and frequent guest on CNN, this article successfully looks at the glass half-full rather than empty. 

Johnson is very optimistic in his approach. In his conversational tone he is able to communicate an opinion that some may object to, he writes, "First, let's be honest about what happened Tuesday night. The stock market is way up, unemployment is the lowest in six years and gas prices are way down. So, by most objective measures, the country is doing well." Rather than jump into the fact that our president has been deemed a lame duck, he looks at what is being done well. He also does not actually being by discussing the election itself. This helps remind the reader that while we did elect new people, the state of our nation as is may not be as bad as many think. By communicating with the audience in such a colloquial fashion,  Johnson effectively reveals his opinion, without being on the attack. 

The arrangement of the article also assists Johnson in giving validity to his argument. Before ever revealing what he believes, Johnson opens with a reflection on American politics since 2006 and continues with statistics. This establishes his credibility, making the reader more susceptible to his opinion. After this, he addresses the election's outcomes, also very factually, and recognizes why people voted against President Obama's policies, even though he wasn't up for re-election. Without critiquing any party aggressively, Johnson explains that despite the new, seemingly "impossible", congress, there can still be progress. He breaks them clearly into 4 basic categories and briefly addresses them, finally revealing his opinions. By laying the groundwork and not bombarding the reader with what he believes, Johnson creates an argument that is considerable and appealing.   



http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/07/opinion/johnson-obama-next-steps/index.html?hpt=op_t1