The 2020 presidential campaign is in full swing, with Donald Trump vying for a second term and Joe Biden hoping to unseat him on November 3.
For your paper, you will pick a side: you will take on the role of a campaign consultant working either for Trump or for Biden. The campaign has asked you to write a memo suggesting a winning slogan and a broader message for their candidate.
Your memo must take the form of an argument. You must support your proposal through at least one piece of polling data that you will find through your own research. You will provide the campaign with 1) the slogan and broader message, 2) the data, and 3) the argument for why your broader message is a winning strategy against your opponent.
In working on this paper, I recommend you follow these steps:
1) Choose a candidate: Either Donald Trump or Joe Biden.
2) Explore public opinion data on an issue that benefits your candidate more than his opponent. Note that you must choose a policy issue (such as immigration, health care, the environment, etc.), not a personal trait (such as honesty, strength, experience, etc.). Youcan find polling data simply by using search engines on the internet (try searching for “polls on immigration” for example). Be sure the poll you find is from a reputable source (amainstream news organization or a polling firm with an established track record). You must cite the poll(s) you use (including a link to the web page that displays the results) in your works cited page so we can review them.
3) Based on the polling data, create a slogan for your candidate that summarizes their winning strategy, theme and message. Look at past campaign slogans for inspiration. For example, in 2016, Clinton’s slogan was “Stronger Together”, which highlighted her belief in equality across identity groups and efforts to strengthen the middle class. Trump’s slogan was “Make America Great Again,” which highlighted his desire to bring jobs back toAmerica and roll back progressive policies that stifle the country.
4) Explain your slogan in terms of your candidate’s broader theme and messaging, and explain why the message is a winning one. Remember the points in the lecture about what type of issue can be a winning issue. You must use those criteria in your explanation of the strength of your slogan and message.
Sample Solution
