Romney as a Mormon or Romney as a President or both?
John B. Judis who was the author of “Passing the People’s Religious Test: Mitt Romney’s Mormonism is Nothing to Fear,” has an effective use of rhetoric for his audience. His rhetoric was effective because he explained to them that Romney’s Mormonism, just like it says in the title of his article, is nothing to fear. The audience of Judis’s article are people who have doubts or fears about the Mormonism of Romney. In attempt to help his audience no longer be fearful of Romney’s Mormonism Judis included a quote from Romney about what he stated concerning him or any other politicians beliefs, “that they are private” (Judis 104). Politician’s religious beliefs are private. That is what Judis did and wanted to declare unto his audience. His audience understood his point of view because he came across clear and they could see what Judis’s claim was on Romney’s Mormonism; that it is nothing to be afraid of. Judis’s audience made sense of that statement because its logical that politicians religious beliefs should be kept to themselves and don’t need to be public. Judis’s rhetoric is effective because he established his credibility, he used the analogy of Mitt Romney’s religious situation to former great political leaders, and he appealed to his audiences sense of logic.
Judis makes it clear to his audience that they can trust him and listen to him by establishing his credibility. Judis quoted in the first line of his article from the United States Constitution, saying, “In the U.S. Constitution it says, “Congress shall not pass any law respecting an establishment of religion,” (103). By informing his audience that it is a law in the U.S. Constitution that there shall not be any law restricting religion informs them that Romney’s religious matters are Constitutional and that he can be the United States President, regardless of his religion. Including this quote in his opening line of his article gains the trust of his audience and is an effective appeal to ethos. His audience can grasp that Judis knows what he wants to say, that he knows both parties and wants to make clear that Romney’s Mormonism is nothing to fear. His quote persuades his audience to listen to him. It is effective for them because Americans appreciate the roots of the Constitution and acknowledge what it took to have it. The Constitution was the first of its kind and includes one of the most distinguished features of Americas freedom; freedom of religion. That is what makes this quote for Judis’s audience perfect for them. Judis’s credibility established in his use of the U.S. Constitution is an effective tool to help his audience agree with his point of view. Judis establishes his credibility again by showing that he is educated, which is something that his audience needed to know about him. He did it by underlying the fact that if Romney was not elected President strictly because of his Mormonism and Barack Obama was elected President even though he is black, means that there exist prejudice views stronger against men of religion than against men who are black. This shows Judis’s audience his understanding of the Presidential campaign and that he is educated; once again, establishing his credibility. By Judis underlying that in his article he shows his audience that Romney is a genuine leader and it is not needed that they discriminate against him because of his faith. Judis wanted his audience to understand that Romney’s Mormonism is nothing to fear and to trust him as he wrote his article. But for Judis to make his audience understand him more clearly he included another quote from Romney, saying, “politicians’ religious beliefs should neither qualify a man nor disqualify a man for political office” (104). This is effective for Judis’s audience so that they understand Judis is credible. By including such a statement made by Romney Judis strengthens his audiences trust in him and