The Politics of Spectacle and Emotion in the 2016 Presidential Campaign

127 Pages·2019·1.979 MB·English

by  Heather E. Yates

PALGRAVE STUDIES IN US ELECTIONS
SERIES EDITOR: LUKE PERRY
The Politics of
Spectacle and Emotion
in the 2016 Presidential
Campaign
Heather E. Yates
Palgrave Studies in US Elections
Series Editor
Luke Perry
Utica College
Utica, NY, USA
This Pivot series, established in collaboration with the Utica College
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More information about this series at
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Heather E. Yates
The Politics
of Spectacle
and Emotion
in the 2016
Presidential Campaign
Heather E. Yates
Department of Political Science
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, AR, USA
Palgrave Studies in US Elections
ISBN 978-3-030-15803-3 ISBN 978-3-030-15804-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15804-0
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For my family. Always.
A
cknowledgements
It takes a community to nurture and build scholarship. I would like to
dedicate this space to acknowledging the community that brought this
book into existence. This book represents small and humble contribution
representing my enduring interest in the function of emotion in human
cognition and its influence on voting behavior in US elections. The com-
munity surrounding this project has nurtured my curiosity and includes
an expansive network of friends, family, and colleagues that extends
across the country, and while too numerous to name everyone here, I
would like you to know that you are an instrumental part of my process.
I would like to thank Luke Perry, Director of the Utica College
Center of Public Affairs and Election Research, for recruiting this book
to be a part of the Palgrave Studies in US elections series. I extend my
appreciation to Palgrave Macmillan, the pivot series, and all those who
were integral in helping this book become a reality. My special thanks to
the editorial board, the anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful feed-
back, and the numerous others who worked behind the scenes of pro-
duction to bring this book to its completion. I would like to express my
heartfelt gratitude to Michelle Chen and John Stegner for their patient
assistance in marshalling this manuscript through all stages of the pro-
cess, and who are truly a delight to work with.
I would like to thank my academic home and departmental colleagues
for the institutional and professional support of my research agenda.
I would also like to thank my personal network of friends who cheer
me to the finish line on every project. Most importantly, I would like
vii
viii ACkNoWLEDGEMENTS
to thank my family. I am grateful for your infinite patience and empathy
for me as I encountered the innumerable struggles and frustrations that
accompany research, and mostly, for enabling my inner political junkie.
c
ontents
1 Why Emotions Matter in Politics 1
2 2016: The Year of “Democrazy” and the Politics
of Spectacle 17
3 The Politics of “America First”: Problematizing
the Economy and Trade on the Campaign Trail 47
4 The Health of a Nation: The Politics and Legacy
of Health Care Reform 67
5 Neo-Nativism and Global Frienemies: Feelings Toward
Immigration and National Security Issues 79
6 God, Guns, and Bathrooms: Concepts of Morality
on the Campaign Trail 93
7 Conclusion: The Campaign of Personalized Conflict 107
Appendix 113
Index 117
ix
l f
ist of igures
Fig. 2.1 Trump on gender during primary 33
Fig. 2.2 Trump criticizes Megyn kelly 33
Fig. 2.3 Trump on gender at the DNC 34
Fig. 3.1 Trump vilifies Hillary and the economy 49
Fig. 3.2 Trump will fix the economy 58
Fig. 4.1 Trump will fix health care 69
Fig. 4.2 Fear tactic on health care 71
Fig. 5.1 Fear tactics on open borders 82
Fig. 5.2 Trump as an authority on immigration, Hillary not 83
Fig. 5.3 Fear tactics of crime and immigration 84
Fig. 5.4 Make America safe again 85
Fig. 6.1 Politicizing Scalia’s death 99
Fig. 6.2 Court vacancy and proxy conservative politics 99
xi