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Awaited with great anticipation, Americans saw last night the one and only debate between vice presidential candidates Sarah Palin and Joe Biden at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. Vehemently defending the policies and character of their running mates, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, Biden and Palin clashed on the economy, the war in Iraq, and the choice the U.S. faces in the upcoming elections.
The following is an analysis of the words Sarah Palin and Joe Biden used to present the political agenda of their campaigns and their major differences to the American public.
Buzzwords of the Debate:
1. Vocabulary
In terms of variety of words and the distribution between linguistic categories, both VP candidates displayed almost exactly the same vocabulary (left table). These results stand in stark contrast to the first presidential debate, where John McCain trailed Barack Obama by 76 words in the variety of his vocabulary (right table).
2. Nouns
Joe Biden, significantly more than Sarah Palin, drew on economic terms (deregulation, money, mortgage) to underline the constraints and challenges the middle class in the U.S. is facing (neighborhood, class). Whereas Palin mentioned the word middle class only twice, Biden mentioned it 9 times during the debate (kitchen table: Biden 4, Palin 1).
Biden stressed the stark political differences between the two tickets, highlighting the number of times John McCain's votes represented a certain policy he and Barack Obama stood in opposition to. To counter his opponent's claims, Biden also frequently insisted on the facts that would back up his arguments.
Sarah Palin, by contrast, very much focused on her own experience as governor of Alaska (state). Whereas Biden only mentioned his hometowns Wilmington and Scranton, Pennsylvania three and two times in the debate, Palin used the word Alaska 6 times, governor 12 times and state 16 times.
Palin underlined her campaigns' message of reform and leadership (leader) and that the Republican ticket would bring the nation back on track after the shortcomings of the last administration. Palin also highlighted the economic pressures particularly families were facing, but frequently used the opportunity to bring in the issue of energy as her area of expertise (climate, energy).
3. Adjectives
Similar differences emerge when looking at the different adjectives both VP candidates employed during the debate.
Joe Biden again sought to underline the major differences between Barack Obama and John McCain (fundamental), focused on economic gaps in the U.S. (wealthy, middle, economic) and called for a fair economic plan for the country.
Palin, on the other hand, appealed to national identity (American) and used mainly positive adjectives (huge, good, great) in her rhetoric.
4. Personal Pronouns
In the debate, both candidates also displayed a very characteristic usage of personal pronouns.
However, when comparing the results with previous analyses of the presidential candidates' use of personal pronouns (SEMTRACKS Analysis #5, #8), the results appear almost reversed.
Whereas Obama used to underline collectivity and dialogue in his usage of personal pronouns (we, our, you), Joe Biden in last night's debate had a significantly greater usage of me, they and he, a clear indication of a more confrontational rhetoric that sought to draw a sharp contrast to his opponent's ticket, and in particular John McCain.
Palin, on the other hand, was the one in last night's debate making a far greater appeal to collectivity and direct outreach to the constituency with her usage of our and you.
5. Significant Phrases
An analysis of the phrases most significantly used by both candidates in the debate also reveals distinctively different rhetorical strategies.
Joe Biden's goal in the debate is not to attack his direct opponent, but John McCain's worldview, policy and record (John McCain voted, John McCain said, John McCain, McCain voted against). Biden thus frequently points to John McCain's lack of a plan (I haven't heard) that would differentiate the Republican ticket from the previous administration (than George Bush's)
Palin, on the other hand, stresses the direction and determination of the Republican campaign (We need to, Make sure that, We're going to). She repeatedly refers to her opponents' plan to increase taxes and points to the greed and corruption that have permeated the financial elite (On Wall Street, Corruption on Wall).
Palin also underlines the national security threat that emanates from the possession of nuclear arms in states opposed to U.S. interests (to acquire nuclear, acquire nuclear weapons) and brings up her experience in the area of energy policy (sources of energy, with climate change).
Only with slightly different emphasis, however, both candidates underline the strength of their team (Biden: Obama and I; Palin: With John McCain) and their unwavered determination to fight for the national interest.
Whereas Biden's most significant phrase in comparison to Palin is official name of the country the United States, Palin chose to focus on its individual citizens (the American people).
6. Iraq
When looking at the significant collocations of the word Iraq in the rhetoric of both candidates, similar characteristics emerge.
The following chart shows that Joe Biden take on Iraq is embedded in a comprehensive assessment with regard to policy, mission and strategy. It is also connected to a denunciation of John McCain's strategy in Iraq and the deterioration of the U.S. image in the world as a result to the war.
In contrast to John McCain's message with regard to Iraq, Sarah Palin painted a much more comprehensive picture in the debate, connected it to the war on terror and proposing a similar counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan. She also insisted on the success of John McCain's plan for the country and the necessity to support U.S. troops through adequate funding, something which she repeatedly charged Barack Obama had not done.
7. Tax
With regard to the collocations of the word tax/taxes, similar differences between the VP candidates become clear.
Joe Biden's rhetoric focuses on what he characterizes John McCain's policy of corporate tax breaks and cuts:
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, emphasizes her portrayal of a tax-increasing Obama administration:
What is remarkable about both candidates' rhetoric with regard to taxes, however, is that neither of them directly refers to his/her running mate by name; rather, they both talk about their ticket as a whole (we) when contrasting it to the other campaign's plans.
8. Conclusion
Joe Biden and Sarah Palin largely used their one and only televised debate to extensively attack the presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama on both their policy and record.
In contrast to previous debates and campaign speeches of Barack Obama, Joe Biden was far more aggressive in taking on what he sees as John McCain's failed policies in Iraq, his similarity to the Bush administration and his ignorance of how the economy affects the middle class in the U.S.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, sought to underline that she was an outsider to Washington in tune with the American people as a working mother and governor of Alaska. At the same time, she tried to reconfirm John McCain's experience and image as a maverick, seeking to portray the Republican ticket as an agent of change that looked toward the future instead of the past.
author(s): js/mk/nb date: 10/03/2008 title: "Biden vs. Palin - Insider vs. Outsider" textid/texts: 9/18
The following is an analysis of the words Sarah Palin and Joe Biden used to present the political agenda of their campaigns and their major differences to the American public.
Buzzwords of the Debate:
1. Vocabulary
In terms of variety of words and the distribution between linguistic categories, both VP candidates displayed almost exactly the same vocabulary (left table). These results stand in stark contrast to the first presidential debate, where John McCain trailed Barack Obama by 76 words in the variety of his vocabulary (right table).
| Linguistic Feature | | | Biden | Palin | | | Obama | McCain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nouns | | | 520 | 517 | | | 521 | 491 |
| Adjectives | | | 195 | 187 | | | 210 | 184 |
| Pronouns | | | 22 | 21 | | | 21 | 18 |
| Adverbs | | | 109 | 107 | | | 108 | 99 |
| Verbs | | | 243 | 256 | | | 278 | 269 |
| Total | | | 1089 | 1088 | | | 1138 | 1061 |
2. Nouns
Joe Biden, significantly more than Sarah Palin, drew on economic terms (deregulation, money, mortgage) to underline the constraints and challenges the middle class in the U.S. is facing (neighborhood, class). Whereas Palin mentioned the word middle class only twice, Biden mentioned it 9 times during the debate (kitchen table: Biden 4, Palin 1).
Biden stressed the stark political differences between the two tickets, highlighting the number of times John McCain's votes represented a certain policy he and Barack Obama stood in opposition to. To counter his opponent's claims, Biden also frequently insisted on the facts that would back up his arguments.
| Nouns | Significance Level | Relative Frequency Factor |
|---|---|---|
| number | 0,00031 | 15,03 |
| policy | 0,00138 | 3,11 |
| fact | 0,00364 | 3,80 |
| neighborhood | 0,00407 | not used by Palin |
| deregulation | 0,00743 | not used by Palin |
| class | 0,02017 | 5,01 |
| money | 0,03185 | 3,67 |
| mortgage | 0,03336 | 7,01 |
| president | 0,04879 | 2,50 |
Sarah Palin, by contrast, very much focused on her own experience as governor of Alaska (state). Whereas Biden only mentioned his hometowns Wilmington and Scranton, Pennsylvania three and two times in the debate, Palin used the word Alaska 6 times, governor 12 times and state 16 times.
Palin underlined her campaigns' message of reform and leadership (leader) and that the Republican ticket would bring the nation back on track after the shortcomings of the last administration. Palin also highlighted the economic pressures particularly families were facing, but frequently used the opportunity to bring in the issue of energy as her area of expertise (climate, energy).
| Nouns | Significance Level | Relative Frequency Factor |
|---|---|---|
| state | < 0.0001 | not used by Biden |
| reform | 0,00068 | not used by Biden |
| climate | 0,00228 | not used by Biden |
| nation | 0,00609 | 9,97 |
| party | 0,00609 | 9,97 |
| track | 0,00757 | not used by Biden |
| energy | 0,00847 | 2,66 |
| leader | 0,01085 | 8,98 |
| family | 0,01978 | 3,99 |
| economy | 0,02896 | 3,24 |
3. Adjectives
Similar differences emerge when looking at the different adjectives both VP candidates employed during the debate.
Joe Biden again sought to underline the major differences between Barack Obama and John McCain (fundamental), focused on economic gaps in the U.S. (wealthy, middle, economic) and called for a fair economic plan for the country.
| Adjectives | Significance Level | Relative Frequency Factor |
|---|---|---|
| fundamental | 0,01064 | 9,01 |
| wealthy | 0,01357 | 6 |
| middle | 0,02017 | 5,01 |
| fair | 0,02476 | 5 |
| economic | 0,04487 | 3,00 |
Palin, on the other hand, appealed to national identity (American) and used mainly positive adjectives (huge, good, great) in her rhetoric.
| Adjectives | Significance Level | Relative Frequency Factor |
|---|---|---|
| huge | 0,01377 | 6 |
| American | 0,01382 | 2,99 |
| good | 0,02792 | 2,17 |
| great | 0,03386 | 6,98 |
4. Personal Pronouns
In the debate, both candidates also displayed a very characteristic usage of personal pronouns.
However, when comparing the results with previous analyses of the presidential candidates' use of personal pronouns (SEMTRACKS Analysis #5, #8), the results appear almost reversed.
Whereas Obama used to underline collectivity and dialogue in his usage of personal pronouns (we, our, you), Joe Biden in last night's debate had a significantly greater usage of me, they and he, a clear indication of a more confrontational rhetoric that sought to draw a sharp contrast to his opponent's ticket, and in particular John McCain.
| Personal Pronoun | Significance Level | Relative Frequency Factor |
|---|---|---|
| me | 0,00099 | 3,38 |
| they | 0,01229 | 1,95 |
| he | 0,01574 | 1,66 |
Palin, on the other hand, was the one in last night's debate making a far greater appeal to collectivity and direct outreach to the constituency with her usage of our and you.
| Personal Pronoun | Significance Level | Relative Frequency Factor |
|---|---|---|
| our | < 0.0001 | 2,91 |
| you | 0,00913 | 1,50 |
5. Significant Phrases
An analysis of the phrases most significantly used by both candidates in the debate also reveals distinctively different rhetorical strategies.
Joe Biden's goal in the debate is not to attack his direct opponent, but John McCain's worldview, policy and record (John McCain voted, John McCain said, John McCain, McCain voted against). Biden thus frequently points to John McCain's lack of a plan (I haven't heard) that would differentiate the Republican ticket from the previous administration (than George Bush's)
Palin, on the other hand, stresses the direction and determination of the Republican campaign (We need to, Make sure that, We're going to). She repeatedly refers to her opponents' plan to increase taxes and points to the greed and corruption that have permeated the financial elite (On Wall Street, Corruption on Wall).
Palin also underlines the national security threat that emanates from the possession of nuclear arms in states opposed to U.S. interests (to acquire nuclear, acquire nuclear weapons) and brings up her experience in the area of energy policy (sources of energy, with climate change).
Only with slightly different emphasis, however, both candidates underline the strength of their team (Biden: Obama and I; Palin: With John McCain) and their unwavered determination to fight for the national interest.
Whereas Biden's most significant phrase in comparison to Palin is official name of the country the United States, Palin chose to focus on its individual citizens (the American people).
6. Iraq
When looking at the significant collocations of the word Iraq in the rhetoric of both candidates, similar characteristics emerge.
The following chart shows that Joe Biden take on Iraq is embedded in a comprehensive assessment with regard to policy, mission and strategy. It is also connected to a denunciation of John McCain's strategy in Iraq and the deterioration of the U.S. image in the world as a result to the war.
In contrast to John McCain's message with regard to Iraq, Sarah Palin painted a much more comprehensive picture in the debate, connected it to the war on terror and proposing a similar counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan. She also insisted on the success of John McCain's plan for the country and the necessity to support U.S. troops through adequate funding, something which she repeatedly charged Barack Obama had not done.
7. Tax
With regard to the collocations of the word tax/taxes, similar differences between the VP candidates become clear.
Joe Biden's rhetoric focuses on what he characterizes John McCain's policy of corporate tax breaks and cuts:
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, emphasizes her portrayal of a tax-increasing Obama administration:
What is remarkable about both candidates' rhetoric with regard to taxes, however, is that neither of them directly refers to his/her running mate by name; rather, they both talk about their ticket as a whole (we) when contrasting it to the other campaign's plans.
8. Conclusion
Joe Biden and Sarah Palin largely used their one and only televised debate to extensively attack the presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama on both their policy and record.
In contrast to previous debates and campaign speeches of Barack Obama, Joe Biden was far more aggressive in taking on what he sees as John McCain's failed policies in Iraq, his similarity to the Bush administration and his ignorance of how the economy affects the middle class in the U.S.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, sought to underline that she was an outsider to Washington in tune with the American people as a working mother and governor of Alaska. At the same time, she tried to reconfirm John McCain's experience and image as a maverick, seeking to portray the Republican ticket as an agent of change that looked toward the future instead of the past.
author(s): js/mk/nb date: 10/03/2008 title: "Biden vs. Palin - Insider vs. Outsider" textid/texts: 9/18
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