Discursive Practices in Barack Obama's State of the Union Addresses

The effects of Barack Obamäs seven State of the Union Addresses go beyond the contribution they made to building the statesman¿s image during his years in office, to conferring legitimacy upon him and to winning over national and international audiences; their influence extends long into the future, where Obama will have made history, being remembered by generations to come as the first black president at the White House, the American dream come true or, in other words, the triumph of the impossible. Out of all his public appearances, out of all his discourses, of which there are many, the State of the Union Addresses stand out due to their immediate and powerful impact on public opinion, their ability to convey an impressive outline of the most important issues on the public agenda and, last but not least, their strong emotional and inspirational potential; for all these reasons, the State of the Union Addresses transcend the borders of space and time, constituting a significant part of the Obama legacy.