The 2024 Presidential Election is less than a month away and rhetoric surrounding the candidates is starting to get more intense
The 2024 Presidential Election is less than a month away and rhetoric surrounding the candidates is starting to get more intense. As Trump has become more reticent on the in person interview front, only giving his commentary through social media and at his rallies, Harris has been making her way to various talk-shows and podcasts such as The View.
A Polarizing Election
This by far has to be one of the most polarizing elections in America’s recent history. According to a recent poll conducted by NBC News, conducted Oct 4 – 8, “Harris gets support from 48% of registered voters in a head-to-head matchup, while Trump gets an identical 48%. Another 4% say they are undecided or wouldn’t vote for either option when forced to choose between those two major-party candidates.”
No Secret
It’s no secret who is on which side. As the 2024 article featuring the poll states, Trump leads on those leaning towards the Republican side- straight, white, men, and Harris leads on those leaning towards the Democratic side- women, women of color, minority groups – African American, Asian, Hispanic, etc. – and LBTQIA. The fact that both Harris and Trump are tied for support speaks to not only the views of citizens in this country but the hate that still exists. Hate that seems to motivate those that are voting for Trump to express their racism and misogyny at significantly high levels. Levels that will be seen and felt for generations to come.
”Bullets Are Flying”
Writer Michael Mathes in his 2024 article for The Japan Times, “’Bullets Are Flying’: Divisive U.S. Political Rhetoric Sees Violence Soar”, writes, “In a neck-and-neck U.S. presidential election, tensions have soared along with the rhetoric: people have been killed, and the country’s presidential candidates and others are in the crosshairs of extremists swept up in the divisive language of the race.”
Intentions of “Bad”
The Oxford Dictionary defines “rhetoric” as “language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.” Politics is the science of incorporating rhetoric to impact change. Whether that change is good or bad depends on the intentions of the one who is using it. The rhetoric surrounding the 2024 election has created a lot of fear in the United States. Voters have every reason to be afraid, especially if recent events are any inclinations of the type of environment the country will be in post-election.
