Obama's Oratory style and the Presidency

“Ethos” was the name Aristotle gave to that part of rhetoric that establishes the speaker’s bona fides. “Logos” " or the actual argument " was only one among three of the persuasive appeals; “pathos” " manipulating the audience’s emotions " was just as important. Think of it this way. Ethos: “Buy my old car because I’m Jeremy Clarkson.” Logos: “Buy my old car because yours is broken and mine is the only one on sale.” Pathos: “Buy my old car or I’ll twist the head off this kitten.”

The formal terms used to describe rhetorical figures haven’t changed because the figures haven’t changed. They still work the same way on the human ear and the human heart as they did in Aristotle’s day.