Artist's Statement Outline

My quote: "Oh people, look among you. It's there your hope must lie." (Browne, Jackson. "Rock Me on the Water" Lyrics. Jackson Browne Asylum Records, 1972.)
Connecting to: The 2008 election and the current mood of the country as Barack Obama assumes presidency.
Thesis: Jackson Browne's lyrics are connected to the 2008 election literally, in the sense that one of Obama's key messages was "hope", as well in a larger, foreshadowing sense because America showed that the future and hopefulness relies on the nation as a whole, not just a single leader.

Body Paragraphs:

• Topic Sentence: Barack Obama's campaign relied strongly on instilling a sense of hope back into the minds of Americans.
  
• Evidence: "Hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope: In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation, a belief in things not seen, a belief that there are better days ahead." (Obama, Barack; Transcript of Democratic National Convention in Boston, 27 July 2004, Link, Accessed 13 January 2009.)
• Analysis: Even in 2004, when he was a Senate hopeful, Barack Obama was a firm believer in spreading the concept of a hopeful nation.
  
• Transition: His years of campaigning and staying hopeful brought a wave of energy through the nation during the recent and historical presidential election.
  

• Topic Sentence: Barack Obama approached America during a time of confusion and worry. One of the accomplishments he receives much of his praise for is his ability to bring a renewed sense of hope and enthusiasm to his supporters, along with his calm demeanor.
• Evidence: "While the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress," and "This is your victory." (Obama, Barack; Victory Speech Transcript, 4 November 2008, Link, Accessed 13 January 2009.)
• Analysis: It was widely agreed upon that Obama's win at the election brought an overwhelming feeling of inspiration. His win is definately noted as a milestone of acheivement for America as a nation.
  
• Transition: For so many people, Obama's win itself brought optimism and perhaps, altered the way people look at the country.
  

• Topic Sentence: Barack Obama now undertakes countless responsibilities in order to bring America together, and keep it together.
• Evidence: "Obama understood that he had become a giant screen upon which Americans projected their hopes and fears, dreams and frustrations. Maybe such a person never really existed, couldn't exist, but people wanted a savior nonetheless." (Newsweek Magazine, "How He Did It", 5 November 2008, Link, Accessed 13 January 2009.)
• Analysis: The underlying theme is the fact that hope has always been in Americans. Hope has always been there, but Barack Obama seemed to be a catalyst during the past year and helped to ignite the hope that may have been fading
  
• Transition: To many people, Obama may have been the personification of hope, but really, the hope lied in the hands of each and every citizen.
  

Conclusion: "Oh people, look among you. It's there your hope must lie." The word 'hope' was used so many times during the campaign and I really think it gave everyone something to look foward to. During difficult times or times of devastation, people tend to want someone or something to turn to. Barack Obama could have been that figure for many people, but really, the hopefulness was always there. In some ways, the election was a catalyst of hope in the sense that it brought a rapid wave of optimism through the mindsets of Americans.