Debate

Rhetorical Strategies:

Obama mentions it's his wife's anniversary. It's a red herring fallacy used to distract from the argument and pathos to make the audience sympathetic.

Romney congratulates Obama on his anniversary and jokes about how romantic it is to be there with him. This connects the audience with Romney in a way

Romney tries to make eye contact with Obama when he is criticizing his policies. It makes him feel somewhat victimized and on the defensive.

I got five boys. I’m used to someone telling me something and repeating it, hoping I’ll believe it. This is an analogy that compares Obama to a boy.

Romney uses a rhetorical question when he asks "Why lower the rates?"
Obama alludes to Donald Trump and his idea for small business. 

When Romney brings up the guy from St. Louis with a small business, he uses asyndeton to list the types of taxes that man has to pay.

"Is the program so critical, it’s worth borrowing money from China to pay for it? This is another rhetorical question used by Romney.

Romney addresses Obama as Mr. President and says it’s with all due respect. This shows that he’s not trying to attack Obama personally, just trying to make his arguments.

Romney alludes to the Bull Simpson Commission

Romney says, "Middle income families are being buried and crushed." This is imagery used for pathos.