Date: 2024-12-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00027306
US ELECTIONS 2024
COMPARATIVE COMMUNICATIONS
NYT: Words Used at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions
COMPARATIVE COMMUNICATIONS
NYT: Words Used at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions
Photos of the stages at the two National Conventions
From left, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press
Original article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/08/23/us/politics/rnc-dnc-words.html
Peter Burgess COMMENTARY
I chose to watch all of the RNC and DNC conventions during the past several weeks. It was something of an indulgence, but quite valuable in terms of getting to learn something about the 'mindset' of the Republicans and the Democrats.
I have really go nothing good to say about Trump and the Republicans. The only Republicans worth listening to were presenting at the Democratic convention
Peter Burgess
By Jonathan Corum
Aug. 23, 2024
Speakers at the Democratic National Convention used more than 109,000 words over four days in Chicago this week. Their choice of words and phrases contrasts the themes and ideas of last month’s Republican National Convention.
Excluding common and routine words, the most frequently spoken words at the Democratic convention were:
- Kamala ... 724 words
- Harris ... 620
- President ... 618
- America ... 436
- People ... 418
- Trump ... 401
- American ... 366
- Right ... 328
- Country ... 271
- Vote ... 262
- Family ... 247
- Donald ... 234
- Freedom ... 227
- Work ... 205
- Future ... 199
- United ... 196
- Woman ... 195
- Life ... 194
- Fight ... 188
- Together ... 187
- Nation ... 172
- Care ... 170
- Love ... 168
- Home ... 167
- Job ... 161
- Child ... 133
- Walz ... 132
- World ... 129
- Democrat ... 122
- Believe ... 121
- Biden ... 116
- Leader ... 115
- Proud ... 112
- Hope ... 109
- School ... 108
A similar number of words were spoken at the Republican convention in Milwaukee last month, with speakers using more than 110,000 words over four days. The most common were:
- Trump ... 1,049 words
- President ... 905 words
- America ... 663
- American ... 547
- Donald ... 498
- Country ... 445
- Biden ... 393
- People ... 355
- God ... 310
- Republican ... 281
- United ... 269
- Family ... 243
- Vote ... 232
- Nation ... 215
- Right ... 208
- Life ... 199
- Border ... 199
- World ... 193
- Love ... 178
- Bless ... 176
- Democrat ... 151
- Party ... 148
- Home ... 144
- Job ... 121
- Fight ... 118
- Think ... 113
- Child ... 103
- Father ... 101
Words From Notable Speakers
Former President Donald J. Trump’s acceptance speech was longer and used more than three times as many words as Vice President Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech.
Circles show the number of times these keynote speakers used the following words.
- Joseph R.
- Biden Jr. Tim
- Walz Kamala
- Harris Words Donald J.
- Trump JD
- Vance
- Joseph R. Biden Jr. Tim Walz Kamala Harris WORDS
- Donald J. Trump JD Vance
Divided Words
Many words were spoken frequently at both conventions, including “America,” “country,” “people” and “vote.” But the frequency of other words was less balanced.
Speakers at the Democratic convention leaned into words about liberty and patriotism, mentioning “freedom” 227 times compared with 67 times at the Republican convention. Words like “woman,” “joy” and “weird” were also used more often by Democratic speakers.
Republican speakers mentioned “inflation” seven times as often as Democrats, and both “God” and the price of “groceries” three times as often. Republicans used the word “assassination” or “assassin” 18 times, but the word was heard only once at the Democratic convention, and it was not a reference to the sniper attack on Mr. Trump in July.
Missing Words
Some words and phrases that appear in transcripts of the Democratic convention but not at all in Republican transcripts include “abortion,” “Project 2025” and “convicted felon.”
Note: Circles are proportional within each chart, but not between different charts. Methodology: Automated transcripts were made from C-SPAN recordings of the convention. Word counts were computed using language processing software. Song lyrics, crowd chants, first names and many common words were removed. Plurals, possessives and other variations were simplified, so words like nations and nation’s would be counted as nation.