The speeches by the two candidates accepting their respective nominations couldn’t have been more different.
Brazen repetition may not be the most sophisticated rhetorical trope, but in an age of info-snacking and continuous partial attention, it remains the most potent. The idea is simple: Even if you’re half-watching TV, or hate-scrolling Facebook, the core of the message cuts through. This idea explains why politicians repeat a handful of focus-grouped word and phrases with shameful insistence. It also explains why, in their recent nomination acceptance speeches, Joe Biden repeatedly used optimistic words like “light,” “great,” “time,” “moment” and “hope,” while Donald Trump took the fight to his opponent, saying “Biden” 40 times, “Joe” 27 times. (Although Biden referenced “Obama” twice, he did not say “Donald” or “Trump” – speaking only of the “current president.
