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GOP Debate Analysis

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This election cycle has already been hectic and irregular and we’re not even close to past the primaries. The number of debates that have been held on both sides is already staggeringly high. The GOP has already had twelve debates and the Democratic Party as already had eight. As we gradually approach the final primaries and see who will be pitted against who in the general election the Republican party, which started with a record number of candidates, is now whittled down to three and the Democrats have only had two major candidates for a couple of months now. The debates on both sides thus far have been exhilarating; Bernie and Hillary constantly attacking each other’s policies and voting records and on the GOP side of things a bevy of wild …show more content…

None of the candidates were really prepared for a logical appeals debate and frequently diverted to emotional appeals. Ted Cruz turned to Megyn Kelly at one point, “Do you think the voters at home want this to be the type of debate that is playing out?” That was a strong emotional appeal, because with all the mocking and bickering and yelling the debate was troubling to watch. That moment where he asked the viewers if this is what they wanted was great for building positive face with voters, even when he was doing some of the bickering himself. Trump uses the San Bernandino and Paris attacks as frequently as he can as an emotional appeal. He also used a bit of humor when he implied that he had a large penis. John Kasich’s emotional appeal go-to is, “I want to bring people together.” Rubio made a great joke after Donald yelled that he’s not doing yoga, “But he’s so flexible you’d never know it,” clearly referencing an earlier point in the debate where Donald claimed his core value is “being flexible.” The most effective ethical appeals came from Cruz and Kasich, who both cited their experience and political records several times in response to moderator’s questions. Trump’s ethical appeals weren’t solid, because the moderators fact-checked him almost every time and reported that 73% of his statements were either false or some degree of false. While the GOP appeals mostly consisted of emotional appeals, the Democrats were very heavy on all three kinds. Bernie explained his tax plans carefully and in detail and Hillary explained her solution to American jobs being exported with facts. Bernie and Hillary were in Flint, so both of them used the situation with the poison water to their advantage, making emotional appeals to parents and they agreed on that issue in an effective way. The last and most heavily talked about appeals in this debate were the ethical appeals. Both candidates were

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