Connecting with Constituents: Identification Building and Blocking in Contemporary National Convention Addresses

Connecting with Constituents explores speeches delivered at national nominating conventions from historic, strategic, and analytic perspectives. Focusing on the strategies speakers use to appeal to particular facets of the American audience, this book illustrates the importance of nominating conventions as part of an ongoing national conversation about the political character of the country and its people. The individual chapters focus on different types of convention orations, including keynote speeches, acceptance addresses by presidential and vice presidential nominees, orations by the candidates’ wives, and addresses by other surrogate speakers. Each chapter provides a brief history of a particular type of oration, an explication of speakers, speeches, and contexts from the RNC and DNC between 1980 and 2008, and an in-depth comparative analysis of 2012 Republican and Democratic speeches. The book demonstrates how candidates and those speaking on their behalf employ strategies (such as telling personal stories, using jokes, offering intraparty appeals, acclaiming accomplishments, and framing the opponent in particular ways) to alter how citizens build, or fail to build, personal connections with the speakers, the parties, and their nominees. These analyses reveal more than simply how speakers and speechwriters persuade audience members; they show how would-be leaders view their potential constituents. They also highlight key social, historical, and political changes in the nation. Connecting with Constituents blends historic anecdotes, excerpts from numerous speeches, and insights from political communication studies in a manner that engages the interests of anyone seeking to understand the relationship between political candidates, their speeches, and the people they wish to lead.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Importance of Presidential Campaigns and Nominating Conventions Chapter One: Identification and the Race for the White House Chapter Two: Setting the Tone: Convention Keynote Addresses Chapter Three: Relying on Others: Special Surrogates Speak Chapter Four: Running Mate Challenges: Vice Presidential Nominees’ Acceptance Speeches Chapter Five: When Wives Speak: Addresses by Nominees’ Spouses Chapter Six: The Main Event: Presidential Nomination Acceptance Addresses Conclusion: The Ties that Bind: Lessons from Convention Speeches

About the Author :
Tammy R. Vigil is assistant professor of communication studies at Boston University.

Review :
Connecting with Constituents demonstrates the continuing importance of speeches at national political conventions for creating a sense of shared identity between candidates and the people. The useful comprehensive discussion of contemporary keynotes, surrogate speeches, candidate acceptance speeches, and speeches by candidates’ wives illuminates important trends in contemporary politics, especially the very different visions of the electorate expressed in recent Republican and Democratic conventions. Vigil’s book underscores the importance of identifying with voters via the nominating convention. It is a comprehensive analysis of the many genres of convention rhetoric and the role that each speech plays in creating a bond between the nominee and the electorate. This fascinating work is sure to benefit the student of politics, rhetoric, and public address. This book contributes key insights into already excellent work on the rhetoric of national convention addresses. Specifically by looking at the words of not only presidential candidates, but also wives, vice presidential candidates, and surrogates, this project pushes the boundaries of our understanding of how discourse functions in nominating conventions to craft our perceptions of candidates. It is a meaningful and valuable contribution.