This book offers content analyses of the 2016 presidential candidate campaign messages from the primary and the general election. The chapters examine both new (Twitter, Facebook) and traditional (TV spots, debates, speeches) media employed in this contest. This allows comparison of campaign phases (primary versus general), candidates (Republican primary and Democratic primary candidates; general election candidates), and message forms. The results are compared with data from analyses of previous presidential campaigns.
Author(s): William L. Benoit, Mark J. Glantz
Publisher: Peter Lang
Year: 2020
Cover
Contents
Preface
Chapter one: Introduction
Functional Theory of Political Campaign Discourse
2016 Presidential Candidacies
Chapter two: Methods and Procedures
Assumptions of Functional Theory
Hypotheses and Research Questions
Procedures
Reliability
Appendix 2.1: Examples of Acclaims and Attacks on the Forms of Policy and Character
Chapter three: Candidacy Announcement Speeches
Literature Review
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
Appendix 3.1: Dates of 2016 Presidential Candidacy Announcement Speeches
Democratic
Republican
Chapter four: Primary Television Spots
Introduction
Literature Review
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
Chapter five: Primary Debates
Literature Review
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
Appendix 5.1: Participation in 2016 Presidential Primary Debates
Republican Primary Debates
Democratic Primary Debates
Chapter six: Primary Social Media
The Nature and Importance of the Internet and Social Media
Twitter
Facebook
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
Chapter seven: Primary TV Talk Shows
Literature Review
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
Chapter eight: Nomination Acceptance Addresses
Nomination Acceptance Addresses
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusions
Chapter nine: General Television Spots
Introduction
Literature Review
Sample
Results
Discussion and Conclusions
Chapter ten: General Debates
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
Chapter eleven: General Social Media
Results
Discussion and Conclusions
Chapter twelve: Conclusions and Comparisons
Functions of Presidential Campaign Messages
Target of Attacks in Presidential Primary Campaigns
Topic of Presidential Campaign Messages
Relative Frequency of the Forms of Policy
Functions of General Goals
Relative Frequency of the Forms of Character
Functions of Ideals
Functions of Different Sources of Campaign Message
Social Media Emphasize Character
Defenses Dominate Debates
Functions of Primary versus General Campaign Messages
Topics of Primary versus General Campaign Messages
Functions of 2016 Messages versus Earlier Campaign Messages
Distribution of Forms of Policy
Distribution of Forms of Character
Conclusion
Appendix
References
Index
