This study investigates the extent to which candidates in the 2008 presidential primary campaign adhered to the convention wisdom that candidates should stay “on message.” Content analysis investigated multiple media (announcement speeches, TV spots, radio spots, debates, candidate webpages, and candidate MySpace/Facebook pages) from 9 Democratic and 12 Republican candidates. Four variables were investigated: functions, topics, party issue emphasis, and own party issue ownership. Although there was considerable consistency across message form, results revealed that 63 of 76 comparisons candidates were not consistent in tone, topic, party issue emphasis, or own party issue emphasis across messages. Post hoc analyses excluding debates (where the candidates have less control over the content of their messages, given the expectation that they will respond to the questions asked) revealed differences even among the message forms over which candidates have complete control over content.

This study examines the Republican primary debates from the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. With a weak economy, numerous Republicans vied to challenge President Barack Obama who was completing his first term in office. Of course, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney eventually seized the Republican nomination. This investigation employs content analysis and applies Functional Theory to the primary campaign debate messages. Acclaims were more common than attacks, which in turn occurred more frequently than defenses; and policy was discussed more often than character. Findings from the 2012 debates are compared with results fiom analysis of presidential primary debates in earlier campaigns.