LAUSR

Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign motivated thousands of people to train, organize, and recruit volunteers to get involved at the grassroots level. In this essay, I study a set of training manuals used during the 2008 Obama campaign and explore how four key rhetorical devices encouraged volunteers to identify strongly with the campaign. Using Kenneth Burke’s theory of identification, I analyze how (a) “Respect. Empower. Include.,” (b) the Story of Self, (c) volunteer recruitment and retention, and (d) the Obama “O” symbol fostered a sense of mission and commitment to the larger campaign narrative.