Joe Biden’s Victory Speech

Speech transcript
My fellow America, folks, the people of this nation have spoken. They have delivered us a clear
victory. A convincing victory. A victory for “We the People”.
We have won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of the nation – 74
million. […] I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me. I pledge to be a
president who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn’t see red states and blue states, but only
sees the United States.
And I will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people. For that is what America is
about: the people. And that is what our administration will be about.
I sought this office to restore the soul of America. To rebuild the backbone of the nation – the middle
class. And to make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home. It is the
honour of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for that vision. And now the work
of making that vision real is the task of our time.

Vocabulary:
‘Fellow’ = sharing a particular activity, quality, or condition with someone or something.
‘Humbled’ = surprised at one’s success; modesty.
‘Silver Bullet’ Task

• What words or phrases do you think are persuasive in this speech?

• Highlight/ underline them!
• Then think about WHY they are persuasive.
• Get ready to feedback!
Joe Biden’s Victory Speech
What words/ phrases did you highlight? Why? What persuasive device is being used?

‘fellow America’ This shows us that Biden is relatable as he is another

American citizen – just like his audience.
What are we working towards…?

You will write a speech on the reasons why you should be class
president.
In your speech you will have to persuade us that you are the best
person for the job!
Title:

Learning Objectives
• Further develop our understanding of the qualities of a good speech
• Select ideas to include in our own speeches
• Organise these ideas onto a ‘campaign poster’
What are the key elements of a presidential
speech?
• Videos that lead them to thinking about policies (Define policies).
 TRUMP VS
BIDEN
In pairs, place the policy with the presidential
Healthcare: He wants to
repeal the Affordable
Care Act, which makes
candidate you think it belongs to. healthcare cheaper for
Climate change: Wants to those living in poverty.
Climate change: Wants the US to expand non-renewable energy.
reach net zero emissions by He aims to increase drilling for
2050, and proposes banning oil and gas, and roll back further Race and policing:
environmental protections. He views racism as a
new leases for oil and gas.
systemic problem,
Guns: He has proposed
and has set out
Economy: He wants to banning assault weapons,
policies to address
deliver an income tax cut. and funding more research
racial disparities in
into preventing gun violence
the justice system
Guns: He promotes
Healthcare: He wants to training teachers Economy: He wants to
protect and expand the with guns in the raise taxes for high Race and Policing: he
Affordable Care Act, which classroom to earners to pay for doesn't believe racism is
makes healthcare cheaper prevent school investment in public a systemic problem
for those living in poverty. shootings. services. within US police forces.
 TRUMP
Climate change: Wants to expand
non-renewable energy. He aims to
increase drilling for oil and gas, and
roll back further environmental
protections.
Economy: He wants to deliver an
income tax cut.
Guns: He promotes training
teachers with guns in the classroom
to prevent school shootings.
Healthcare: He wants to repeal the
Affordable Care Act, which makes
healthcare cheaper for those living
in poverty.
Race and Policing: he doesn't
believe racism is a systemic
problem within US police forces.
BIDEN
Climate change: Wants the US to reach net zero emissions by 2050,
and proposes banning new leases for oil and gas.
Economy: He wants to raise taxes for high
earners to pay for investment in public
services.
Guns: He has proposed banning
assault weapons, and funding more
research into preventing gun
violence
Healthcare: He wants to protect
and expand the Affordable Care
Act, which makes healthcare
cheaper for those living in poverty.
Race and policing: He views racism
as a systemic problem, and has set
out policies to address racial
disparities in the justice system
What will your ‘policies’, or the main points
of your speech, be?
Last lesson, when we discussed the features of a good speech, we said that a
clear and convincing line of argument was important. If you have clear ideas in
your speech of ways to help, this will help you to create a strong argument.

Your ideas/ ‘policies’ will be different from Biden and Trump’s, because you are
not running for American President! You need to think of policies that will relate
to school life, and bring about change for your classmates.
Find your policies!
To give you some ideas of what you can include in your speech, there are
posters around the classroom.

On these posters are different class presidents and their policies.

Take a look at each of the posters, and pick and choose your favourites to
‘magpie’ and use in your own speeches!

Make sure you write these down on the sheet provided, so you don’t forget
them!
Campaign poster

• Star Task: Can you think of a campaign slogan for your poster?
Trump’s was ‘Make America Great Again’, Obama’s was ‘Yes We Can’,
Biden’s is ‘Build Back Better’. (Note how some use the POWER OF
THREE and ALLITERATION).