Biden’s Counter-Speech to Trump’s Conspiratorial Policy in the US Elections. Between Illegitimacy and the Polarization of the Digital Public Sphere

Abstract

The climate of division between parties and voters is remarkable at the time of 2022 US midterm elections. The beginning of the presidency of Joe Biden was marked by a confidence in a new leader. However, this has moved to a confluence of political, racial, and technological (AI) conflicts that make the purpose of internal social cohesion difficult. In this scenario, this research aims to explore the communication and political strategies of Joe Biden after the 2020 elections, analyzing his messages in favor of the legitimacy of the process. Using a content analysis method with a mixed quantitative and discursive approach on issue frame/game frame, we analyzed a sample of messages (n = 379) published by the president from the day after the elections until his definitive proclamation. The results show a strategic plan of the democratic candidate that tends to ignore Trump’s conspiracy speech and reinforce the role of public institutions, but in a disconnected way from a polarized electorate.