Trump and Us What He Says and Why People Listen

Why did 62 million Americans vote for Donald Trump? Trump and Us offers a fresh perspective on this question, taking seriously the depth and breadth of Trump's support. An expert in political language, Roderick P. Hart turns to Trump's words, voters' remarks, and media commentary for insight. The book offers the first systematic rhetorical analysis of Trump's 2016 campaign and early presidency, using text analysis and archives of earlier presidential campaigns to uncover deep emotional undercurrents in the country and provide historical comparison. Trump and Us pays close attention to the emotional dimensions of politics, above and beyond cognition and ideology. Hart argues it was not partisanship, policy, or economic factors that landed Trump in the Oval Office but rather how Trump made people feel.

Part I. Feeling Conflicted: 1. Trump's arrival; Part II. Feeling Ignored: 2. Trump's simplicity; 3. Trump's populism; Part II. Feeling Trapped: 4. Trump's passions; 5. Trump's stories; Part IV. Feeling Besieged: 6. Trump's medicine; 7. Trump's journalism; Part V. Feeling Tired: 8. Trump's novelty; 9. Trump's spontaneity; Part VI. Feeling Resolute: 10. Trump's lessons.

Roderick P. Hart holds the Shivers Chair in Communication and is Professor of Government at the University of Texas, Austin. Former dean of the Moody College of Communication and founding director of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life, Hart is the author or editor of fifteen books, most recently Civic Hope: How Ordinary Americans Keep Democracy Alive (2018). Hart has been named a Fellow of the International Communication Association and a Distinguished Scholar by the National Communication Association. He received the Edelman Career Award from the American Political Science Association.