Kamala Harris: Builds credibility by referencing her personal history, her mother’s immigrant story, and her background as a prosecutor. She emphasizes her commitment to values like justice and community, which appeals to her moral authority and dedication to public service.

Donald Trump: Establishes ethos by recounting the attempted assassination at a rally, positioning himself as resilient and protected by divine grace. He frequently references his achievements as president, like economic growth and military successes, to underscore his leadership and experience.

Pathos

Kamala Harris: Appeals to empathy by sharing personal and relatable stories about her upbringing and her mother’s struggles. She highlights issues that impact everyday Americans, such as healthcare, reproductive rights, and social justice, evoking a sense of shared identity and concern.

Donald Trump: Uses gripping language to elicit strong emotions, especially by recounting violent events like the assassination attempt. His speech includes references to crises like inflation, immigration, and international conflict to invoke a sense of urgency and nostalgia for past strength.

Logos

Kamala Harris: Employs logical appeals by discussing policies on healthcare, reproductive rights, immigration reform, and middle-class growth. She contrasts her plans with Trump’s policies, framing her approach as practical and forward-looking. However, the logical break comes from the fact that she currently assumes the second highest office of the United States (and has held it for the last 4 years). Undecided voters might ask why these plans are just being presented now and if she has the decree to implement what some could potentially call "idealistic policies" (could Harris get massive spending bills through Congress, which would likely be Republican majority, etc..).

Donald Trump: Appeals to logic by pointing to his administration’s accomplishments, such as tax cuts and marginally better global and national security. He uses statistics and comparisons (e.g., lower immigration numbers during his term) to argue that his leadership brings security and economic prosperity, underscoring the logical basis for voting for Trump.

Hypothesis on Rhetoric Effectiveness

Trump’s rhetoric was more successful in energizing his expanding base due to its emotional intensity and the appeal to nostalgia, realism, security, and urgency. His use of emotion invoking language and patriotic imagery resonates strongly with voters concerned about immediate threats and national identity. Harris’s rhetoric, while unifying, was geared towards those already aligned with her values. Due to this, Harris could not reach undecided voters in the way that Trump’s urgent, emotion-filled rhetoric did.

Ethos

-Trump emphasizes his past successes as president, citing economic growth, tax cuts, and military achievements. He describes himself as a strong leader who can "Make America Great Again."

- Harris draws on her actual experience as a prosecutor and Attorney General, highlighting her commitment to justice and fighting for the people. She presents herself as a competent and compassionate leader who understands the struggles of ordinary Americans.

Pathos

- Trump uses a dramatic story about the assassination attempt at his rally, creating a sense of fear and vulnerability while simultaneously highlighting the loyalty of his supporters. He uses this event to portray himself as a victim of political violence and to further emphasize the threat posed by his opponents.

- Harris tells a more personal story about her upbringing and family, emphasizing the values of hard work, community, and perseverance. She aims to connect with the audience on a personal level, portraying herself as someone who understands their struggles and shares their values.

Logos

-Trump focuses on presenting statistics and making bold claims about his accomplishments and plans, often overexaggerating or oversimplifying complex issues. He relies heavily on repetition and hyperbole, using phrases like "the greatest," "the worst," and "nobody has ever seen" to create a sense of urgency and importance.

- Harris presents a more measured and detailed policy agenda, outlining specific plans for economic growth, healthcare, and social justice. She uses less statistics and relies more on logical arguments and appeals to fairness and equality.

Trump centers a lot of his speech around themes of:

- Nationalism and American Exceptionalism

-Fear and Anger

-Us vs. Them Mentality.

Harris centers a lot of her speech on themes of:

-Unity and Inclusion

-Hope and Progress

-Justice and Equality

There may be several potential factors contributing to Trump's effectiveness:

-Stronger Emotional Appeals: Trump's rhetoric, particularly his use of fear, anger, and the "us vs. them" mentality, proved highly effective in mobilizing his base and generating enthusiasm. -Simpler Messaging: Trump's simple language and focus on a few key themes made his message easily digestible and memorable. He avoided complex policy discussions

-Exploiting Existing Divisions: Trump successfully used pre-existing social and political divisions to set up his campaign as a fight against a corrupt establishment and external threats. 

Kamala Harris's speech presents a more nuanced and thoughtful approach, but it may have lacked the same emotional punch and blatant messaging that resonated with voters in Trump’s campaign.

-Used pathos to appeal emotionally to voters, ensuring there will be social justice. An example of this was talking about abortion, which created a strong emotional connection with women.

-Language such as "we are not going back" to ensure America continues to progress.

-Talked about themes such as keeping individual freedom and economic equality for all classes.

-Some of her emotional appeals were from personal stories.

Donald Trump's Speech -

-Used pathos to seem like an outsider that will save America from being "corrupt" .

-Used the word "fight" a lot.

-Focused a lot on economic and foreign policy.

-Tried using fear to get people to vote for him, saying America is in danger if not.

Hypothesis:

-Trumps messages had simple language and were repetitive, making some of the stuff he says more memorable. This simplicity appealed to voters who were dealing with complex emotions at the time.

-Trump continued to emphasize how safe America will be under him, talking about how they will not be subject to foreign threat, and this helped him win over voters who were focused on safety.

- Trump made himself seem like an "outsider" from the government and that he was trying to stop the corrupt politics. This helped him receive voters who had negative feelings towards politics.

-Trump talked a lot about loyalty and his pride for America, making a lot of emotional connections.

-Trump made Kamala Harris seem like a threat to Americans.

• Ethos

  • Religious/godly

  • Claims of dedication and commitment to country, a ‘passion’ to “restore” it 

  • Previous experience as president 

• Pagos 

  • Descriptions of “fearful/dark” events, phenomena, and times periods and promises of greatness and success once he takes power 

  • God/religion appeal 

  • Promises to lower cost of living, appealing to people’s economic struggles 

  • Tries to discredit democratic party 

• Logos 

  • Cites certain murder cases 

• Why more successful 

  • Plays off of fear and grandeur promises 

  • Vague policies, gives less room for critique 

Kamala:

• Ethos 

  • Love of her family 

  • Love/commitment to country over self 

  • Law career, political career and experiences and as VP 

  • Some religion 

• Pagos 

  • Promises to listen to all people and consider all opinions and positions 

  • Asks people to consider what Trump’s presidency would look like and the chaos that would ensue (fear vs hope)

• Logos 

  • Delineates ways in which Trump has hurt the country and American people (January 6th riot, international relations, etc.) 

  • Defines her immigration, international relations, and UN treaty policies 

We found that she often discussed her family and how her mom inspired her to be courageous and strong. She uses Pathos in this anecdotes with her mother. She also referenced her role as the Attorney General for California and how she brought justice there and stood up for the people, which is an appeal to Ethos. She also discusses her plans and policies for America and why they make sense and benefit Americans, which is an appeal to Logos.

For Trump:

Trump's rhetorical devices

- He mentions his leadership experience presiding over the "lowest unemployment rate" and "strong economy"

- He points out the military strength of America that he contributed to, helping establish his credibility relating to national security

- He says that we are only "one phone call away from World War III" and talks about the hypothetical "invasion at our southern border" to show the urgency we should have for our safety

- He evokes patriotism with his "America First" tagline to appeal to national pride

- He talks about growing the economy when he says he brought back jobs and industry

- He emphasizes more military spending when he says "defense budget at an all-time high"

Trump's themes

- He uses Populist language calling out the political elites: like the "corrupt politicians" and "radical left"

- He repeats his main slogans like "Make America Great Again" and "We will win" to reinforce themes

Why Trump's Rhetoric Could Have Been More Successful:

We hypothesize that Trump's rhetoric could have had a greater effect since many people are angry and feel like they are not really better off since four years ago, so Trump's more emotional based rhetoric and clear, simple language may have resonated more with swing voters

  - Harris: Draws on her background as a prosecutor and Vice President to convey commitment to justice and democratic values. Uses family heritage and professional experience to portray herself as compassionate and principled.

  - Trump: Emphasizes his previous presidency and accomplishments, particularly in economic growth and national security. Combines personal relatability with an image of strength and decisiveness, appealing to those seeking a protective leader.

Their Pathos:

  - Harris: Appeals to empathy by highlighting issues such as healthcare, civil rights, and reproductive freedom. Her language seeks unity, reaching out to diverse groups with an inclusive tone.

  - Trump: I feel like Trump Evokes more emotions of fear, anger, and pride by depicting threats to national stability (e.g., crime, immigration). His use of patriotic themes and calls to “fight” for the country instills urgency and solidarity, resonating strongly with an audience motivated by immediate action.

Their Logos:  

  - Harris: Advocates for systemic reforms focused on equitable progress and social justice. Her logical appeal centers on gradual improvement and alignment with democratic ideals.

  - Trump: Relies on his record of achievements, promising direct, quick solutions to current crises (e.g., inflation, border security). His rhetoric simplifies complex issues, creating a clear, actionable narrative that appeals to those seeking straightforward remedies.

Language Choices and Emotional Appeals:

  - Harris used more formal, polished, and empathetic language, aiming to foster coalition-building. Her carefully crafted tone may appear distanced but aligns with her emphasis on inclusion.

  - Trump adopted more forceful and provocative language, which enhances relatability and energizes his audience. His raw, unfiltered style fosters a sense of authenticity and direct connection with his supporters.

Recurring Themes and Messaging:  

  - Harris as always emphasizes justice, equality, and unity, promoting progressive change within an inclusive framework. Focuses on community and shared democratic values.

  - Trump on the other hand centers on patriotism, security, and restoration, constructing a narrative of America under siege. His rhetoric of “saving” the country appeals to those who feel disenfranchised, promoting an “us vs. them” mentality.

Trump’s may be better since Trump’s rhetoric resonates a bit more strongly with audiences desiring assertive leadership and direct solutions, as he frames his campaign as a fight for survival and restoration, While Harris’s rhetoric, kind of lack the immediacy the voters were maybe looking for, focusing more on gradual progress and systemic equity, which may appear less urgent to certain voters.

• Ethos 

  • Listing credentials from previous term in office as a way to establish personal trustworthiness  

  • Saying that the documents used to prosecute him were found to be unconstitutional and the case was closed, which is used as a way to increase  his trustworthiness in the eyes of his audience 

  • Stating what has gone wrong the past 4 years and how he plans to fix it- international crisis, inflation rates, immigration laws 

  • Gives facts to defend his administration- defeating ISIS, no invasions from foreign countries 

• Pathos 

  • Thanking the American people for their support and rallying them together through common political ideologies  

  • He appeals to the emotions of his audience by sharing his attempted assassination story. Additionally, he explains how the group stood by him instead of stampeding out showing their unconditional support 

  • Telling the story of a girl who was assaulted and killed- used as a way to provide emotional reasoning for his immigration policies 

• Logos 

  • He gives numbers and facts for his audience as a way to take home his argument 

    • Example: saying that they are spending 250 million dollars to help create jobs and increase economic development 

• Recurring themes: 

  • Bringing back the America that he established during his term 

  • Patriotism

  • Fighting for the rights of the American people 

Kamala harris

• Ethos 

  • Establishing her credentials as a prosecutor in protecting the rights of American people and wanted to help bring justice to the system “Kamala Harris, for the People”

  • During time as vice president, she said she “negotiated with foreign leaders, strengthened alliances”- helps establish her trustworthiness with the audience 

  • Explaining the harmful policies that were put into action during Trump’s administration and how she intends to never go back to that 

• Pathos 

  • Explaining her upbringing and that she grew up in an encouraging household 

  • Telling the story of her friends confiding in her about sexual assault which led her to become a prosecutor 

  • Using language that emphasis community in order to make her audience feel cohesive and supported “let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told” 

• Logos 

  • She explains how she has helped America with specific examples: helping women and children, veterans being scammed, workers being unfairly paid 

  • Trump put into office politicians who took away reproductive rights, and she intends to pass a bill that will restore reproductive freedom 

• Recurring themes: 

  • Respect and equality for all Americans 

  • Rebuilding America 

  • Criticisms of Trump's administration 

Hypothesis: I think based on this evidence Trump’s campaign rhetoric was more successful as he was able to appeal to his audience through providing clear evidence for how he will conduct himself in office as well as unifying his voters through emotional stories. Kamala Harris successfully used all 3 types of rhetoric in her speech, but she spent a lot of time criticizing what went wrong during Trump’s term, instead of focusing on her achievements in office to establish trustworthiness and how she plans on solving the issues that she says will be taken care of.  

- Kamala Harris: Builds credibility by referencing her personal history, including her mother’s immigrant journey and her own background as a prosecutor. She emphasizes values like justice, community, and public service, reinforcing her moral authority and dedication to her role as a leader.

- Donald Trump: Establishes ethos by recounting events like an attempted assassination at a rally, portraying himself as resilient and favored by divine protection. He frequently cites his achievements as president—such as economic growth and military successes—to showcase his leadership skills and experience.

Pathos

- Kamala Harris: Appeals to empathy through personal and relatable stories about her upbringing and her mother’s struggles. She addresses issues that directly affect everyday Americans, such as healthcare, reproductive rights, and social justice, fostering a sense of shared identity and concern.

- Donald Trump: Uses vivid and emotive language to provoke strong reactions, particularly when recounting violent events like the assassination attempt. He also references crises such as inflation, immigration, and international conflicts to evoke urgency and nostalgia for a time of perceived national strength and stability.

Logos

- Kamala Harris: Appeals to logic by outlining policies on healthcare, reproductive rights, immigration reform, and middle-class economic growth. She contrasts her plans with Trump’s record, positioning her approach as forward-thinking and practical. However, skeptics might question the timing of her proposals and whether she can navigate potential challenges, such as passing major spending bills through a Republican-led Congress.

- Donald Trump: Strengthens his logical appeal by highlighting his administration’s accomplishments, including tax cuts and improvements in national security. He uses statistics and comparisons, such as lower immigration numbers during his term, to argue that his leadership delivers tangible results in economic and national stability.

Hypothesis on Rhetorical Effectiveness

Trump’s rhetoric was more effective in energizing his growing base due to its emotional intensity and emphasis on nostalgia, security, and urgency. His emotionally charged language and patriotic themes resonate deeply with voters who prioritize immediate threats and national identity. In contrast, Harris’s rhetoric, while aimed at unifying and inspiring, primarily appealed to those already aligned with her values. As a result, she struggled to connect with undecided voters as effectively as Trump, whose urgent and emotionally compelling messaging proved more impactful.

Ethos: Declares himself in very superior terms, such as greatest president and talks about how great America will be with him in leadership.

Pathos: Uses very specific and dramatic scenery with captivating moments in order to get audience to sympathize for him (assassination attempts). Describes all the bad things that will happen if illegal immigrants keep entering the country.

Logos: Talks about work he did as president beforehand and how America prospered then. He will cut taxes on tips.

Kamala:

Ethos:

• her time as a lawyer (battling cartels etc.)

Pathos:

• stories of her parents, as well as growing up in a middle class environment, in which she bonded closely with her neighbors (themes of community)

• her protecting her friend from familial sexual abuse

• themes of "the people" (related to justice)

Logos:

• Project 2025 (cutting medicare and social security)

• National sales tax (raising prices)

• abortion will be restricted under Trump

Why did Trump win?

• Trump used more fear tactics than Kamala, and used the fact that the economy was better under his term to back up his promises of a better economy. Most Americans do not relate to many of the problems Kamala describes due to their disconnect from others' problems.

The two candidates whose speeches I just read could not have been more different; and yet, they both used many of the same tactics, attempted to answer many of the same questions, named many of the same threats, and made many of the same promises. Both promised to be leaders for “all of America.” Both promised that they would lower costs and improve the economy. Both promised national and international peace and safety. Both named the other as a threat to Democracy. Why did Trump’s version of these appeals work?

Trump framed the same arguments in different ways. When talking about the economy, Trump promises wealth, prosperity,and  “success.” Kamala emphasizes her working class background and creating an “opportunity economy.” She tried using ethos to establish her credentials as a politician who is “of the people”–someone from a family of immigrants who grew up in a middle class neighborhood and would therefore support the middle class. Trump, on the other hand, has always represented an ideal of unchecked wealth and power in America. He has been called “a poor man’s image of what a rich man should be.” Trump’s promises to bring that wealth and success to the rest of the country—and though, in practice, he cut taxes for the wealthy minority, people continue buying into that vision.

Both candidates also promise to control immigration. Trump, however, rambles on about “the invasion” happening in our country for pages and pages. Some of his sentences are genuinely astonishing: “In El Salvador, murders are down 70 percent. Why are they down? They’re down because they’re sending their murderers to the United States of America.” Kamala only includes a small paragraph about immigration, focusing more on protecting freedom and democracy (and just focusing in general).

Trump’s rhetoric, especially around immigration, relied heavily on the pathos of fear, while Kamala’s tended towards hope and unity. I can’t say that Trump used much logos, given that his 30 page speech had no coherent structure and was ridden with lies and misconstructions. All I can say is….the appeal to fear is working (I am afraid!!!).

Pathos:

• Connection to the Audience: Trump’s engagement with the audience via rhetorical questions: “but AI needs tremendous, literally twice the electricity that's available now in our country. Can you imagine?”

• Assassination Attempt: 

  • Trump opened by recounting his recent assassination attempt, framing it as a miraculous survival that underscored his resilience. 

  • Use of a personal narrative was intended to evoke sympathy and rally support, with Trump stating, "I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God"

  • Unity under religion 

  • Makes him appear more humble and relatable, does not make himself out to be America’s Hero 

    • “And I'll tell you I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God.” 

Logos: 

Clear Policy Positions: Trump has straightforward stances on issues like immigration and economic policies provided logical arguments that supporters could rally behind, emphasizing his platform.

Calls for Action: Trump’s statements like "Let's take our country back!" presented a clear, logical directive for supporters to follow, creating a sense of purpose and mission.

Ethos: 

• Patriotic themes: 

  • The speech included themes of patriotism and American greatness, which resonate strongly with many Republicans and serve to inspire a sense of national pride.

  • Refers to the American people as patriots 

• Call for Unity: The speech began where Trump called for unity and positioned himself as a leader for all Americans. He emphasized healing divisions within the country, stating, "Together, we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed" 

Kamala: Why it’s not as successful

1. Accusatory tone underscores her credibility (Ethos): 

   1. "Compare that to Donald Trump. He doesn’t actually fight for the middle class. Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends. He will give them another round of tax breaks, that will add 5 trillion dollars to the national debt”

      1. Numbers and statistics don’t speak well to the audience

2. Not a good use of Logos:

   1. She limits her potential voting audience by calling out a large portion of Americans for their financial success.

   2. The intricacies of her policies might come across as less relatable compared to Trump's straightforward narrative.

   3. Calls Trump an “unserious man.”

3. Lack of  Pathos and Emotional Resonance: 

   1. Harris's delivery might not have had as much of an emotional impact and charisma that Trump contains in his speeches. 

   2. Kamala begins her speech thanking her family and political allies. She talks about her unique, inspiring upbringing, but it might not be relatable to the majority of Americans. 

1. ethos: Trump uses ethos in his speech by focusing on his achievements during his previous presidency. He claims credibility by highlighting his economic performance. He brings up current issues of gas prices and grocery prices and contrasts them to prices when he was president.

2. pathos: Trump uses pathos in his speech mostly by recounting events at his rally where he was shot. He makes people feel bad for him that he was almost killed and claims that him living is proof that he God wanted him to live to safe the country.

3. logos: Trump uses logos the least in his speech, but he still references specific data about things like unemployment rates, taxes, and prices. In my opinion, the reason logos is not beneficial to Trump’s campaign is because data usually makes him look worse rather than better.

Harris’ rhetorical devices:

1. ethos: Kamala uses ethos in her speech by focusing on her past as a former prosecutor and senator. By highlighting these former positions, she claims credibility as someone who is qualified to be president.

2. pathos: Kamala uses pathos in her speech by telling stories about her childhood, where she was raised by immigrant parents who taught her values of justice and equality. This allows her to connect emotionally with Americans with similar backgrounds.

3. logos: Kamala uses logos in her speech by referencing specific data about healthcare and racial inequalities that have happened in America. She references how Joe Biden has done specific things to help Americans overcome injustice.

I think Trump’s rhetoric ended up being more successful because he was able to gain so much sympathy about the shooting which made it a lot easier for him to gain support. He also ignored or distorted a lot of data, and because he has such loyal supporters they believed this misinformation.

• Ethos

  • Donald Trump uses his past presidency to establish his credibility with the crowd. For example, he reminds the crowd of his past successes, as he stated “just a few short years ago, under my presidency, we had the most secure border and best economy in the history of our country in the history of the world”. 

  • He uses the endorsements of respected members in the Christian community such as Franklin Graham to establish credibility.

• Pathos

  • He uses fear to appeal to the emotional side of the audience. He does so by stoking fears by sharing stories of Americans killed by immigrants, saying “she was murdered. The monster responsible first killed another woman in El Salvador before he was let into America by the White House. This White House let them in”. 

  • He also appeals to the emotions of the audience by describing the attempted assasination. He describes, “The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin's bullet would have perfectly hit its mark and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together.

• Logos

  • Trump appeals to the logic of his audience by describing how since the Trump Administration, life is more expensive for Americans. He states how “under this administration, our current administration groceries are up 57%. Gasoline is up 60 and 70%. Mortgage rates have quadrupled”. He goes on to say that under a Trump Administration, Americans will be able to better afford basic goods. 

  • Trump also appeals to the logic of his audience through his history of preventing wars. He states how “under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing”. As the majority of Americans are against the United States being at war in another country, Trump’s record appeals to the logic of voters.

  •  

Kamala Harris

• Ethos

  • Harris established credibility through her history as a prosecutor, Attorney General, Senator, and Vice President. She describes her record, stating how “As Attorney General of California, I took on the Big Banks. Delivered $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure. And helped pass a Homeowner Bill of Rights—one of the first of its kind.”

• Pathos

  • Harris appeals to the emotions of her audience by describing her childhood friend, stating, “And she confided in me that she was being sexually abused by her step-father. And I immediately told her she had to come stay with us”. She goes on to explain how her friend's experience led her to be a prosecutor, as she wanted to protect women like her friend.

  • Harris also appeals to the emotions of her audience by describing a positive future for America that will occur if voters vote for her. 

• Logos

  • Harris appeals to the logic of her audience by countering Trump's economic plan with hers. She describes how, “All while he intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax—call it, a Trump tax— that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost 4 thousand dollars a year. Well, instead of a Trump tax hike, we will pass a middle class tax cut that will benefit more than 100 million Americans”. 

  • Harris also appeals to the logic of the voters by reminding of Trump's past actions to try to overthrow the election. She makes the case that Trump is a threat to democracy. 

    
    

Comparison

• Trump and Harris both use Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to appeal to their audience. As Harris is a less known candidate, she spent a large part of her speech establishing her credibility and outlining her past experiences. Trump, on the other hand, is a well known individual, and focuses on Pathos. He appeals to his audience by describing his near death attempt and the economic difficulty Americans face. 
  

Final Thoughts

• I believe that Trump won the election because, in a climate where the majority of voters are upset with the status quo, Harris could not distance herself from criticisms about the Biden administration. On the other hand, Trump could remind voters of the great economy that occurred during his presidency, using logos to appeal to many voters. Lastly, I think that Harris was still unknown to many voters, as seen by her focus on her backstory and accomplishments. For better or worse, most voters know who Trump is already.

• Ethos

  • Establishing connection with audience using “we”

  • Ex. “We rise together or we fall apart”, “We will do it right”, etc…

• Pathos

  • Saying “it’s actually too painful to tell” the assassination attempt at the Pennsylvania campaign, getting sympathy from the audience for all the dangers/pain he has been through (“blood all over the place”).

• Logos

  • Bringing up what he have done during the last presidency that was “good” to America

  • “I was discussing the great job my administration did on immigration at the southern border.”

Harris

• Ethos

  • Emphasizing that she is running the campaign for “the People”, with kindness, compassion, respect, etc.

  • “Kamala Harris, for the People”

  • “A fight for America’s future”

• Pathos

  • Using her childhood story and stories with her parents (e.i. her parents splitting up) to create sympathy, and to emphasize how Harris wanted to make the country kind, equal, and prosper on behalf of the people.

• Logos

  • Talked about what she fought against to persuade people in what she aimed to do during her presidency, including fighting cartels who traffic guns, drugs, and human beings. 

  • Talked dirty about Donald Trump’s bad plans on cutting social security and healthcare, etc.

Kamala Harris:

Kamala listed her qualities to evoke ethos, creating a sense of credibility around her name. She frequently mentioned her works with former President Joe Biden, creating a notion that her leadership and skills were qualities that could enhance America.

Donald Trump:

Trump applied ethos frequently throughout his speech, referencing policy that he created his last term in office. He constantly drew back on his past enhancements, proving his credibility and ability to make policy that could potentially benefit America.

Pathos

Kamala Harris:

Kamala inflicts emotional responses by speaking about her family and sharing personal anecdotes. She mentions what she did through her job as a prosecutor, specifically, standing up for women and children against predators.

Donald Trump:

Pathos was the most common form of rhetoric utilized throughout his speech. Trump constantly appealed to Patriotism, rallying the audience together in an effort to bring a sense of unity. He did this by stating things such as, "Together we will lead America to new heights of greatness like the world has never seen before."

Logos

Kamala Harris:

Kamala explains Trump's history and relates it to why he is unfit for the role as president. She referenced facts and logistics that shined a negative light on Trump's campaign. She also frequently discussed policies that she will enact such as reproductive rights for women and support for the middle class.

Donald Trump:

Trump's use of logos was noticeably less than the other forms of rhetoric. Trump would utilize numbers and statistics to make his previous term sound stronger: an example of this was, "Wisconsin, we are spending over $250 million here creating jobs and other economic development all over the place.” Using logos in this light, Trump underscored his previous policies and attempted to make his upcoming term sound stronger.

The foundation of Trump's speech appears to be making grandiose claims and promises, to fix seemingly every problem this country faces, and paint himself as some sort of messiah who will save the country. He uses Pathos a lot in his stories that evoke emotions in the listener, like the story about his assassination attempt. He appeals to people's sense that he's a very courageous individual who can power through all the issues that face him, which give his supporters faith that he will be a good president. I think his entire speech is inherently demonstrating ethos, like he is giving himself credentials now for things that he claims he will do in the future. He also kind of uses ethos in saying he was "chosen by God" and in that sense appeals to people's religions and makes them think that he is God's choice. I don't really see a lot of typical logos in his speech, but he has a certain method of getting people to believe him by stating vague statistics and problems, and then saying some sort of heroic method he plans to use to fix these problems. In this way he is making people think he has a plan to tackle every problem, and this gives the supporters more faith in him. Overall, I think Trump's speech style very heavily utilizes his charisma rather than actual facts, but this actually works for him as he comes across as inspiring and courageous.

Harris:

This speech seems a lot more eloquently delivered, like it was scripted, and she practiced it a lot. The wording is very intellectual, and she comes across as a very educated individual. She uses pathos a lot, in stories like talking about her deceased mother looking down watching her, and talking about her childhood. She uses ethos in talking about her time as a prosecutor, saying that she has been fighting for the people her whole career, and thus she will continue to do so as President. These things would probably give the audience more faith in her, as she has a solid, logical foundation for her presidency and her qualifications for the job. She also seems very relatable and kind-hearted, which would further appeal to the audience. She also uses logos by talking about the bad things that Trump has done, and saying how and why she will be better and fix those things. Overall, Harris's speech was very articulate and academic, and she seems like a very logical, qualified choice to be President.

Why did Trump win?

I think Trump came out on top in this election because of his charismatic nature and the grandness of his promises. Harris seems like she would appeal to the more educated, logical population, but to the average person, Trump's words are very inspiring and invoke strong faith in him. Even though he didn't state many actual facts, he made such powerful statements and resonated with his audience so well that they probably didn't even care what he was saying, he reached their hearts anyway. No matter your political views, listening to Trump's speech you could probably see why people would vote for him - he knows how to appeal to the people.

Trump begins his speech by mentioning his assassination attempt, an event that is wildly famous today. Almost his entire audience knows about this incident and probably have strong feelings towards it. Trump mentions that even though he was shot he “felt very safe because [he] had God on [his] side.” This creates a sense of pathos in his Christian audience because they also regard God as a symbol of safety and feel happy that Trump feels the same way. During his speech, he also praises his audience for their actions during the shooting incident, being that they did not stampede, and helped find the shooter efficiently. By praising the audience, he is already gaining their votes, because he shows his appreciation of his supporters, which invokes a positive feeling in the audience. 

Harris begins her speech by talking about her deceased mother who was incredibly hardworking, which invokes an emotional response in her audience who’ve lost their mother or regard their mother in the same way. Harris then criticizes Trump, reminding the crowd of his actions, invoking a negative emotional response in her audience towards Trump. This anger towards Trump sways the audience towards Harris’s side, because they are reminded of the terrible things he has done. 

I believe Trump’s campaign rhetoric was more successful than Harris’s because he invoked a greater emotional response in the audience. In public speeches, invoking a sense of pathos is one of the most effective ways to make the audience like you and support you. He capitalized on his recent assassination attempt as a way to make the audience feel for him. He did not mention Harris a single time, focusing only on his own campaign and his own audience. Harris on the other hand, made a large portion of her speech about criticizing Trump. Although this tactic is effective for those that already dislike Trump, those that may like Trump somewhat are completely turned off to the idea of voting for her, because of her negative opinions towards someone they regard positively. Because Trump invokes a larger positive emotional response in his audience, his campaign rhetoric was more successful than Harris’s.

• Kamala: talking about her experiences before, and say that she is professional and well prepared. like" I grew up immersed in the ideals of the Civil Rights Movement." and "That is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor."

• Trump: telling the story of his ear being shot and him successfully moving his head away. "the assassin's bullet would have perfectly hit its mark and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together." This story was widely spread on the internet and was firmly believed by many netizens to be one of the important factors in his election success.

Pathos

• Kamala: She promotes the growth and development of the middle class, and she make her statements as pushing America to develop further, which raised the audience's excitment. "But America, we are not going back. Forward—to a future with a strong and growing middle class."

• Trump: at the end of the speech, he is very confidently promising his audience that he is going to make America great again, and raises the excitement of all of the audience. "America's future will be bigger, better, bolder, brighter, happier, stronger, freer, greater and more united than ever before."

Logos

• Kamala: She brought up facts about what happened in past elections and used logistics to persuade her audience to vote for her. "Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost the last election. Donald Trump tried to throw away your votes."

• Trump: He mentions that he is going to eliminate the tips tax, which is very beneficial to the daily life of his audience. Logistically, his audience appreciates his action, and he makes them trust him and vote for him. "It's called no tax on tips. No tax no tax on tips."

Why is Trump more successful? 

• I hypothesize that people think he would make better contributions to make the American economy thrive.

• pathos: uses personal account of the attack & shooting to illicit pity and sympathy from the people.

• pathos: repetition of the word "fight" to stir a sense of motivation

• ethos: emphasizes his previous term and the successful policies such as tax cuts and military reconstruction. Presents his credibility.

• pathos: repeats the term "right to try"

• pathos: "these weapons are obliteration" conveys fear and worry to people for potential international conflicts

• logos: addresses current pressing issues

Kamala Harris

• pathos: presenting her personal background and being transparent with her struggles

• ethos: showing credibility with previous experience as vice president and lawyer

• pathos: displaying the illegal/immoral actions of Trump and displaying fear/worry for the future

• contrast: utilizes a contrasting message between herself and Trump, identifying her clients as the people and Trump's client as himself

• logos: relating economy to the middle class, presenting her goals in that direction

Ethos:

• Reinforcing how his past experiences can prove that he can make America great again

• He wasn’t found guilty and the prosecutor faked documents

• His many successes as a past president

• Saying how unreliable Democrats are while also emphasizing that he is reliable

Pathos:

• Retelling the assassination attempt with details on the contrast of what he felt before and after it and expressing gratitude for secret service agents and condolences for those who were injured or killed.

• Appreciation for his family

Logos:

• Will launch a safe, prosperous, and equal era for all

• The society’s division will be healed once people vote for him, because he will be the president for all Americans

• He’s committed to make America great again

• Will improve the economy and make things affordable for buyers

• Will end international crisis

Harris's speech

Ethos:

• Prepared to become a president even though this opportunity was unexpected

• As a prosecutor and a president, she is committed to protect all Americans

• She has realistic beliefs and goals

• Examples of her experiences as a prosecutor and successes

• The successes she has as the Vice President

Pathos:

• Gratitude for her family, her team, and those who have a positive impact on her

• She’s here for those who need help

Logos:

• Reasons why Trump is not reliable, and that he will do damages that can’t be undone.

• It’s unsafe for Trump to become the president

• As a president, she will protect the middle class and their access to programs and resources

• She will protect women’s rights, including abortion

• She will reform the broken immigration system

Trump’s campaign rhetoric was more successful because he appealed to pathos more than Harris, which helped attract his supporters. If they weren’t his super fan, they will become one; if they were one of his passionate supporters, they will become more convinced to vote for him.

• Ethos: emphasizes this credibility in the president's role by referring to his past achievements.

• Pathos: referring to the incident where he almost got shot to appeal to the audience by making them feel.

• Logos: referring to the tax revenue and his level of illegal immigrants and emphasizing his achievements and his promises.

• Language choice & emotional appeal: unite people by using the word "we". Also, most of the speech is direct and simple so that people with all kinds of educational backgrounds can understand.

• Theme:

Patriotism

Economic Success

Harris

• Ethos: refers to her previous work and her achievements (ex: Attorney General)

• Pathos: talks about her past so that people can relate to her as a person.

• Logos: claims a promise that she wants to achieve that will benefit the Americans. "We will pass a middle-class tax cut that will benefit more than 100 million Americans."

• Language choice & emotional appeal: inclusive word choices. talking about her personal anecdote so that people can relate to her as an ordinary person.

• Theme:

Social Justice

American Values

Why was Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric more successful than Kamala Harris?

• direct and straightforward so that everyone can understand

• the emotional tone that strongly appeals to the audience

• referring to the vivid incident that was life-threatening and could have touched the citizen's heart.

• Ethos: Trump often positions himself as an outsider who challenges the "establishment," framing himself as a voice for the "common man" against elites. He speaks from a position of perceived success and authority (successful businessman, former president).

• Pathos: His speeches frequently invoke strong emotional appeals, often aimed at creating fear or a sense of urgency. He uses phrases like “Make America Great Again” to tap into nostalgia and pride. He also uses fear to rally support, often emphasizing threats like immigration or "radical left" influences, making people feel their way of life is under attack.

• Logos: While Trump tends to focus more on emotional appeal than logical arguments, he does use simple, direct statements about jobs, economic growth, and national security. He simplifies complex issues, presenting them as black-and-white problems that can be solved with strong leadership.

Kamala Harris:

• Ethos: Harris builds her ethos around her identity as the first female vice president, and a woman of colour. She speaks about her background in law and justice, emphasizing values of equality, fairness, and unity.

• Pathos: Her speeches aim to inspire and uplift, using optimism and hope to rally people around progress and inclusivity. She also appeals to empathy, discussing struggles like racial inequality, gender barriers, and the need for unity.

• Logos: Harris focuses more on logical, policy-driven discussions, referencing concrete issues like healthcare, education, and racial justice. She makes appeals to reason by presenting solutions and advocating for systemic changes.

Ethos:
Kamala Harris strategically used ethos throughout her speech to establish credibility and position herself as a strong and experienced candidate. She emphasized her rise through the political ranks, from district attorney to senator, demonstrating her qualifications and dedication to public service. Additionally, she cleverly highlighted her experience in areas where her opponent, Donald Trump, focused much of his campaign rhetoric. For example, she discussed her firsthand experience with issues like border control and the fight against the cartel, which mirrored Trump's frequent focus on immigration and his border wall proposal. By doing this, Harris not only built her credibility but also directly countered Trump's narratives, framing herself as a candidate with practical experience in key issues.

Pathos:
Harris effectively used pathos to appeal to the emotions of her audience, often drawing on personal stories and shared values. She spoke about her upbringing and the importance of family, which helped humanize her and make her more relatable to voters. Harris also appealed to the emotional fears surrounding Trump's presidency, framing his policies as harmful to vulnerable populations. She discussed issues such as women’s rights, the risks posed by Trump’s stance on abortion, and the threat to the environment due to his denial of the climate crisis. These emotional appeals were aimed at convincing voters that her vision for America would safeguard their rights and future.

Logos:
While Harris’s use of logos was effective in certain ways, it may have alienated some viewers due to its complexity. She presented well-researched arguments on topics like climate change, women's rights, and the need for comprehensive healthcare reform, often referencing specific facts and figures. However, the depth of her arguments might have been difficult for some to fully grasp, especially for those more focused on economic issues. Her strategy of using Trump’s past actions and statements to highlight the contrast between their policies was smart, but it also required the audience to engage critically with the material. For many, the logical connections may not have been immediately clear, which may have diminished the impact of her message.

Ethos:  

-Through outlining his policies and efforts during his former presidency, Trump gains trust in his audience by asserting he will do more for the country if he were to win again.

- States how “[he] did a great job” in all aspects of United States affairs including his efforts in the economy, war, military, and science.  

-Persuading the audience to think his term in office was revolutionary in change.

-Mentions policies that took “52 years” to pass, but once he was in office, it passed immediately 

Pathos:  

-Explicit detail when recalling the story of his assassination attempt. The story is extremely drawn out

-Tells the crowd that he felt the pain from the people at his rallies when he was shot- audience meant to feel bad for him and what he endured. 

-Accuses the Democratic party of splitting the nation and urges the audience to set out his vision of restoring the nation. He calls the Democrats names such as “crazy.”  

Logos 

-Not as much logos employed compared to pathos and ethos, but he does imply that voting for him is the logical thing to do considering the state of the United States under democratic leadership.  

-Mentions the economy and immigration and states they are not being handled correctly 

-He does not have much logic, but instead depends on pathos and ethos to back up his claims, which the audience feeds from. His words are not particularly sensical or planned out, but instead he uses trigger words that cause the audience to applaud.

Ethos: 

- why she became a prosecutor (a personal story as motivation) 

- her upbringing in a middle class family with a single mother family, yet surrounded by her community,  taught her the importance of relationships and how to build connections (with people of all different backgrounds)

Pathos: 

- discusses what Trump did in his first term (the damage he did), and why that can’t happen again 

- envisions a future where Trump is president again, and how dangerous that will be 

  - invoking fear of a Trump presidency

Logos:

- brings up visiting Ukraine right before Russia invaded 

- A judge in the courtroom introduced her as “Kamala Harris, For the People” 

Donald Trump:

Ethos:

- biggest comparisons come with his drawing back to his past term and how successful it was 

—> further does this by minimizing the work of previous presidents, to make his seem for successful and impactful 

- very declarative (“I” statements) 

Pathos:

- opens his speech with the assassination attempt (getting people to feel for him, both pity and sadness) shows how strong he was because he stayed fighting 

  - when talking about Biden’s presidency, he describes the damage he has done using very negative connotation (also talks about ‘aliens’ and taking citizens jobs (inciting fear for a lot of his followers) 

 Logos:

- speaks with his strong businessman background (talking about threatening China) to prove his reasoning for being a successful president 

- bringing back manufacturing to the United States 

Hypothesis:

For running a whole campaign, Trump had much more self assurance in himself and his position compared to Harris. Harris, due to lack of preparedness, had a much less streamline line of attack and had to piggyback off of the work Joe Biden has done. Trump has also had years to build up his image, and create his own narrative whereas Harris has been under observation due to being the VP and only running since June.

Trump RNC Speech:

Ethos: 

President Trump stated, “Our resolve is unbroken and our purpose is unchanged to deliver a government that serves the American people better than ever before. Nothing will stop me in this vision because our vision is righteous and our cause is pure. No matter what obstacle comes our way, we will not break, we will not bend, we will not back down. And I will never stop fighting for you, your family and our magnificent country.” This sentiment expressed his credibility and ability to lead our nation in his supposed “right” direction. He added, “I'm here tonight to lay out a vision for the whole nation. To every citizen, whether you're a young or old man or woman, Democrat, Republican or independent, Black or white, Asian or Hispanic, I extend to you a hand of loyalty and of friendship.” By establishing his credibility as a leader of everyone in our nation, he was able to highlight how he could be trusted by many individuals in the United States which was a resounding message in his speech. 

Pathos: 

President Trump started his speech by stating, “I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength and hope.” This elicits pathos because he is evoking positive emotions from his audience and he is doing this to make them ready to receive his information from the speech. He then said, “Together we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed. The discord and division in our society must be healed. We must heal it quickly. As Americans we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together or we fall apart.” By stating this, he showed pathos by appealing to the audience's feelings about the state of America. 

Towards the beginning part of his speech at the Republican National Convention, Trump gave a personal anecdote in which he shared his perspective from the first assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. “As you already know, the assassin's bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me, ‘What happened? Tell us what happened, please.’ And therefore, I will tell you exactly what happened, and you'll never hear it from me a second time because it's actually too painful to tell.” By making people feel emotional  after being shot, Donald Trump was able to convince people that he needed sympathy and that he deserved to be President once again. 

At the end of his speech, he said, “Win, win, win, win, win! Nothing will sway us, nothing will slow us and no one will ever stop us. No matter what dangers come our way, no matter what obstacles lie in our path, we will keep striving toward our shared and glorious destiny and we will not fail. We will not fail. Together we will save this country.” By playing into emotions and building credibility for himself with ethos, President Trump was able to convince voters that he would save our country from the so-called horrible administration of the past. He also said, “We will restore the Republic and we will usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people so truly deserve. America's future will be bigger, better, bolder, brighter, happier, stronger, freer, greater and more united than ever before.” He ended the speech by appealing to pathos and by appealing to Americans that he will lead our nation in the right direction as someone who can lead us from the problems of the world to solutions of those problems. He did this after continually attacking democrats and the current president. 

Logos: 

President Trump did not use many appeals that were related to facts and real logic based arguments. He did use some statistics and numbers to prove his points like, “107% of those jobs are taken by illegal aliens,” or “The total household costs have increased an average of $1,000 per family under this administration.”

Harris DNC Speech:

Ethos: 

While explaining her career, Vice President Harris said, “Every day in the courtroom, I stood proudly before a judge and said five words: ‘Kamala Harris, for the People.’ And to be clear: My entire career, I have only had one client. The People. And so, on behalf of The People, On behalf of every American.” By giving this story, she was establishing her credibility as someone who will be a strong public servant as she already served in the courtroom. She then said, “I will be a President who unites us around our highest aspirations. A President who leads. And listens. Who is realistic. Practical. And has common sense. And always fights for the American people.” In this part of the speech, she continued to echo how she has the background and skills to be a strong president. 

Harris finished her speech by stating, “The privilege and pride of being an American. So, let’s get out there and let’s fight for it. Let’s get out there and let’s vote for it. And together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told. Thank you. God bless you. May God bless the United States of America.” This was a strong end to speech with an appeal to Americans emotions and it established her credibility as someone who will work with our nation to fight for a better future which was a continuing theme and message of her speech. 

Pathos: 

Harris explained, “America, the path that led me here in recent weeks, was no doubt … unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys. My mother Shyamala Harris had one of her own. I miss her every day. Especially now. And I know she’s looking down tonight. And smiling.” This expression showed a strong appeal to emotions and it was written to humanize herself to listeners by showing her appreciation of her mother. She then explained her personal anecdote about her parents, and explained how she came from a middle class background. This was a continuing message by trying to win middle class voters during the election. 

She stated during this story about her past, “A beautiful working-class neighborhood of Firefighters, nurses, and construction workers, all who tended their lawns with pride. My mother worked long hours. And, like many working parents, she leaned on a trusted circle to help raise us.” This explanation of her childhood helped to further explain her background and to humanize her as a middle class individual who can connect to many Americans through this appeal by connecting with them through shared experiences and eliciting various emotions from those experiences. 

Vice President Harris said, We are not going back to when Donald Trump tried to cut Social Security and Medicare. We are not going back to when he tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.” Her appeal on emotions and playing into the fear of many Americans of a future presidency of Donald Trump is a strong rhetorical appeal, but it was not not strong enough to come after someone like Trump who is a continued challenger and an oppressor. 

Logos: 

Harris explained her previous experience as a leader in the state of California. She said, “As Attorney General of California, I took on the Big Banks. Delivered $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure. And helped pass a Homeowner Bill of Rights—one of the first of its kind.” By explaining her work and giving concrete examples, she was able to show listeners that she has created tangible benefits for the people in California. 

Overall effectiveness and hypothesis behind Trump’s win and rhetorical effectiveness: 

While Harris focused more on employing factual evidence of her career and successes she has had while trying to connect with middle class voters, Trump focused more on personal attacks on the current administration and appealing to voters by establishing his reasoning behind how he will “make America great again”. While it is more effective to use factual evidence to show expertise and credibility in most situations, many American voters seemed to favor Trump's rhetoric that focused on tearing others down and questioning those who differ from his own points of view. Additionally, Trump’s explanation of his assassination attempt painted himself as a martyr in the face of violence, which definitely seemed to appeal to voters strongly as the picture of him after being shot was widely shared and became a symbol of the election for him. By trying to paint the Democrats and so many others as against Trump and as against the American people, he was able to convince many voters that he was really going to represent them and that he was not like the career Democrats who he claimed were not going to fix the large problems facing the U.S. and larger world currently and during the next four years.

Ethos: He got his audience to trust him by making it seem like they were almost a family, his supporters. He wants them to think they have a place and that he really hears them and wants the best for them. 

Pathos: Talks a lot about his near death experience. Also talks a lot about one of his supporters who got killed in the attempted assassination. This makes the audience not only filled with pity but filled with anger. 

Logos- 

Trump brings logos into his speech as he talks about how much money was raised for Corey Comparator, the man who was killed in his assassination attempt. He adds how much exact money they raised for him and tries to use these facts to grab his audience and convince them that he's a good person.

Kamala:

Ethos: Talks a lot about how she grew up with not a lot. This gives her credibility as she had to clearly work for what she got. She got her audience to trust her by being really vulnerable and talking about her hard childhood and struggles she faced. Also by bringing this up will allow her audience to relate to her, deepening the trust. 

Pathos: Same thing as what I talked about in ethos as she really 

Another thing that she does is talk about how she is for the people not matter race, gender, sexual orientation, or anything really. This gives the viewer a sense of community and feel supported and valued. 

Logos-

Kamala uses logos when she talks about how Donald Trump reacted based on the results of the last presidential election. After Donald trump lost he tried to throw away peoples votes, sent an armed mob to the united states capital who assaulted law enforcement officers, and more. By giving the audience this information about her opponent, she tries to open peoples eyes on who could possibly get elected and how that would be dangerous. 

Ethos: 

Kamala harris builds her personal credentials by focusing on her experience as a prosecutor who stood up for sexual assault victims, as an Attorney General who fought for the middle class by standing against big banks, cartels, and for-profit colleges, and as Vice President under the Biden administration, where she has confronted the tense situation in Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, and other locations across the globe. She utilizes all of these titles to demonstrate her unwavering dedication to the people of the United States 

Pathos: 

Kamala Harris utilizes her middle-class background, family history, and personal struggles to evoke an emotional response out of the American people. She opens up about her mother’s dream of becoming a cancer researcher and going against a traditional arranged marriage as a symbol of the self-determination that has depicted the American Dream. She also discusses her parent’s divorce and learning to lean on her community during the worst of times. All of these factors make her relatable to the general American populus, as it is a common experience that many Americans have been forced to go through. 

Logos: 

Kamala Harris separates herself from Donald Trump by discussing her future policies and lambasting Trump’s proposals. She brings up quotes from Donald Trump, where he talks about eliminating the Department of Education, stepping away from NATO, and creating a National Anti-Abortion Coordinator. She backs up these claims with Trump’s aims of becoming an autocrat that cares only about serving his and other rich people’s interests. She also discusses her own policies that focus on a middle class tax cut that will benefit 100 million Americans and how her work with the Biden Administration has helped to create the strongest immigration bill in American History. 

Hypothesis: 

Trump’s rhetoric was more successful than Kamala’s because he was able to utilize pathos more effectively than his opponent. His story of being nearly assassinated and his storytelling were able to evoke a much stronger emotional response out of Americans than Harris. His speech focused on uniting all Americans, while Harris’s speech was inclined more towards the people who already supported her policies. 

Donald Trump:

Ethos: By far Trump’s greatest rhetorical appeal is Ethos. From the very beginning he starts off with his gratitude for his “American people” in a way that is meant to demonstrate his humility. Also, he makes mention of god and religion several times throughout his speech as a way to further establish his legitimacy within the minds of his mostly Christian following. Trump understands the power of his self-image, which is likely why he decided to return to the podium and raise his fist up in the air, following the assignation attempt. He knew that it would resonate with his followers in a way that would only deepen their devotion towards his campaign. Furthermore, Trump paints himself a family man by making reference to both his wife and thanking his family for being there near the beginning of the speech. When he discusses foreign policy, he makes it clear that he is a man of the people, but only of the “American people”- a conservative value that is prominent within the Republican party. Finally, he ends off the speech by stating that he is the kind of leader that the U.S. needs, one that is “bold, dynamic, relentless, and fearless”; all of which are characteristics that he has strained to parade since his first campaign in 2016. 

Pathos: To his credit, Trump was able to utilize the already present emotions of his rally-goers and purposefully exemplify them throughout his speech. From the very beginning, Trump relates messages of “togetherness” and “faith”. He then goes onto talk about the attempted assasination, which he begins by stating “And therefore, will tell you exactly what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time because it’s actually too painful to tell”- a not so subtle way to evoke pity and sorrow within his audience. As he continues to describe the event he targets the faithfulness of his followers and their admiration towards him by constantly praising them for their “bravery” throughout the incident. He ends the segment by speaking about the tragic death of Corey Comperator, something that was personally conflicting for me as I read it. On one hand, I agree that his death should be honored and his memory remembered, but on the other hand I can’t help but feel like Trump is using his death to further promote his agenda through this rhetoric of pathos. Another example of him exemplifying the crowd’s feelings is when he talks in an incredibly negative manner about both the Democratic Party and immigration. He knows his crowd is passionate about these topics and repeatedly talks about them (I counted literally 5 repeating segments about immigration/the border, the incompetence of the Democratic Party, and the economy) in a way that rallies up the crowd and fuels the negative emotions towards the targeted groups while further promoting Trump’s legitimacy as a direct leader. 

Logos: By far the easiest rhetorical appeal to talk about is logos due to the sheer absence of it present throughout Trump's speech. Although Trump makes countless (literally) unbelievable claims, he fails to follow through with how he will go about making these promises a reality. One of only two times that Trump brings up any form of numbers (ironically, both having to do with a decrease in murder rates in Latin American countries) is related to El Salvador’s recent 0 tolerance policy for gang affiliates. Instead of crediting (or even criticizing) El Salvador’s president for taking such drastic, yet effective measures, his “logic” follows through to saying that it is due to El Salvador sending all its criminals to this country- not the mass incarceration that the president put into action. 

Ethos: Highlighted her work in prosecuting, how she fought for "The People". Stating her entire career, her only client was "The People". This shows her dedication to the citizens of the US and the US as a whole. She brought up specific examples of cases in which she succeeded for "The People".

Pathos: She began the speech with a description of her childhood, specifically of her mother and her friends. She used Pathos in telling the story of her sexually abused friend, appealing to those in the audience to feel sympathy for her friend and connect it to her.

Logos: She criticizes Trump and asks her audience to consider and imagine another Trump term. She highlights negatives about his policies and his motivations and asks the audience to consider what he would do as president again.

Trump:

Ethos: He integrates God into a lot of his speech, knowing a lot of his audience is religious.

Pathos: He told the story of his assassination attempt in great detail, conjuring feelings of fear, sympathy, and anger. He brings up feeling like he had God on his side. He held a moment of silence for the person who died during his assassination attempt.

Logos: He discusses taxes and inflation and makes promises to lower them by a lot - causing the audience to imagine and think of a term in which they were lowered.

Donald Trump understood his audience very well. He capitalized on his assassination attempt to further incentivize and encourage his voters. He made more strong statements and promises about what his term would be like and he understood who he needed to appeal to, painting himself as a strong, all-American fighter. He displayed respect to positive supporters in his life and tore down his enemies, to the encouragement from his audience.

Ethos : Ethos is about establishing your personal credentials and getting your audience to trust you. Donald Trump is particularly good at that, and has therefore built quite a strong fanbase. Trump constantly references his work as the President, talking about how Russia didn't take anything under his presidency or that his military and foreign policy was outstanding. He established himself and his motivations early on in the election, with the viral campaign "Make America Great Again". He created the idea of him being someone who "got things done" while he was in office, while also drawing attention to the lack of action taken by the White House in President Biden's tenure. 

Pathos : Pathos is the idea of inspiring and emotional response and getting their audience to feel. This is probably the strongest suit of President Elect Trump's speech at this rally. Donald Trump's history as someone who is used to the limelight allows him to be quite an effective orator and speaker. He was able to galvanize the crowd by talking in length about his assassination attempt, creating an idea that he was a martyr who would have died for the American people. He also creates a sense of urgency in the American people. He makes references to relevant historical places like "Yorktown" and "Delaware". These references are meant to inspire patriotic and sacrificial ideologies in the crowd. He also appeals to religious ideas in the crowd, and hopes to inspire faith in them. 

Logos : Trump uses logos to present his policies as reasonable and effective, comparing them to what he sees as the failures of the current administration.

Trump uses language that pits the “America First” agenda against foreign adversaries and domestic opposition. His use of words like "invasion," "foolish administration," and "bad things are going to happen" communicates a sense of urgency and conflict. The "other"—whether foreign countries or political opponents—is depicted as a threat to American values and security.

Trump emphasizes the need for strict border control, stressing how his administration's policies were more effective in reducing illegal immigration and crime. He presents this as a matter of national security and fairness, contrasting it with the current administration's stance.

Kamala Harris - 

Ethos : Kamala Harris creates her own credibility in her speech by talking about her personal history and career. She talks about her background as the Attorney General, and hopes to build a connection with the audience and gain their trust by talking about her work as an enforcer of the law. She talks a lot about her experience fighting for the USA, protecting those who need help, establishing her credibility as a qualified woman. 

Pathos : Harris uses personal anecdotes to connect with the audienc. For example, she recalls her mother’s journey from abroad and the difficulties that her family had encountered, as well as her own difficulties as a child of two immigrants. 

Logos : She outlines concrete policies she will pursue if elected, such as creating an opportunity economy, lowering the cost of living, and protecting Social Security. By presenting these detailed proposals, she appeals to voters looking for practical solutions.

Harris calls for national unity, repeatedly emphasizing that she will be a President for all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. This theme of unity is central to her appeal, particularly in contrast to the divisiveness she attributes to Trump’s leadership.

Donald Trump won the 2024 election due to two main things in my opinion. Trump’s campaign allowed him to be what he truly is. He knew that there were a certain percentage of votes that he was not going to get, but he knew that he didn’t need to get them to win in the first place. He knew that his opponent was inexperienced and also part of an administration that had not done very well. He capitalized on his opponent’s weaknesses and also was able to take full advantage of his assassination attempt, which was a real catalyst in the election. 

Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election, but the loss can also be faulted to the decision makers in the Democratic Party. Not only was she not the original presidential candidate, but she had barely any time to campaign properly and set her policies out. It was almost like she was a fall guy, set up by the Democratic Party to lose the election no matter what. She had her back to the wall most of the election, and it is a credit to her for making it as close as it was, but she never really stood a chance. 

Ethos: 

• Trump talks about his past term in office, citing military and economic changes that he brought about while in office, to establish his credentials 

• Religious rhetoric appeals to the Christian and patriotic demographics, gaining their trust 

Pathos: 

• References assassination attempt to evoke sympathy and support from audience 

• When addressing the subject of immigration, he uses specific examples and names of females  who were murdered or whose children were murdered by an illegal immigrant (ie. Jocelyn Nungaray, Rachel Morin, and Laken Riley) to rally sympathy and instill fear in the audience 

• Trump uses fear as a tactic to reach the audience, whether that be fear of change, conflict, or the past, and portrays himself as a steadfast figure that can make America great again. 

Logos: 

• Trump mentions statistics on immigration numbers and highlights his administration’s actions, most notably tax cuts and improvements on national security 

• While he uses very strong, emotional language, he points out the flaws with the incumbent administration

Kamala

Ethos

• Kamala opens up her argument with an anecdote about her family – a familiar uplifting story about her familial values, being raised, divorce, and the working class. This introduction to her speech appeals to her audience who can relate and are largely a part of the middle/working class.  

• Repeats “on behalf” and “The People” towards the end of the first section of her speech. Connecting to several different types of people and addressing them specifically provides the audience with a greater sense of trust. 

• Addresses the audience personally and uses words like “we,” “friends,” or “us.”

Pathos:

• Kamala repeats themes of the importance of kindness, respect, and compassion. 

• The story about Kamala’s friend Wanda emphasizes her strong morals. Kamala explains one of the reasons she became a prosecutor was to protect people like Wanda, because everyone has a right to safety, dignity, and justice. 

• Kamala explains how this election is a fight for America’s future, and strategically concentrates on the extreme stakes of the election against Donald Trump. 

• Expresses her love for the US. Spirit of moving forward. 

Logos:

• Kamala’s background and experience as a prosecutor gives her a strong understanding of service to the people. 

• Discusses the consequences of Donald Trump as President 

  • Tried to throw out votes

  • Guilty of several crimes 

  • Selfish: he would only serve himself, putting America in the past

  • Consequences for women’s rights and protection 

Hypothesis: 

We believe that Trump’s campaign rhetoric was more successful because it capitalized on fear, insecurity, and other emotions that spoke to everyone regardless of their values or beliefs. Kamala’s rhetoric definitely appealed to her audience, but her argument lacked elements of shock (e.g. an assassination attempt) that would have elicited the same response as Trump’s campaign. 

Ethos

• Trump references his personal experiences such as his assassination attempt to sell the idea to the audience that he is resilient, when facing possible death, he continues to run

• He also cites achievements from his presidency such as economic growth, military success, and successful legislation passed

• Finally, he references the endorsement of very respected figures to bolster his image further

Pathos

• He retells heartbreaking stories to stir feelings of sympathy and anger from the audience

• He calls on the audience's love of America, evoking feelings of national pride and unity

• And Trump ends his speech with a promise to the future, leaving on an uplifting note

Logos

• He uses numbers and statistics to back some of his points, especially when it comes to immigration and the economy

• Trump outlines specific policies and outlines he would push for, addressing the concerns of many people, and his solutions can come off as having somewhat sound logic

• He compares his administration with the current one, portraying his as far more effective

Kamala Harris' Speech

Ethos

• Harris shares the story of her upbringing, one filled with difficulty to show the audience she is someone shaped by resilience and hard work

• She also highlights the part of her career when he was the attorney general and prosecutor in California, to show her qualifications

• Her many references to Joe Biden and Tim Walz also added to her credibility because she aligns herself with respectful leaders

Pathos

• Harris brings up her family's values of the community and modest background to resonate with the audience emotionally

• She also shares heartbreaking stories, one being of her friend, to underscore her commitment to justice and evoke feelings of empathy from the audience

• She inspires feelings of hope within the audience by describing her vision of an inclusive and successful America

Logos

• Harris outlines a specific plan that covers tax cuts, immigration, and healthcare, to appeal to reason

• She critiques Trump's actions and contrasts them against her vision, highlighting the stakes of this election

• And she also brings up examples and data to backup her economic and social plans

Why Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric was more successful

Trump's campaign rhetoric was more successful for 3 main reasons:

• He was able to tap into the emotional undercurrents of his audience, with emotions of anger and fear

• He simplified complex issues into simple slogans, making his approach seem very simple and logically correct, even if it might not be

• And his message is aligned with a populist identity, making it very appealing to most people

Donald Trump:

-Used celebrities to build credibility.

-Made confident statements indicative of a guaranteed win to gain the trust of his supporters.

-Said god was on his side to help further build credibility.

-Trump also builds on his past presidency and his actions in office to gain trust and build credibility with those in attendance at his rally.

Kamala Harris:

-Builds on her experiences as a prosecutor and her upbringing to demonstrate the values she holds to build credibility.

-Lists some of her accomplishments and responsibilities as vice president.

-Pathos

Donald Trump:

-Trump recounts his assassination attempt in a vivid way to paint an emotional scene. Trump also honored those killed and wounded in the assassination attempt and mentioned he talked to the families. This highlighted his emotional response to the events that happened that day.

-He name-drops individuals connected with illegal immigration and tries to rally cause for controlling illegal immigration by highlighting the dangers associated with it to instill fear.

Kamala Harris:

-Discusses her upbringing and recounts stories about her parents; she uses these accounts to discuss the importance of immigration in the US and to build her persona as someone who has worked their way to the top

-She discusses her prosecutor career, accomplishments, and how they benefitted working-class families.

Logos

Donald Trump:

-Trump tends to list facts without evidence. They present themselves as facts to his listeners, but he provides no evidence to back them up. Such as the claim, "Meanwhile, our crime rate is going up while crime statistics all over the world are going down because they're taking their criminals and they're putting them into our country."

-He also lists how murders in El Salvador are down 70% as they are sending the murderers to the US. This plays on fear and generates support to end supposed claims like that.

Kamala Harris:

-Harris recounts facts regarding the January 6th events as reasons to keep Trump out of office. She uses past examples to explain why Trump may be dangerous for this country.

-She uses facts/statistics to examine Trump's economic policies and the extent to which they will affect Americans

Hypothesis: Trump's rhetoric was far more effective than Harris's as he appealed more to the fear factor. Additionally, the average American was more likely to trust Trump from the start. Harris has been in office for the past four years, and the cost of living and inflation have risen. That is not to say she is responsible for the price fluctuations, but that many Americans did not trust her because of it. Trump also used the unfortunate circumstances of the assassination attempt to his advantage. Because of this, he quickly formulated an in-depth emotional account of the events and honored those affected, which presented him in a beneficial way to voters.

Trump tells a dramatic story of when he was shot at the rally. He talks about how scary it was and about all the lives touched, gaining pity and inspiring an emotional response from the audience. He also uses this story to show resilience because he talks about coming back stronger than ever which inspires confidence from his audience. Kamala tells a more personal story of her upbringing with her family as a minority. This appeals more emotionally for those who come from a similar background as her and can relate and connect with her experiences. Overall though Trump’s story may be perceived and emotionally understood by a greater population making it more successful. 

Logos: Both Trump and Kamala talk about what they plan to do as presidents causing the audience to think about what problems and concerns they want to prioritize. Trump references his accomplishments during his previous term like his economic success in building a strong economy, tax deductions, and military success. He also talks passionately about what he will do, like finishing the wall, “ending every single international crisis,” ending the illegal immigration crisis, and fixing the economy and inflation that he claims Biden’s presidency caused. Kamala talks about social justice, healthcare reform, immigration reform, protecting reproductive rights, and middle-class economic growth. She contrasts her outline with Trump’s talking about how she will counter his policies. I think Kamala is actually more successful with logos because some of the things Trump brings up can be perceived as pretty crazy and are also not true causing him to lose some of his credibility in terms of factuality. For example he argues that democrats used Covid-19 to cheat in the last election which has no factual evidence to back up.

Ethos: Trump emphasizes his success during his previous term as president in office to build credibility for himself. He also talks about how the documents brought up to prosecute him were found to be unconstitutional which might cause him to gain the trust of more people who had previously doubted him for reasons revolving around his criminal history. Kamala emphasizes her success as a prosecutor and vice-president to stress her commitment to justice and democracy. She also highlights the idea that she is for the people and will listen to the people, allowing her to gain trust from her audience who believe they will be heard. However her background as a prosecutor has also been perceived negatively by those who see her as too harsh and unfair, especially progressives who are seeking criminal justice reform.  

• Ethos

  • Trump makes sure to remind the audience of him being president previously which emphasizes on his credibility

  • He also references to past success while he was in office 

• Pathos

  • National pride is always what Trump relies on to show how much care he has for the country

  • This inspires people to become more prideful for their own country 

• Logos

  • Trump gives the ideas he has for the future with plans and statistics

  • Shows what he will work on moving forward

• Overall it shows the sort of support to appeal to the audience all through emotion, logic, and ethics.

Kamala Harris Speech:

• Ethos

  • Includes her own story to emphasize how she is human, a person who goes through many challenges

  • Mentioning how she is qualified for the job

• Pathos:

  • Goes more in depth with her own family struggles growing up

  • Mentions what can happen if the opposing side obtains presidency

    • Form of fear

• Logos

  • Focuses on what her plans are and why they are better for America compared to the opposing side

  • Offers many solutions as well to current problems

• The use of rhetoric makes her speech powerful and in a way easier for the audience to feel for what she is feeling. 

Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric was more successful than Kamala Harris’ due to the patriotism that he invokes all throughout his speech and the repetition of his goals as president. But also overall just national pride.

• Ethos 

  • Trump uses examples of past countries that have had problems in their economy such as Germany, to illustrate how his policies are correct and will work

  • Trump backs up his foreign policy by bringing up the time he mandated china pay $50 billion after covid because the US was being ripped off for years he claimed

• Pathos

  • “As you already know, the assassin's bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life.” Trump draws on a frightening time when he was almost killed at a similar type of speech/rally

• “This massive crowd of 10s of 1000s of people stood by and didn't move an inch.” Commends his followers for standing by him in a scary time and thanks them for looking for the sniper

• Logos

• Trump speaks about ‘buying Wisconsin's vote’ by spending over $250 creating jobs and stabilizing the economy. 

• Trumps talks about how out of hand inflation has gotten since the end of his term and how his policies are capable of controlling them

Kamala

Ethos

• Kamala talks about the time in her career when he was a prosecutor and her other positions that she held in office and in senate. This proves that she is qualified to be the next president.

• She proves that she is a caring and normal human just like the rest of us who has overcome many challenges throughout her career. This proves she is “for the people”.

Pathos

• She talks about how her family struggles when growing up and how it shaped her as a human being.

• She instills hope in the audience as she highlights her future plans for the US.

• 
  

Logos

• Kamala talks about her plan to cover tax cuts by giving middle class families 6 thousands dollars to help pay the bills

• Talks about why trump should not be back in office as she referred the January 6th events and how Trump is the biggest threat to our democracy

Why was Trump more successful?

• I believe Trump was more successful in his campaign because he has a huge amount of ethos, considering he was already successful in office in areas such as our economy. 

Ethos: Trump often refers to his past achievements in business, emphasizing his success as a billionaire. By doing so, he presents himself as a figure of accomplishment and competence, particularly in dealing with financial and economic matters. Trump often appeals to the values of his audience, such as patriotism, family, and traditional norms, to build a shared identity.

Pathos: Trump opened his speech by recounting a recent assassination attempt, describing the moment he narrowly avoided being fatally shot. This narrative highlighted his survival as a near-miraculous event, aiming to evoke sympathy and a sense of shared destiny with his audience.

Logos: Trump proposed a reimplementation of "America First" policies, including tariffs and trade barriers, claiming these would protect American jobs and industries.

He drew on past rhetoric that his trade policies boosted manufacturing and reduced reliance on foreign markets, asserting these strategies as necessary for economic stability.

Harris:

Ethos: Harris shared details about her upbringing and her mother’s journey from India to the U.S., emphasizing resilience and the pursuit of dreams. This narrative underlines her roots in a working-class background and frames her as someone who understands the struggles of ordinary Americans. Her story conveys authenticity and relatability, enhancing her credibility as a leader who can connect with diverse communities.

Pathos: Harris shared deeply moving anecdotes, such as stories of women and families suffering under restrictive reproductive laws. For example, she described women miscarrying in parking lots or losing their ability to have children because doctors feared legal repercussions.

Logos: Harris rationalized the importance of protecting reproductive rights, voting rights, and gun safety by linking these freedoms to societal progress and economic stability. She cited Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court as direct contributors to the loss of reproductive freedoms, framing this as a logical consequence of his presidency that voters should reject.

Pathos:

• Kamala attempted to invoke an emotional response by sharing personal details about her mother's stories of struggle.

• Again, tried to invoke an emotional response by sharing a story about a high school friend that had an abusive experience.

• Tried to relate to middle class workers by speaking on her life in a working-class family

Ethos:

• In order to build credibility for herself, she brought up her experience in the judicial branch (prosecutor and attorney general) and her experience in the executive branch as the Vice President.

• She also wanted

Logos:

• Gave statistics in her speech to argue for her immigration policies, such as the fact that she and Biden created the strongest border bill in decades.

• Provided statistics that Trump's tax policies would increase the national debt by 5 trillion

• Additionally emphasized the loss of reproductive rights that would occur under trump

Donald Trump's Rhetorical Appeals:

Pathos:

• Mentioned the assassination attempt on him, which was extremely effective in invoking an emotional response from listeners

• Also mentioned victims of crime related to illegal immigration to create emotional support towards his border policies

Ethos:

• Argued that under his presidency, there was economic growth and better border policies.

• Mentioned that his foreign policy was far better through trade deals and the defeat of ISIS.

Logos:

• Spoke on statistics that show that his reduction in taxes and growth in the economy was legitimate

• Argued that under Biden and Harris' administration, there was high inflation and crime.

• Compared and contrasted his and their administration to argue that under his Presidency, America was and will be more prosperous

Why Trump was more effective:

Trump's campaign rhetoric was more effective because he was able to take advantage of the general perception of daily life under the Biden/Kamala administration, and effectively lumped Kamala and Biden together. He repeatedly emphasized the high prices of daily goods such as food and gas, and argued they were much lower during his own presidency. Additionally, Trump's simple rhetoric of urgency made himself seem like the answer to all of America's problems.

Kamala Harris: Harris appeals to ethos by referencing her heritage, career, and values such as being a prosecutor for justice and middle-class values in the following fashion:
"From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life's work."

Donald Trump: Trump emphasizes his achievements as an leader, such as the strong economy and the secured border:
"Just a few short years ago, under my presidency, we had the most secure border and best economy in the history of our country."

Pathos
Kamala Harris: Harris appeals for empathy by sharing personal stories of struggle, community, and her mother's resilience:
My mother was a brilliant, five-foot tall, brown woman with an accent. And as the eldest child, I saw how the world would sometimes treat her. But she never lost her cool."

Donald Trump: Trump uses dramatic language with vivid imagery that inspires fear and hope:
"The world was at peace, and now the world is blowing up around us."

Logos Logical Arguments
Kamala Harris: Harris lists particular policy initiatives she proposes, like creating an "opportunity economy" and passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act:
"We will create what I call an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and succeed."

Donald Trump: Trump makes points with simple, easily remembered promises such as "Drill, baby, drill" and boasts of inflation reversals, including the following :
"I will end the illegal immigration crisis by closing our border and finishing the wall.

Trump's campaign rhetoric likely worked more successfully because it mixed emotional intensity, clear-cut solutions, and strong appeals to national pride in a way that made his messages resonate with such a wide audience. Harris's rhetoric, while empathetic and policy-driven, may have felt less immediate and galvanizing by comparison.

Donald Trump:

He frequently references his past accomplishments as President such as by stating"Before the pandemic, we built the greatest economy in history.” Furthermore by stating “I am fighting for you, and I will keep fighting for you every single day.” he depicts himself as a tireless advocate for the American people, reinforcing his credibility and portraying him as a leader deeply committed to protecting and serving their interests.

Kamala Harris:

She establishes credibility, personal identity and values to her commitment to justice by drawing on her experience: “My mother, Shyamala, raised my sister Maya and me to believe that it was up to us to carry on the fight for justice.”. Additionally, she also highlights her track record in advocating for justice and equality and leverages her identity and experiences as a woman of color and former prosecutor.

PATHOS:

Donald Trump:

He evokes fear and urgency regarding threats like crime, immigration, and economic instability by, for instance, stating “Your vote will decide whether we protect law-abiding Americans or whether we give free rein to violent anarchists.” Furthermore, he also appeals to patriotism through imagery of American strength and revival by stating “Together, we will make America greater than ever before.”.

Kamala Harris:

She successfully appeals to voters’ shared pain and resilience, emphasizing the emotional impact of the pandemic while fostering a sense of solidarity and hope, for instance stating “The people we lost to the pandemic, the loved ones who said goodbye on a tablet.”

She also once again incorporates her background to create a connection with her voters by sharing the struggles of ordinary Americans, making her relatable and authentic. This is evident when she states: “I think about the parents I’ve met who are struggling to make ends meet.”

LOGOS:

Donald Trump:

He uses statistics and specific policies to highlight successes under his administration, for example by stating “We created a record 9 million jobs in just three months.” He also frames his opponents as ineffective by undermining their logic and policy proposals, for example, questioning Biden’s ability to lead, saying: “Joe Biden is not the savior of America’s soul; he is the destroyer of America’s jobs.”

Kamala Harris:

By stating “We will deliver affordable healthcare, reform the criminal justice system, and invest in working families.” she defines her policy plans that focus on healthcare, justice reform, and economic recovery, helping her establish a vision for change while addressing voter concerns.

Similarly to Trump she also emphasizes the failures of her opponent (Trump administration) for example stating "Their incompetence has cost lives and jobs.”, intentionally leveraging the criticism of Trump’s handling of the pandemic to underscore the need for new leadership.

Why was Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric more successful than Kamala Harris?

Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric may have been more successful because he leveraged strong emotional appeals, especially fear and pride as well as polarizing messages that framed him as the sole protector of American values. On the other hand, while Kamala Harris’s inclusive and empathetic tone is compelling it may have not evoked the same level of urgency or emotional intensity to "acquire" voters.

Donald Trump:

•Establishing personal authority: Trump references his past achievements, such as economic growth, military rebuilding, and defeating ISIS, and also his survival from an assassination attempt to solidify his credibility as a strong leader

•Moral credibility through religious language:He frequently mentions “the grace of Almighty God” to portray himself as divinely chosen and morally upright.

Kamala Harris:

•Personal background:Harris builds credibility by sharing her immigrant experience, her multicultural heritage and her career as a prosecutor and vice president, connecting her life story to the struggles of ordinary people.

2. Pathos

Donald Trump:

•Stories: Trump casts himself as a protector of ordinary Americans to evoke emotional connections and reinforce patriotic pride. (his personal experience of assination attempt and Corey’s example)

•National pride:Frequent references to “making America great again” and calling his supporters “patriots” tap into collective identity and pride. (It's America first, America first.) (MAGA) (we must first rescue our nation from failed and even incompetent leadership.)

Kamala Harris:

•Family and community values:Harris shares personal anecdotes about her mother’s struggles as an immigrant and her family’s support to inspire empathy and connection. (keep mentioning about her mom in the speech)

•Talking about harm created because of Trump:Harris uses vivid examples of harm caused by restrictive policies to provoke anger and moral indignation. (abortion) (And what we stand for. Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities.)

3.Logos

Donald Trump:

•Highlighting policy successes:Trump talks about achievements from his administration to appeal to logical reasoning.( that's the lowest level of illegal immigrants) (Under the Trump administration just three and a half years ago, we were energy independent, but soon we will actually be better than that we will be energy dominant and supply not only ourselves but we will supply the rest of the world with numbers that nobody has ever seen.)

•Action:He proposes clear and straightforward goals, such as completing the border wall and reducing taxes. (closing our border and finishing the wall, most of which I've already built)

Kamala Harris:

•Policy:Harris talks about creating an “opportunity economy” to uplift the middle class and small businesses. (An opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed.) (And lower the cost of everyday needs. Like health care. Housing. And groceries. We will: Provide access to capital for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and

founders. We will end America’s housing shortage. And protect Social Security and Medicare.)

•Contrasting with Trump: Harris directly compares her policies with Trump’s, emphasizing fairness and equity over self-interest. (instead of a Trump tax hike, we will pass a middle class tax cut that will benefit more than 100 million Americans.)

Why Trump

1.Stronger emotional connect:

•Trump uses dramatic storytelling (example of Corey) and simple, relatable slogans (e.g., “MAGA”) to elicit strong emotional reactions.

•Trump’s use of clear “us vs. them” narratives and direct solutions is easier to grasp and more engaging.

•Trump effectively uses fear of decline and hope for restoration to motivate voters. (we must first rescue our nation from failed and even incompetent leadership.)

2.Consistency:

•Trump’s repetitive and focused messaging reinforces his brand, while Harris’s more detailed, nuanced arguments may feel less immediate.

//

Recurring Themes and Messaging

Donald Trump:

•Make America Great Again

Kamala Harris:

•Unity (My entire career, I have only had one client. The People.)

• Ethos

  • He gains credibility by often referring back to his previous presidency & highlighting his accomplishments such as secure borders, better economy, low inflation, defeating ISIS, and getting along with other nations.

• Pathos:

  • He mentions his recent assassination attempt where he honors those affected by it, and mentions how his crowd did not panic but remained put to point out the sniper because of their love for Trump.

  • He praises god, which can be emotionally appealing by creating a sense of shared identity.

  • He showed appreciation for his family and friends, giving them the spotlight multiple times throughout the speech.

  • Regarding immigration, he highlighted the victims who suffered harm from illegal immigrants, so this emphasized the fear posed by illegal immigration.

  • He also mentioned how illegal immigrants are taking away jobs, which could evoke strong emotions of frustration.

• Logos:

  • He mentioned how grocery prices are up 57%, gas is up 60-70%, and mortgage rates have quadrupled.

  • He mentions all the policies he wants to implement as president, such as continuing to build the southern border and wanting to produce more energy to create a better economy.

  • He even showed a chart to show the immigration trends.

• Recurring themes:

  • He mentions border control, economic success, patriotism, and his family/friends.

Kamala:

• Ethos:

  • Mentioned how she is a woman of color, a daughter of immigrants, and grew up surrounded by civil rights.

  • Mentioned her previous roles as a prosecutor and California's Attorney General.

  • Talked about her term as vice president, and what she accomplished (confronting threats to security, negotiating with foreign leaders, strengthening alliances, etc)

• Pathos:

  • She shared her own personal stories about her childhood, and how her father would always push her to strive for more.

  • She highlighted what her mother told her and her sister growing up.

  • Highlighted the stories of women who suffered from not being able to receive reproductive care.

• Logos:

  • She proposed her policies, such as building the middle class, improving the economy, lowering prices, ending housing shortages, protecting social security and Medicare, etc.

  • She added statistics about how under Trump's administration, there would be $5 trillion more in national debt, and how prices on middle-class families would be raised by $4k a year.

• Recurring themes:

  • She constantly mentions everyone coming together as a nation and fighting for equality and justice.

Hypothesis:

I think Trump's campaign rhetoric was more successful than Kamala's because of his heavy emphasis on pathos. He often highlighted his family & friends, portraying himself as a devoted family man which can resonate with many voters. Additionally, he frequently referenced his past presidency, emphasizing how conditions were better under his administration compared to now. This probably fostered a sense of nostalgia, which made people think he was the better candidate. In contrast, I feel like Kamala faced criticism because many voters may have felt that she and Biden had four years to address these issues, but didn't.

Ethos

- Donald Trump: Trump builds his credibility by emphasizing his achievements during his presidency, such as economic growth, tax cuts, and military advancements. His portrayal as a "strong leader" capable of "Making America Great Again" enhances his ethos among his base.

- Kamala Harris: Harris leverages her experience as a prosecutor and Attorney General to present herself as a competent and compassionate leader. She emphasizes her commitment to justice and fighting for equality, appealing to voters who value empathy and integrity.

Pathos

- Donald Trump: Trump uses emotionally charged stories, such as assassination attempts, to evoke fear and vulnerability. His rhetoric capitalizes on themes of loyalty and threats, portraying himself as a victim of political violence and positioning his opponents as adversaries to the American way of life.

- Kamala Harris: Harris connects emotionally by sharing personal anecdotes about her upbringing and family, focusing on values like hard work, perseverance, and community. Her narrative humanizes her and makes her relatable to voters who resonate with these shared values.

Logos

- Donald Trump: Trump uses bold claims about his accomplishments, often resorting to hyperbole and repetition to drive his message home. Phrases like “the greatest” and “nobody has ever seen” create urgency, even if they oversimplify issues.

- Kamala Harris: Harris takes a more measured and policy-oriented approach, presenting detailed plans for economic growth, healthcare, and social justice. Her reliance on logical arguments and fairness appeals to voters who prioritize substance and actionable ideas.

Themes

- Donald Trump: His speeches revolve around nationalism, fear, anger, and an “us vs. them” mentality. These themes effectively mobilize his base and inspire a sense of unity against perceived threats.

- Kamala Harris: Harris emphasizes unity, inclusion, hope, and progress. She focuses on justice and equality, which aim to bring people together under shared values but may lack the urgency of Trump’s rhetoric.

Hypothesis on Effectiveness

- Donald Trump: His success can be attributed to:

- Stronger Emotional Appeals: Fear, anger, and an “us vs. them” mentality galvanize his supporters.

- Simpler Messaging: Clear and repetitive slogans make his rhetoric memorable.

- Exploiting Divisions: He capitalizes on existing social and political tensions, framing his campaign as a battle against corrupt establishments.

- Kamala Harris: While her approach is thoughtful and nuanced, it may lack the immediate emotional resonance and blunt messaging that energizes voters in the way Trump’s does.

Ethos: 

• Extensively talks about her past as a prosecutor

• Also talks about her reason for her decision to go into the practice of law that she decided to at a young age

• Also mentions her credentials as Vice President of the United States

• One thing she mentions is talking about her role along with Joe Biden in passing a border bill, attempting to debunk Trump’s claims that border security is worse than ever.

Pathos: 

• Discusses her personal history as a way to connect to the audience while also getting the message across that she comes from a diversified background.

• Talks about protecting young woman and children from abusers in the court as a prosecuter

• Also mentions her friend Wanda, who confided in her that her step-father had sexually abused her. This personal, specific story creates greater relatability. 

• Generally talks a lot about community

Logos:

• Talks about the economy that she will create, which she calls an “opportunity economy”

• Talks about plans to combat housing shortage, as well as protecting social security and Medicare. 

• Talks about how Trump will harm the country with his “Project 2025”

• Talks about Trump’s policies on abortion, as well as gun laws and rights for LGBTQ+ people.

Trump:

Ethos: 

• Talks about divine intervention and how he was “saved by the grace of god”

• Recounting the assassination attempt

• His credentials as a former president of the United States

• Talks about things he did in his previous presidency (2016-2020), such as economic growth, relationships with other world leaders, and jobs.

Pathos:

• Appeals to religion, faith, and patriotism

• In doing so he attempts to evoke an emotional response from typical rural middle class Americans.

• Talks about his pride for America and how he desperately wants to return it to its “glory days”

• Discusses very specific details about the assassination attempt, then talks about “fighting” and the American people. 

• Also talks about how America is in great danger if he isn’t elected president and the Democrats retain control of the White House

Logos:

• Discusses how he will improve the economy, as he claims he did in his previous presidency

• Talks about tax cuts

• Border security, specifically handling illegal immigration

• In general, not much else. Logos is his weakest point because his campaigns rely heavily on emotional appeals as opposed to actual statistics.

Hypothesis:

In the end, I believe it is as simple as this as to why Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric was more successful to: Donald Trump did a better job at appealing to the white and middle class Americans. While Kamala had a more just and righteous-oriented appeal in her campaign, Trump did a better job at appealing to the group that makes up the biggest population proportion in America. For that simple reason, his campaign rhetoric was more successful.