Oprah's Speech and the Midterm Elections

In this episode we tackle the midterm elections, and in particular a speech that Oprah gave in Georgia in support of Stacey Abrams. Then we break down some of the most influential midterm campaign ads from both Republican and Democratic senators.

Highlights include:

• How speaking directly to an audience that has already bought into your message makes it possible to persuade more directly
• Pacing and leading statements and the impact that tonality has
• Call-backs to Gospel music and shared experiences
• Repetition and rhyming that reinforces the results
• A powerful metaphorical story with a tragic ending
• Local vs. national appeals, and identity politics
• What might have made the race in West Virginia even closer

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(Theme Music: "Night Owl" by Broke For Free from Free Music Archive, CC BY 3.0)