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Grace is a Senior in Politics and International Relations from Sudbury, MA

“Time” was an important theme in the 2020 Presidential Election advertisements, referring to focus on the past, present, and future by candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Specifically, future framing played a salient role in politics ads and varied dramatically based on the candidates’ differing visions of an effective and hopeful future, and conversely, their visions of a flawed and harmful future. These frames are important because they explain candidates’ orientation towards the future and help explain the rationale behind their advertisements. To begin with, Trump’s vision of a successful future is directly correlated to economic success and prosperity while his view of a negative future is characterized by socialist and communist, far-left policy. In contrast, Biden’s vision of a positive future is focused on themes of unity, justice, and adhering to the tenets of the Constitution. Despite their diverging future orientations, both candidates’ advertisement sets orient around their views of a positive and negative future which are expressed in an “aspirational laundry list,” “soul of the nation,” “country over party,” and “dangerous liberals, communist, and socialist” set (the combined ad set totaled 183- See Table 1). Though the candidates’ definition of what constitutes a dangerous or successful future differ, both of their advertisements sets advance the narrative of their future orientation and in doing so, strive to advance their vision over the others.

To begin with, the “aspirational laundry list” set is comprised of 37 ads, 14 of which are pro-Biden, 1 anti-Biden, 8 pro-Trump, and 14 anti-Trump. The “aspirational laundry list” refers to the celebration of candidates’ past political successes, or conversely, their opponent’s shortcomings in office, and operates under an aspirational tone that suggests past behaviors may be indicative of their future actions if elected president. It is important to note that 37.8% of set ads are categorized as pro-Biden, meaning they feature Biden’s past political successes, while 37.8% are anti-Trump ads that critique his actions and choices as president. Most pro-Biden ads in the set operate around the idea that in times of crises, it is vital to have a leader who unites country. This, in turn, communicates Biden’s vision that a positive future is founded on unity and justice.

Table 1: Ad Orientation by Future Theme

To advance this idea, Biden’s advertisements feature celebration of past events and accomplishments during his time in office. For example, the Meidas Touch ad focuses on how Biden handled past crises and tragedies, including Sandy Hook and 9/11, which is contrasted to how Trump has “surrendered” to COVID-19 (America Needs Biden, 2020). These “laundry lists” of achievements suggest that Biden is well trained and skilled in handling crises which is particularly relevant given the need to contain the pandemic.

Furthermore, within the pro-Biden set, the Heal America Joe Biden for President ad discusses how America is currently living through four crises, related to public health, the economy, the climate, and the national reckoning on racial injustice (Heal America, 2020). This ad asserts that America needs a leader who can unite and rebuild the nation back better and points to Biden’s skills and character in being capable of handling these multifaceted crises. Again, this ad’s message relates to Biden’s orientation of a positive future because it associates overcoming challenges through unity. Similarly, the anti-Trump ads, which comprise 37.8% of the set ads, promote Biden’s vision that a positive future can be achieved through unity and strengthening the tenets of democracy. The anti-Trump ads, like the pro-Biden messages, assert that America needs a strong president to bring the nation together again. The Meidas Touch ad Trump Devastation – a climate ad critiques Trump’s failure to achieve unity stating that its not just about wildfires and hurricanes (dramatic footage), rather Trump’s distrust of science represents failed leadership (Trump Devastation, 2020). The ad expands this argument saying that Trump’s failed leadership further includes violent protests, plummeting stock markets, and widespread unemployment. This ad accentuates what Biden perceives as a failed future, one that is founded on division, denial of facts, and a lack of empathy for the people, which in turn, advances his central call for unity.

In contrast, the 1 anti-Biden ad, representing 2.7% of the set ads, focuses on how Biden’s “old liberal ideas” would crush the economy. This is included in the laundry list set because it cites Biden’s regulations, outsourcing jobs, and tax raises. Additionally, this ad works to promote Trump’s vision of a positive future rooted in economic success and celebrates Trump’s work in advancing “the biggest job increase ever” because he did it “his own way, not the Washington way.” Further advancing Trump’s view of an economy-based successful future, pro-Trump ads in the “aspirational laundry list” set focus on his economic accolades, including improved employment rates, the “record” creation of jobs, and rising wages. For example, the January 2020 The Best is Yet to Come ad (2020), [i] celebrates the Trump administration for their largest tax cuts, historic working population, and the 2.4 million Americans who were lifted out of poverty this year. The ad concludes that since Trump has set economic reforms in motion, it is time for America to start winning again, which can only be achieved if he is elected for a second term. It is clear based on the selected accolades included in the advertisements that Trump’s orientation towards the future was positioned in economic prosperity and advancement. Overall, the ads within the “aspirational” laundry list refer to candidates past leadership decisions and associated skills, whether position or negative, to paint a picture of how the future may look if they are elected.

“Soul of the Nation” is the second advertisement category and refers to how candidates use America as a symbol to advance their vision of the future. Within this set, there are 49 total ads, 30 of which are pro-Biden, 4 pro-Trump, and 15 anti-Trump. Based on the breakdown of the data, and the absence of anti-Biden ads within this category, it is evident that Biden uses this type of symbolism more frequently. The pro-Biden ads within this category frame the election as a battle for the soul of the nation, which, based on his future orientation, can only be won through achieving unity and returning to the tenets of democracy that serve as the nation’s foundations. Within this category, there is a lot of imagery of the land, iconic references to American history including the American Revolution, westward expansion, and crises such as Hurricane Katrina. This imagery celebrates America’s strong foundation and captures the unique national character. For example, the Joe Biden Wishes You a Happy 4th of July ad is begins with stating that “our country is founded on the idea that all men are created equal” and then proceeds to evaluate the historic defects in living up to this ideal, pointing to the civil war, systemic racism, and the murder of George Floyd as events that impede this promise (Joe Biden Wishes You , 2020). Though the ad does not directly mention Donald Trump, it references how recent inflamed racial tensions have pulled the nation apart and thus, it is now time to come together. This ad is within the “Soul of the Nation” category because it critiques how America has been unable to achieve its founding principles of unity and equality and thus, urges that to have a positive future, there must be a commitment to coming together.

Similarly, anti-Trump ads operate under the same assumption that the election is a battle for the soul of the nation but heighten the stakes of the outcome. They assert that Trump posses a direct threat to democracy and if re-elected, he will completely tarnish the soul of the nation. For example, the Listen to Bernie issued by Really American PAC features Bernie Sanders warning to America that if Trump is re-elected, all the process that was made will evaporate and that the election is about protecting America (2020). He additionally cites Trump’s direct infringements of the Constitution which include his administration’s delayed voting, post office threats, and suggestions that he will not leave office if not re-elected. The basic premise of the ad is that Trump is a threat to the future of democracy, putting people’s lives and health in jeopardy, and thus, America must come together. This ad promotes Biden’s view that a positive future relates to unity and protecting the tenets of democracy and is rooted in the assumption that Trump’s actions directly oppose these aspirations.

In contrast, the 4 pro-Trump “Soul of the Nation” ads primarily orient around projecting American power and strength through including nostalgic images of American flags and triumphs. The May 3, 2020 “American Comeback” Trump COVID-19 ad begins by explicitly saying that this is America’s greatest comeback story and features images of fighter jets and Governor Cuomo saying that Trump’s work in combating COVID-19 was an accomplishment (American Comeback. 2020). The overall message of this ad is that Trump has been successful in dealing with the pandemic which carries many implications about the future of American economy and relates to his conviction that a positive future is one where COVID-19 is defeated and business are able to reopen, and unemployment rates decrease. Overall, the ads within the ‘Soul of the Nation” set rely on imagery and an understanding and attachment to the tenets of democracy to advance each candidate’s future orientation.

“Country over party” is the next advertisement set and primarily uses testimonials to urge Americas to evaluate their vote and prompt them to consider which candidate is best for the future of America beyond their traditional party allegiance. The set includes 34 ads. Given that all the ads in this set are pro-Biden, this advances Biden’s vision of a successful future of unity as he strives to dismantle traditional partisan fractions and urges Americans to come together to vote for the country’s future. Within this set, there are testimonials from public officials who endorse Biden, “average” Americans who voted are migrating parties after voting for Trump in 2016, and “Republicans against Trump,” those who do not necessarily support Biden but view him as the “lesser” evil option between Trump. Within the category of official endorsements, there are ads from ex-navy SEALS, John Kasich, Steve Kerr and Doc Rivers, General Michal Hayden, and Mitt Romney. The Lincoln Project’s Crossroads – John Kasich” ad testimony advances the idea that the stakes in this election are higher as Kasich, former presidential candidate, states that the president has pitted the people against each other (2020). He explains that he is endorsing Biden because Biden understands the people, humanity, and can restore and unite America. He concludes the testimony saying that “no one has all the answers, we need to put the partisan behind”. This ad advances Biden’s vision that a promising future is free from partisan divisions and promotes the notion that to be strong and powerful, America must restore and embody its founding principles.

Furthermore, the “average” Americans who voted for Trump in 2016 but are voting for Biden in 2020 are geared towards the Republican and undecided voters who may be questioning who to vote for (Also See Chapter 23). In the Grandson-Grandma Testimony ad an elderly woman explains how she voted for Trump in 2016 because she had great expectations, however, she was very disappointed because he did not live up to his promises, and in many ways, divided and harmed the nation (Letter, 2020). In the ad, she is writing a letter to Biden explaining how the next four years are very important for his growth and urges all voters to take the election, and their vote, seriously. Again, this ad highlights Trump’s shortcomings in office because of the widespread division he created and frames a successful future being one where the president cares about the people and strives to adhere to the constitutional foundations. Finally, the “Republicans against Trump” ads are not overtly Pro-Biden, rather state that he is the better option over voting for Trump. The Lincoln Project “Conservative Veteran narrative” ad begins with an ex-Navy SEAL stating that we are a nation of laws and that the Constitution is scared and must be respected (Conservative. 2020). He explains that though he does not agree with Biden on many things, Trump is weak and disrespects the rule of law and the American Dream. This category of ads highlights what Biden views as a negative future trajectory, one where democracy is directly threatened and urges voters to re-evaluate their allegiance to their past party to consider the implications of the election on the future.

The final category is the “extremists” set which is 42 ads in total which feature candidates portray all their oppositions’ supporters as violent individual. For example, Pro-Trump ads cite the “socialist,” “communist”, and radical liberal left which articulates his vision for a successful future as he views them as an obstacle to ensure economic growth. In contrast, Pro-Biden ads portray Trump supporters as alt-right extremists who adamantly oppose constitutional rights such as equal rights and protection of all citizens and people under the law which advances his calls for a united and caring future America. This set is unique in the sense that there are no overtly positive “pro-candidate” ads that portray an individual in a celebratory light because the ads in this set work to put down the other candidate and in turn, drive voters to support the other. In turn, a Pro-Trump ad implicitly means a pro-Biden ad and vice versa. Additionally, this set is unique because there is a wide range of tones deployed to describe the opponent, ranging from moderate appraisal to complete condemnation and the idea that they are an imminent and dangerous threat to the future.

To begin with, there are 29 Pro-Trump [Anti-Biden] and Pro-Republican party ads. Within this sub-set there are 10 ads within the “left has gone too far left, Republicans are the best/only option” and, the more extreme, 19 “Biden will turn America into a Socialist and Communist nation” ads. The “left has gone too far left, Republicans are the best/only option” ads operate under the core idea that thus year has been extremely difficult with the COVID-19 pandemic and there is a need to go back to “normal” which can only be achieved by Republicans. For example, the Future 45 Pac, Best Hope ad acknowledges that this year has been hell but states that this election is a chance to rebuild, to create more jobs, reopen the economy and schools. It concludes that the left has gone too far left and we as a nation will never be able to go back if they are in control. Thus, Republicans are the only hope for the future generations to live in a prosperous and free world (Best Hope, 2020). The essence of this ad set captures Trump’s vision for a successful future, marked by the reopening of the country to garner a prosperous future. Conversely, these ads imply that if Biden is elected, he and the Democratic party will oppose re-opening the nation which will have disastrous impacts on the nation’s ability to advance and grow which will harm future generations. This subset is within the “extremist” set because the underlying implication is that the Democratic party has become too far left leaning and as a result, rigidly opposes any efforts to re-open the nation, making the Republican party the best choice for the future.

Next, the “Biden will turn America into a Socialist and Communist nation” ads explicitly and implicitly claim that Biden will convert the nation into a Socialist and, or Communist regime and will work alongside, or be manipulated by, prominent ultra-liberal leaders, including Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Elizabeth Warren. The Club for Growth’s The Goal is Control contends that the left is power hungry and strives to control all aspects of American life, ranging from the car that one is permitted to drive to what they are allowed to say. The assert that AOC will assume a major roll in this government “intervention” and essentially, that the Democratic party will not stop until they have total control (The Goal Is Control: Cars, 2019). This category wields a more combative tone towards the Democratic party and Biden to accentuate the idea that if elected, Biden will destroy all possibilities for growth and individuality in the future. Although “Communism” is not explicitly stated, it is alluded to through the monitoring and suppression of individuality; thus, communicating that it is imperative to vote for Trump. This relates to Trump’s vision of a “negative” future because Communism carries many negative connotations especially given the US’ history with the Cold War, and additionally, carries implications on limiting individual prosperity and economic growth.

In contrast, the Pro-Biden “extremist” set communicates that Trump is an “authoritarian-like” leader who is charged with inciting division and hate within the country. Given Biden’s view that a positive future is founded on unity and respect of civil liberties, his ads work to reprimand Trump and his followers’ role in the rising tide of violence and White Supremacy in cases such as Charlottesville, the El Paso shooting, and the armed teenager in Kenosha. The Joe Biden for President, This is Trump’s America flashes through various images of Trump supporters chanting with “Jews will not replace us” signs, clips of the tragedies discussed above, and rising unemployment and COVID-19 casualties. The ad concludes with saying, “do you feel safe in Trump’s America” and strives to insight fear within voters of the future division and disruption that may occur if re-elected (This is Trump’s America, 2020). Overall, in the “Extremism” ad set, both candidates strive to accentuate radical elements and actions of their opponent to insight a sense of fear in voters and motivate them to vote for them.

The year 2020 posed many unexpected and often scary and unprecedented events for the United States, leaving the American people yearning for the future and some sense of hope and optimism. Due to this infatuation, the future played a salient role in the 2020 President election and throughout political advertisements. Both candidates Biden and Trump recognized this widespread fear resulting from the coronavirus, racial unrest, rising unemployment rates, and general uncertainty and strived to deliver the people with a “plan” for what the future would look like if elected president. These ideas were expressed in an “aspirational laundry list”, “soul of the nation,” “country over party”, and “dangerous liberals, communist, and socialist” set.  In these ads, Trump communicated his vision of a successful future is directly correlated to economic success and prosperity while his view of a negative future is characterized by socialist and communist, far-left policy. In contrast, Biden’s vision of a positive future is focused on themes of unity, justice, and adhering to the tenets of the Constitution and a failed future would is one marked by division and deviance from foundational American values. Overall, despite the candidate’s diverging perspectives and attitudes towards the future, they both captured the idea that despite the challenges that 2020 posed, there is hope in moving forward.

References

American comeback. (2020, May 3). Trump, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws66liLKGzA

America needs Biden (2020, September 10). Meidas Touch, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvzCT6p0qxo&t=1s

Best Hope (2020, October 28) Future 45 PAC, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtir2sij3n8

Conservative (2020, July 27). The Lincoln Project, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlmHVtVIJdU

Crossroads (2020. August 20). The Lincoln Project, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGfDGvXzRps

Heal America (2020, August 24). Joe Biden, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCYN5MY5BHg

Joe Biden wishes you a happy 4th of July (2020, July 5). Joe Biden, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtvRayssI3g

Letter (2020, October 13). American Bridge21st Century, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-_LvuE3MIE

Listen to Bernie (2020, September 23). Really American, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Kpb2LMkNY&t=1s

The Best is Yet to Come (2020, January 21), Donald J. Trump, YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDSpqZI78_g

The goal is control: Cars (December 19, 2019). Club for Growth, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7I1lajRNvw

This is Trump’s America (2020, August 28). Joe Biden, YouTube. https://youtu.be/5EDjAfyZrww

Trump Devastation (2020, October 7). Meidas Touch, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvtkpkFcJgc&t=16s