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Total Losers and Bad Hombres: The Political Incorrectness and Perceived Authenticity of Donald J. Trump

2018; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 83; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/1041794x.2018.1511747

1930-3203

Kirsten Theye, Steven Melling,

Rhetoric and Communication Studies

During the 2016 presidential election, Donald J. Trump's rhetoric created a perception of authenticity. In particular, his parataxis, political incorrectness, bumptious language, and frequent errors proved to voters that he was the authenticity candidate in 2016, particularly when compared with the public relations machine of Hillary Clinton's campaign. Trump employed the attention-getting rhetorical style he developed during his years as a fixture of New York tabloids, reality TV star, and occasional pro-wrestling promoter to gain media coverage and supporters during his campaign, effectively using his direct line to the people—Twitter—to circumvent traditional presidential politics. In the Conclusion, we argue that Trump's discourse signifies the entelechial end of a rhetoric of political incorrectness that has been salient since the 1980s.