Campaign '96: A Functional Analysis of Acclaiming, Attacking, and Defending

Benoit, Blaney, and Pier apply the functional theory of political campaign discourse to the 1996 presidential campaign. When a citizen casts a vote, he or she makes a decision about which candidate is preferable. There are only three types of rhetorical strategies for persuading voters to believe a candidate is the better choice: acclaiming or self-praise, attacking or criticizing an opponent, and defending or responding to attacks. As they illustrate, acclaims, if accepted by the audience, make the candidate appear better. Attacks can make the opponent seem worse, improving the source's apparent preferability. If attacked, a candidate can attempt to restore—or prevent—lost credibility by defending against that attack. As Benoit, Blaney, and Pier point out, the functional theory of political communication is relatively new, and their book illustrates it with a detailed analysis of the most recent presidential campaign. One of the major strengths of the study is the variety of message forms examined: television spots, debates, talk radio appearances, keynote speeches, acceptance speeches, speeches by spouses, radio addresses, and free television time remarks. It also examines all three parts of the campaign—primary, nominating conventions, and general campaign. This comprehensive analysis of the '96 presidential campaign will be of considerable use to students, scholars, and other researchers dealing with contemporary American electioneering.

Table of Contents:
Series Foreword by Robert E. Denton, Jr. Preface Introduction Overview: A Functional Theory of Political Campaign Discourse Method: Acclaiming, Attacking, and Defending Procedures: How We Analyzed Campaign '96 Messages Republican Primaries: Who Shall Lead Us? Debates: A Free-for-All Television Advertisements: "I'm More Conservative Than You" Talk Radio: What Are the Candidates Saying about Each Other? Nominating Conventions: Anointing the Chosen Keynote Speeches: It's Great to Be a Republican/Democrat! Acceptance Addresses: "I Will Lead Us to Victory" Stand By Your Man: Elizabeth Dole's and Hillary Rodham Clinton's Convention Speeches General Election Campaign: The Final Showdown Televised Advertisements: Dole/Gingrich versus the Liberals Radio Addresses: Hear Ye, Hear Ye Debates: Direct Confrontation Free Television Remarks: Their Unfiltered Utterances Conclusion and Implications Outcomes: Who Won (and by How Much)? Implications: What Have We Learned? References Index

About the Author :
WILLIAM L. BENOIT is Professor of Communication at the University of Missouri. He has published numerous articles and three books, including Candidates in Conflict: Persuasive Attack and Defense in the 1992 Presidential Debates (1996, with William T. Wells). JOSEPH R. BLANEY is an Assistant Professor of Mass Communication at Northwest Missouri State University. He has published, with Benoit, in The Journal of Communication and Religion. P. M. PIER is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of Missouri. She has published, with Benoit and Blaney, in Communication Quarterly.