Democratic Illinois Senate Representative Barack Obama and Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger both gave speeches in 2004 at their political party's convention. Although Barack Obama and Schwarzenegger each took a different approach and emphasized different ideas, they both shared a distinctive similarity in the structure of their speeches. Similar rhetorical strategies are found due to their similarity in the structure of their speeches. These similar rhetorical strategies include metaphors and images. If both discourses are structurally similar, what differentiates them? The similarity in the structure of their speeches is not as obvious as one would expect due to their different tone and interpretation. It is polite to say "Thank you" after being applauded by an audience that both Barack Obama and Barack Obama Arnold Schwarzenegger had the pleasure of making before their speeches. Barack Obama took a humble approach in his introduction, letting the audience learn about his background immediately after thanking the audience once again: "let me express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of speaking at this convention." He remembers the difficulties of his family, in particular his father: "He grew up raising goats, he went to school in a shack with a tin roof." He concludes his recollection of what many would call a sad backstory by expressing his gratitude to his family who look down on him with "great pride." Unlike Obama's humble presentation, Schwarzenegger addresses his acting career and makes a direct comment to the other political party: “Speaking of acting, one of my movies was called “True Lies.” And that's what the Democrats should have called their convention. Likewise he then recalls his past struggle as a child in a part of Austr...... middle of paper ...... first option." Structurally speaking, both speeches are similar in almost every respect, both reminiscent a fight from the past, both express the love their respective men share for America, and both tout their respective presidential candidates It's the simple things that set these two speeches apart, like Obama referencing Abraham Lincoln and Schwarzenegger making reference to his character in the movie "Terminator". Although both criticized, Obama is been more implicit and directed towards America in a subtle way, while Schwarzenegger was more directed towards the other party, the Democrats Both had to deal with racial diversity, although it is evident that being racially diverse was a task harder for Barack Obama because he was African American Both men ultimately sought to influence the lives of their audiences in the same way that their lives were influenced by America.