Systematically rhetoric knowledge was firstly developed in Greece. The first
systematic elucidation on speech cleverness in Greek is well known as Techne
Rhetorike, it means knowledge on speaking arts. In world history, speech cleverness
was a primary instrument to influence masses. Language was used to convince
others. Such capability is generally owned by prominent figures or statesmen such as
presidents.
In view of rhetoric importance as part of knowledge that include in discipline
of communication knowledge, so the researcher was interested in observing and
analyzing speeches by the incumbent president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY),
that was well known as imaging politics, he has freq uently displayed it while speaking
before publics through addresses or other agendas in front of mass media or publics.
Findings on examination of President SBY? Speech Texts that the most
influential one for audiences was ETHOS. The ethos side was really reflected from the
introductory section aimed at substantiating communicator?s credibility. There were
three aspects in Ethos namely Intelligence, Character, and Goodwill. The three aspects
were contained in speeches of President SBY and the most dominant and strong one
was Character aspect. It was reflected by sentences in his speeches that strove to
portray himself as a personage, who is honest and trustworthy, that has empathy to
societies.