“That is to say that rhetoric is an art of the moment.” (Gerard, 27) This phrase, from today’s reading, really struck me. Mostly, I think, due to it’s relevancy to last class’ discussion of Obama’s rhetoric from 2008, comparing it to Donald Trump’s rhetoric from his current campaign for president. The idea that these two men are both artists of the moment, arguably equal in skill, really appeals to me. Obama has always been complimented on his “soaring” or “inspirational” rhetoric, while the same could not be said for Donald Trump. Perhaps that is because his speech is not quite as beautiful as President Obama’s. Trump is, I think, slighted in this comparison of rhetoric. Aesthetics are only one component of the art of rhetoric, and if it truly is an “art of the moment,” then surely even the unsavory Mr. Trump deserves some credit for capturing his audience, as they’re feeling in this moment. He appeals to a large percentage of America, and surely that’s what rhetoric is all about.