Rhetorical strategies for a culture war: Abortion in the 1992 campaign

Data from the American National Election Study reveals that the issue of abortion was the most significant policy issue in the 1992 presidential campaign. This essay examines the general strategies of Clinton and Bush regarding the abortion issue among the complex of family values appeals. A special analytical focus highlights the image of a dead fetus that was shown in campaign advertising in a variety of states, and that was the “hot button”; for true believers among the right‐to‐life forces. The impact of abortion on the vote for the presidential candidates is presented with data that allows a speculative projection of the influence of the abortion issue on future national election campaigns.

Key concepts:

• Culture war
• family values
• abortion
• recursive meaning
• presidential campaign
• negative campaigning
• rhetorical strategies