What is the history behind the president’s style of rhetoric, and what does the past tell us about how to counteract it? Jennifer Mercieca, historian of rhetoric and author of Demagogue for President, visited Zócalo with William Sturkey, historian and author of Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White. They traded questions and insights into the history behind the president’s words, live on Twitter on June 16, 2020.

The conversation touched on the history of presidential rhetorical strategies, such as reification and paralipsis, as well as the difference between history and memory in Americans' understanding of the Civil War. The talk also explained “law and order” rhetoric, its recent history in the U.S., as well as its roots in ancient history, and discussed why it continues to appeal to certain voters.

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