Presidential elections are as much about the present situation as they are about the future. Candidates are therefore not only asked to give their analysis of the status quo but also lay out their vision of the future.

This feature explores the ways in which John McCain and Barack Obama have articulated their ideas one how to lead America in the 21st century.

It is based on an analysis of the 30-minutes infomercial "Obama: American Stories, American Solutions" [link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtREqAmLsoA] (which aired on October 29) and an analysis of both candidates campaign speeches after the last televised presidential debate (October 15).



1. Obama Infomercial

When compared to Barack Obama's earlier campaign speeches, the infomercial displayed the following statistically relevant, linguistic characteristics:


a) Keywords

Outlining the lives of four ordinary American families across the country, the infomercial focused the key themes of anxiety, family, and the economy.

Statistically highly significant words were worry (10 times, relative frequency factor (RFF): 6.58), and retire (6 times, RFF: 6), as well as retirement (6 times, RFF: 13.83), connecting the concern about the future with the economic sphere.

Especially the latter was featured most prominently the spot's rhetoric:

• plant (6 times, RFF: 6)
• work (28 times, RFF: 2.11)
• dollar (6 times, RFF: 3.95)
• payment (3 times, RFF: 6.91)
• company (15 times, RFF: 1.82)

The second most significant linguistic area revolved around the word field of life (8 times; RFF 4.09) and family relations:

• kid (6 times, RFF: 6.91)
• grandchild (4 times, RFF: 9.22)
• son (5 times, RFF: 5.76)
• father (4 times, RFF: 6.14)
• family (13 times, RFF: 2.22)

In addition, the infomercial particularly stressed the significance of education (10 times, RFF 2.19) and the energy sector (energy = 8 times, RFF: 5.26; fuel = 3 times, RFF: 6.91).

Especially striking from a linguistic level was the rhetorical guidance of the voter's decision-making progress: The words remember (4 times, RFF: 18.44) and once (4 times, RFF: 4.61) attempted to evoke memories of better times, both with regard to the economic situation and other challenges facing the countries.

The words look (9 times, RFF: 3.19), see (16 times, RFF: 2.16) and think (12 times, RFF 2.40) both encouraged the viewer to critically examine the status quo and, at the same time, to envision alternative solutions to the current problems.

Having raised the viewers awareness in this way, the infomercial then presented the choice (choose = 4 times, RFF: 9.22) in somebody (3 times, RFF: 4.61) who, as president (8 times, RFF 2.45), would offer a new way of government (6 times, RFF: 2.45).


b) N-grams

The infomercial's use of n-grams, statistically significant sequences of particular words in a given text, underlined the focus on anxiety about the future, economic woes.

The most often used n-gram was I am worried about (5 times) followed by in six days we can (4 times), referring to importance of the viewer's decision on the upcoming election day.

Similarly, the focus on the campaign's economic plan is embodied in n-grams such as a tax credit and cut taxes for (both 3 times).

The emphasis on both the candidate (Barack Obama is = 3 times) and his determination and vision (as president I = 3 times) is also reflected in this linguistic category.



c) Frequent Phrase Frames (FPF)

A look at the frequent phrase frames of the infomercial, i.e. particular phrases that occur in statistically significant frequency in several variants, several features stand out:

• a strong personalization (I am * = 10 times)
• causality (that is * = 14 times; e.g. that is what = 5 times, that is why 4 times)
• determination (* going to = 8 times; going to * = 6 times)
• possibility (* we can = 6 times)
• collectivity (what we * = 5 times)

2. Collocations of "American"

a) John McCain

When looking at John McCain's collocations with regard to American (lemma), the following cluster unfolds:

For McCain, the most significant collocations are people, every, family and America itself.

It is striking how closely McCain's American-collocations are linked to the economic sphere (the refundable 5,000 credit of his health plan, work, keep money, keep costs low).

Even his second-level collocations of family (fine, business, small businesses) are dominated by it.

The focus on himself and his own agency (I) is equally striking in this cluster. By these many self-references John McCain portrays himself as someone who is decisively taking the initiative to help the American people and worker.

This willingness to fight is also represented in his second-level collocations to America, which he characterizes as a great nation that needs to be renewed (new).

Rhetorically, he once again underscores his political record and experience by highlighting the trust that Americans can have in his judgment.



b) Barack Obama

For Barack Obama, the most significant collocations are people, dream, chance and every.

His collocations are embedded in a more comprehensive web of collocations which also touch economic issues (create new jobs, tax relief / cut, bottom-up), but also have a strong philosophical and spiritual undercurrent.

Obama's areas of reference are education (every single child, world-class, childhood, pay), equal opportunity (same chance), new energy, and the renewal of the American dream (test, represent).

Instead of McCain's focus on the status quo (keep), Obama's collocations are directed toward the time ahead (21st century, new).

In contrast to McCain's self-references, Obama's rhetoric is more inclusive and participatory, underlining the collective effort (together) that is needed not only to renew America's infrastructure, but to build the country's future.



3. Conclusion

John McCain and Barack Obama's vision of American as expressed in their rhetoric overlap to the degree that both candidates seek to provide economic relief for Americans and remake the country and its image. However, they essential differences are in their emphasis and agenda to realize this.

John McCain's vision is dominated by his own agency, as well as the economy and its various social repercussions. Barack Obama, on the other hand, paints a far more diverse and complex image of issues and aspirations and where he intends to lead the nation in a collective effort toward the future.

Particularly Obama's infomercial with its stress on people's anxiety about the future, the economic uncertainty and the family, attempted to bring his abstract agenda down to the individual level in an emotional and personal fashion, while taking into account the life-long experiences and expectations of Americans across the country.