Closing argument (political campaigns)

2016 Presidential Election Date: November 8, 2016

Candidates Winner: Donald Trump (R) Hillary Clinton (D) • Jill Stein (G) • Gary Johnson (L) • Vice presidential candidates

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The closing argument of a political campaign is a candidate's final statement to voters prior to election day. The closing argument aims to package the campaign's policies and positions into a message designed to appeal to voters in the final days before the election.

A candidate may begin to lay out their closing argument around the last two weeks of the election. Campaign surrogates may join the candidate on the campaign trail during this period in order to help promote the candidate's message and maximize the voter audience.

Presidential election, 2016

According to a November 4, 2016, CNN report, neither of the 2016 presidential candidates were "making an affirmative case for their own campaign." Instead, both candidates made closing statements aimed at "keeping their opponent's flaws in the spotlight."

Hillary Clinton closing argument

Clinton's closing argument focused on her public policy proposals, including job creation, climate change, higher education affordability, and equal pay for women in the workforce. Her closing argument drew attention to the potential impacts of the election on America's children and families as well as the historic nature of her campaign as the first female nominee of a major political party. She also continued to highlight her campaign's message that Trump is "'temperamentally unfit' to be commander in chief."

Clinton's campaign manager, Robby Mook, summarized the candidate's closing argument during an interview with NPR.

“

Voters have a very important choice to make in this election between an America where we are stronger together, we embrace the diversity of our country, we make sure that the economy works for everyone and we keep our country safe - and Secretary Clinton brings both the strength to secure our country but also the experience of bringing different people together to actually get things done that are going to make a difference in people's lives. And so she's going to be out there talking about that important difference and that important choice in this final week.

”

Clinton was joined on the campaign trail during the last days of the election by a team of surrogates, including President Barack Obama (D), First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden (D), and celebrities Jay Z, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lebron James, and Stevie Wonder.

Donald Trump closing argument

Trump formally laid out his closing argument in a speech on October 22, 2016, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His closing argument focused on his "draining the swamp" reform package, which included "a constitutional amendment setting term limits for lawmakers...a hiring freeze on non-military federal employees, lobbying restrictions, and a sharp reduction in federal regulations," among other policy priorities. In addition, Trump continued to draw attention to his campaign's message regarding what it described as "Washington corruption" and the "totally rigged system."

Jason Miller, Trump's senior communications advisor, described the candidate's closing argument in the following statement:

“

At the end of the day, this election is simply a choice between the stale, failing policies of the past, and Mr. Trump's bright, positive vision of the future...The overwhelming majority of Americans believe our country is headed down the wrong path, and this is the direct result of eight years of failures both at home and abroad by the Obama – Clinton administration.

”

Trump was joined on the campaign trail to promote his closing argument by a team of surrogates, including former New Hampshire Governor John H. Sununu (R), U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory (R).

Closing arguments, 2016

The following table includes a selection of statements from the candidates' closing arguments:

Presidential campaign closing arguments, 2016
Hillary Clinton	Donald Trump
"He has spent this entire campaign offering dog whistles to his most hateful supporters. He retweets white supremacists and spreads racially tinged conspiracy theories. And you better believe he is being heard loudly and clearly." November 3, 2016. "If Donald Trump were to win this election, we would have a commander in chief who is completely out of his depth and whose ideas are incredibly dangerous." November 3, 2016 "This is about more than winning an election; it's about the kind of country we want for our kids and grandkids," October 24, 2016. "That is a direct threat to our democracy. I'm not going to try to call it anything else, because that's what it is. All this talk about the election being rigged, trying to stir up people who are supporting him at his rallies, that is a direct threat to our democracy." October 24, 2016.	"Hillary Clinton has engaged in a massive, far-reaching criminal conduct, and equally far-reaching cover-up. She created an illegal e-mail server to shield and guard her activity, so simple, so simple." November 3, 2016. "Here we go again with Clinton, you remember the impeachment, and the problems? She's likely to be under investigation for many, many years, also likely to conclude in a criminal trial. This is not what we need in this country, folks. We need somebody that's going to go to work to bring our jobs back, to take care of our military, to strengthen up our borders." November 3, 2016. "Hillary Clinton is not running against me, she's running against change. And she's running against all of the American people and all of the American voters." October 22, 2016. "I'm asking the American people to rise above the noise and the clutter of our broken politics and to embrace that great faith and optimism that has always been that central ingredient in the American character." October 22, 2016.

Media

Clinton and Trump released the following campaign ads to present their closing arguments in the final stretch of the 2016 election:

Trump's "Choice" ad, October 31, 2016.

Clinton's "Example" ad, October 24, 2016.

Trump's "Corruption" ad, November 1, 2016.

See also

• Presidential election, 2016
• Hillary Clinton
• Donald Trump

External links

• Federal Election Commission homepage