Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign rhetoric: Making America whole again

Abstract

     This article sought to investigate Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2016 campaign rhetoric for the U.S. President as found in her South Carolina Primary Victory Speech and Super Tuesday Victory Speech. Qualitative content analysis was used through Leanne's analytical tool of rhetorical strategies to deconstruct the texts. It gave way to new analytical narratives to decipher the core meaning as expressed in the central ideas and the main ideas of the two speeches. By so doing, access was easily made for studying the four components of Clinton's campaign rhetoric. The article showed that both speeches shared similar themes in the four components of the campaign rhetoric, illuminating consistently Clinton's lines of thought and political goals. She succinctly spelled out her agenda to make America whole again; thus, providing opportunity, dignity, and justice for every American. She framed her political stand to continue the preceding Democratic President's success to improve the American economy. She presented herself as a strong leader capable of advancing the American economy that worked for every American, breaking all barriers and restoring their common faith for a better America. She evoked hopes on the part of her prospective voters for their common better future and urged them to desire love and kindness in their lives, and use the emotion of anger against the barriers that divided them.