American political rhetoric and the jeremiad tradition: Presidential nomination acceptance addresses, 1960–1976

1 September 1980

journal article
research article
Published by Taylor & Francis in Central States Speech Journal

Vol. 31 (3) , 153-171
https://doi.org/10.1080/10510978009368054

Abstract

The nomination acceptance addresses of recent presidential candidates constitute a significant aspect of an American political ritual. These addresses might be termed a “modern jeremiad”; because they conform to the jeremiad tradition in American rhetoric. Like the Puritan jeremiad which was central to a religious ritual, the modern jeremiad continues to function rhetorically as a means for interpreting the meaning of America's past and unifying the audience around a shared vision of America's future.

Keywords

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