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See also: Presidential debates (2015-2016)
As part of its 2016 presidential election coverage, Ballotpedia analyzed the central themes of each presidential primary debate. Follow the links below to see how the moderators and candidates engaged with each debate topic and each other.
Democratic debates 
Segments
Each debate was divided into discussion segments. These were measured by any shift in the theme of a discussion prompted by one of the debate moderators. Participation in a discussion segment was defined as a substantive comment related to the discussion segment's topic. Jokes and attempts to gain permission from a moderator to speak were not considered participatory speech acts. In some instances, candidates who participated in a discussion segment diverted from the prompted topic.
October 2015 (CNN)
November 2015 (CBS)
December 2015 (ABC)
January 2016 (NBC)
February 2016 (MSNBC)
February 2016 (PBS)
March 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (Univision)
April 2016 (CNN)
Candidate Behavior
Participation in a debate was also measured by how the candidates were incorporated into each discussion segment. This study considered whether a candidate was initially prompted to speak during a discussion segment by a moderator or whether he or she independently engaged in the discussion segment by interrupting another candidate or calling on the moderator for permission to speak. A candidate's conduct after they joined a discussion segment was not considered.
October 2015 (CNN)
November 2015 (CBS)
December 2015 (ABC)
January 2016 (NBC)
February 2016 (MSNBC)
Speaking Time
October 2015 (CNN)
November 2015 (CBS)
December 2015 (ABC)
January 2016 (NBC)
Speaking Rate
December 2015 (ABC)
January 2016 (NBC)
Speaking Order
Speaking order was calculated by noting when a candidate first joined a discussion segment, whether prompted by a moderator with a question or invitation to rebut or by interjection.
October 2015 (CNN)
November 2015 (CBS)
December 2015 (ABC)
January 2016 (NBC)
February 2016 (MSNBC)
February 2016 (PBS)
March 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (Univision)
April 2016 (CNN)
Audience Engagement
Audience engagement was measured by noting the instances of applause, cheering or laughter in the debate transcript. Footage from the debate was consulted where it was ambiguous in the text who the audience was responding to.
October 2015 (CNN)
November 2015 (CBS)
December 2015 (ABC)
January 2016 (NBC)
February 2016 (MSNBC)
February 2016 (PBS)
March 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (Univision)
April 2016 (CNN)
Speech Analysis
October 2015 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Lincoln Chafee's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Lincoln Chafee
- Speaking time: 9 min
- Number of words: 1,659
- Most commonly used words:
- American: 15
- Senate: 10
- Vote: 10
- Change: 10
- Time: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Speaking time: 30.4 min
- Number of words: 5,509
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 44
- Know: 34
- Well: 30
- People: 29
- Need: 28
|
|
 Word cloud of Martin O'Malley's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Martin O'Malley
- Speaking time: 16 min
- Number of words: 3,000
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 25
- Country: 16
- Need: 15
- Make: 14
- Actually: 14
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Speaking time: 26.7 min
- Number of words: 4,486
- Most commonly used words:
- Country: 51
- People: 42
- Think: 34
- Well: 20
- Need: 19
|
|
 Word cloud of Jim Webb's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jim Webb
- Speaking time: 14.4 min
- Number of words: 2,738
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 18
- Need: 16
- Country: 14
- Here: 13
- Work: 10
|
|
November 2015 (CBS)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Speaking time: 28.3 min.
- Number of words: 5,008
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 48
- Well: 26
- People: 24
- Know: 22
- President: 19
|
|
 Word cloud of Martin O'Malley's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Martin O'Malley
- Speaking time: 17.6 min.
- Number of words: 3,383
- Most commonly used words:
- More: 20
- Need: 19
- State: 19
- People: 18
- Country: 15
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Speaking time: 24.6 min.
- Number of words: 4,322
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 43
- Country: 26
- Think: 22
- Issue: 20
- Major: 18
|
|
December 2015 (ABC)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Speaking time: 40.9 min.
- Number of words: 6,799
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 46
- Know: 39
- More: 35
- People: 34
- Want: 27
|
|
 Word cloud of Martin O'Malley's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Martin O'Malley
- Speaking time: 30.3 min.
- Number of words: 4,722
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 37
- More: 31
- People: 26
- Actually: 22
- State: 21
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Speaking time: 36.6 min.
- Number of words: 5,211
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 41
- People: 31
- Country: 26
- Secretary: 23
- Need: 22
|
|
January 2016 (NBC)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Speaking time: 27.6 minutes
- Number of words: 4,246
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 27
- Well: 22
- Work: 21
- More: 21
- Know: 20
|
|
 Word cloud of Martin O'Malley's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Martin O'Malley
- Speaking time: 14 minutes
- Number of words: 2,894
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 28
- Year: 18
- People: 18
- Thing: 18
- Make: 13
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Speaking time: 28.1 minutes
- Number of words: 4,457
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 43
- Country: 29
- Secretary: 27
- American: 21
- Very: 21
|
|
February 2016 (MSNBC)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Number of words: 6,973
- Most commonly used words:
- Know: 55
- Think: 46
- Want: 40
- Work: 36
- People: 36
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Number of words: 6,407
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 49
- Think: 42
- Know: 30
- Secretary: 29
- Country: 27
|
|
February 2016 (PBS)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Number of words: 6,862
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 46
- President: 36
- People: 36
- Know: 35
- American: 28
- Make: 28
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Number of words: 6,728
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 68
- Country: 37
- American: 36
- Work: 32
- Think: 30
|
|
March 2016 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Number of words: 6,558
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 42
- More: 37
- Think: 34
- Well: 33
- Support: 30
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Number of words: 6,345
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 52
- Know: 47
- Country: 39
- Secretary: 25
- Well: 25
|
|
March 2016 (Univision)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Number of words: 6,120
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 44
- Think: 36
- President: 30
- Senate: 30
- Know: 29
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Number of words: 4,513
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 39
- Think: 32
- Country: 31
- Secretary: 28
- Unite: 25
|
|
April 2016 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Hillary Clinton's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Hillary Clinton
- Number of words: 7,798
- Most commonly used words:
- President: 46
- Senate: 43
- People: 43
- Support: 37
- Think: 34
|
|
 Word cloud of Bernie Sanders' speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Bernie Sanders
- Number of words: 6,162
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 43
- Country: 39
- Secretary: 38
- Clinton: 33
- Right: 32
|
|
Republican debates 
Segments
Each debate was divided into discussion segments. These were measured by any shift in the theme of a discussion prompted by one of the debate moderators. Participation in a discussion segment was defined as a substantive comment related to the discussion segment's topic. Jokes and attempts to gain permission from a moderator to speak were not considered participatory speech acts. In some instances, candidates who participated in a discussion segment diverted from the prompted topic.
September 2015 (CNN)
October 2015 (CNBC)
November 2015 (FBN)
December 2015 (CNN)
January 2016 (FBN)
January 2016 (FNC)
February 2016 (ABC)
February 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (FNC)
March 2016 (CNN)
Candidate Behavior
Participation in a debate was also measured by how the candidates were incorporated into each discussion segment. This study considered whether a candidate was initially prompted to speak during a discussion segment by a moderator or whether he or she independently engaged in the discussion segment by interrupting another candidate or calling on the moderator for permission to speak. A candidate's conduct after they joined a discussion segment was not considered.
September 2015 (CNN)
October 2015 (CNBC)
December 2015 (CNN)
January 2016 (FBN)
January 2016 (FNC)
February 2016 (ABC)
February 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (FNC)
March 2016 (CNN)
Speaking Order
February 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (FNC)
March 2016 (CNN)
Speaking Time
October 2015 (CNBC)
November 2015 (FBN)
December 2015 (CNN)
January 2016 (FBN)
January 2016 (FNC)
February 2016 (ABC)
February 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (FNC)
March 2016 (CNN)
Speaking Rate
December 2015 (CNN)
January 2016 (FBN)
January 2016 (FNC)
February 2016 (ABC)
February 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (FNC)
March 2016 (CNN)
Audience Engagement
Audience engagement was measured by noting the instances of applause, cheering or laughter in the debate transcript. Footage from the debate was consulted where it was ambiguous in the text who the audience was responding to.
October 2015 (CNBC)
November 2015 (FBN)
December 2015 (CNN)
January 2016 (FBN)
January 2016 (FNC)
February 2016 (ABC)
February 2016 (CNN)
March 2016 (FNC)
March 2016 (CNN)
Speech Analysis
September 2015 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 15.3 min
- Number of words: 3,937
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 25
- People: 23
- State: 19
- World: 18
- Create: 14
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 12.5 min
- Number of words: 2,320
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 21
- Thing: 18
- Know: 14
- Think: 13
- Well: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Chris Christie's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Chris Christie
- Speaking time: 12.3 min
- Number of words: 2,756
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 21
- People: 20
- President: 16
- Know: 15
- New: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 11 min
- Number of words: 2,008
- Most commonly used words:
- Court: 14
- President: 13
- Well: 11
- United: 11
- State: 11
|
|
 Word cloud of Carly Fiorina's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Carly Fiorina
- Speaking time: 13 min
- Number of words: 2,553
- Most commonly used words:
- Nation: 18
- Know: 17
- People: 14
- Talk: 14
- Think: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Mike Huckabee's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Mike Huckabee
- Speaking time: 9.3 min
- Number of words: 1,912
- Most commonly used words:
- Know: 13
- People: 10
- Believe: 10
- Think: 9
- Country: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 9.5 min
- Number of words: 2,065
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 16
- Know: 13
- Think: 12
- Want: 12
- American: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Rand Paul's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Rand Paul
- Speaking time: 10.5 min
- Number of words: 2,369
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 29
- War: 23
- Want: 18
- People: 16
- Need: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 11.5 min
- Number of words: 2,945
- Most commonly used words:
- Here: 23
- People: 22
- President: 18
- Well: 17
- America: 16
|
|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 19.5 min
- Number of words: 4,327
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 35
- People: 34
- Know: 25
- Country: 24
- Very: 22
|
|
 Word cloud of Scott Walker's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Scott Walker
- Speaking time: 8 min
- Number of words: 2,185
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 17
- Talk: 16
- People: 16
- Back: 13
- Jake: 12
|
|
October 2015 (CNBC)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 6.7 min
- Number of words: 1,502
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 14
- Tax: 11
- Need: 11
- Country: 10
- Spending: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 7 min
- Number of words: 1,376
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 19
- Tax: 11
- Percent: 10
- Well: 9
- Government: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Chris Christie's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Chris Christie
- Speaking time: 8.5 min
- Number of words: 1,630
- Most commonly used words:
- Going: 13
- People: 11
- Money: 10
- More: 10
- Know: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 7.6 min
- Number of words: 1,214
- Most commonly used words:
- Question: 10
- Know: 9
- People: 9
- Want: 8
- Look: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Carly Fiorina's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Carly Fiorina
- Speaking time: 10.5 min
- Number of words: 1,785
- Most commonly used words:
- Government: 24
- Power: 13
- Talk: 12
- Know: 11
- Business: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Mike Huckabee's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Mike Huckabee
- Speaking time: 7.7 min
- Number of words: 1,467
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 18
- Government: 15
- Know: 10
- Country: 9
- Well: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 9.7 min
- Number of words: 1,860
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 13
- Job: 12
- Country: 12
- Know: 12
- People: 11
|
|
 Word cloud of Rand Paul's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Rand Paul
- Speaking time: 6.3 min
- Number of words: 1,225
- Most commonly used words:
- Money: 12
- Govern: 11
- Think: 11
- Tax: 11
- Fed: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 10.2 min
- Number of words: 2,481
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 19
- American: 14
- More: 13
- Work: 12
- Tax: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 9.4 min
- Number of words: 1,794
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 18
- Know: 15
- Very: 14
- Right: 12
- Country: 12
|
|
November 2015 (FBN)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 9.8 min
- Number of words: 1,893
- Most commonly used words:
- More: 15
- Create: 12
- Country: 10
- Growth: 9
- Clinton: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 9.4 min
- Number of words: 1,532
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 21
- Know: 11
- Make: 10
- Very: 8
- More: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 13.6 min
- Number of words: 2,241
- Most commonly used words:
- Tax: 22
- Business: 13
- Washington: 11
- Bank: 10
- Economic: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of Carly Fiorina's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Carly Fiorina
- Speaking time: 11 min
- Number of words: 1,933
- Most commonly used words:
- Government: 25
- Know: 15
- Need: 14
- Dollar: 12
- Tax: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 11.9 min
- Number of words: 2,281
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 24
- Tax: 15
- Know: 13
- Job: 11
- Ohio: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Rand Paul's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Rand Paul
- Speaking time: 10.1 min
- Number of words: 1,935
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 20
- Conservative: 17
- Tax: 16
- Want: 14
- Money: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 10.3 min
- Number of words: 2,298
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 17
- Tax: 16
- American: 13
- Century: 13
- Know: 13
|
|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 11.3 min
- Number of words: 2,071
- Most commonly used words:
- Country: 28
- People: 15
- Very: 15
- Deal: 13
- Back: 11
|
|
December 2015 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 10.0 min
- Number of words: 2,204
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 33
- ISIS: 15
- Serious: 14
- Destroy: 13
- Secure: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 10.3 min
- Number of words: 1,723
- Most commonly used words:
- Know: 18
- Need: 14
- People: 11
- Country: 8
- Take: 7
- Thing: 7
|
|
 Word cloud of Chris Christie's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Chris Christie
- Speaking time: 10.7 min
- Number of words: 2,170
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 21
- President: 19
- Need: 13
- American: 12
- Work: 11
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 16.1 min
- Number of words: 2,691
- Most commonly used words:
- Obama: 23
- Terrorist: 18
- ISIS: 18
- Know: 18
- Need: 16
|
|
 Word cloud of Carly Fiorina's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Carly Fiorina
- Speaking time: 9.6 min
- Number of words: 1,693
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 21
- Back: 10
- China: 9
- Thing: 8
- Know: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 9.0 min
- Number of words: 1,639
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 19
- Need: 14
- Know: 12
- Country: 10
- Ohio: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Rand Paul's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Rand Paul
- Speaking time: 9.7 min
- Number of words: 1,891
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 30
- Want: 18
- Change: 11
- Regime: 10
- Need: 10
- Marco: 10
- More: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 13.5 min
- Number of words: 3,160
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 26
- Country: 22
- American: 19
- President: 17
- More: 14
|
|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 13.3 min
- Number of words: 2,503
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 35
- Very: 27
- Think: 21
- ISIS: 18
- Country: 16
|
|
January 2016 (FBN)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 12.6 min.
- Number of words: 2,513
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 32
- Here: 14
- Back: 14
- Make: 14
- President: 13
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 8.4 min.
- Number of words: 1,467
- Most commonly used words:
- Know: 24
- People: 15
- Need: 11
- War: 8
- Thing: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Chris Christie's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Chris Christie
- Speaking time: 14.4 min.
- Number of words: 2,960
- Most commonly used words:
- President: 26
- Country: 16
- Tax: 15
- Fact: 14
- Here: 14
- State: 14
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 17.9 min.
- Number of words: 2,995
- Most commonly used words:
- Tax: 31
- President: 17
- Donald: 17
- New York: 15
- Marco: 12
- Flat: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 12.4 min.
- Number of words: 2,454
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 20
- Need: 16
- Country: 13
- Tell: 12
- Know: 10
- State: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 14.3 min.
- Number of words: 3,161
- Most commonly used words:
- President: 42
- People: 25
- Tax: 24
- State: 22
- United: 20
|
|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 17.2 min.
- Number of words: 3,225
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 37
- China: 24
- Look: 21
- Want: 17
- Very: 16
- Problem: 16
|
|
January 2016 (FNC)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 9.4 min.
- Number of words: 1,965
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 14
- Need: 11
- Veterans: 11
- Record: 10
- President: 9
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 6.2 min.
- Number of words: 943
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 13
- Need: 9
- Know: 9
- Think: 8
- Ought: 5
|
|
 Word cloud of Chris Christie's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Chris Christie
- Speaking time: 8.4 min.
- Number of words: 1,772
- Most commonly used words:
- Law: 14
- Enforcement: 12
- Want: 11
- Country: 11
- Need: 11
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 13.2 min.
- Number of words: 2,326
- Most commonly used words:
- Know: 13
- People: 12
- Country: 11
- Chris: 11
- Iowa: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 8.9 min.
- Number of words: 1,911
- Most commonly used words:
- Know: 15
- People: 14
- Together: 10
- Look: 10
- World: 10
|
|
 Word cloud of Rand Paul's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Rand Paul
- Speaking time: 7.9 min.
- Number of words: 1,630
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 26
- Know: 8
- Ted: 8
- Liberty: 7
- Both: 7
|
|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 13.5 min.
- Number of words: 3,116
- Most commonly used words:
- America: 23
- State: 22
- President: 21
- Unite: 21
- People: 19
|
|
February 2016 (ABC)
 Word cloud of Jeb Bush's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Jeb Bush
- Speaking time: 12.5 min.
- Number of words: 2,561
- Most commonly used words:
- State: 23
- People: 19
- Need: 17
- Make: 13
- More: 12
|
|
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 8.8 min.
- Number of words: 1,493
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 11
- Need: 10
- People: 10
- Know: 9
- Something: 8
|
|
 Word cloud of Chris Christie's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Chris Christie
- Speaking time: 12.9 min.
- Number of words: 2,747
- Most commonly used words:
- State: 30
- Year: 17
- Need: 16
- People: 14
- Jersey: 13
|
|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 17.6 min.
- Number of words: 3,083
- Most commonly used words:
- Country: 16
- Know: 14
- President: 11
- Korea: 11
- Obama: 10
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 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 10.6 min.
- Number of words: 2,043
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 15
- Here: 11
- State: 10
- Job: 10
- Country: 9
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 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 18.2 min.
- Number of words: 4,183
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 27
- Country: 26
- Well: 20
- President: 18
- Believe: 18
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 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 15.5 min.
- Number of words: 3,297
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 38
- Country: 26
- Want: 21
- Deal: 17
- Well: 16
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February 2016 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Ben Carson's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ben Carson
- Speaking time: 10.3 min
- Number of words: 1,791
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 16
- Know: 13
- Think: 12
- Need: 10
- America: 9
- Want: 9
- Give: 9
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|
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 19.9 min
- Number of words: 4,278
- Most commonly used words:
- Donald: 57
- Know: 33
- Israel: 20
- Hillary: 19
- Care: 17
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|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 17.6 min
- Number of words: 3,512
- Most commonly used words:
- Think: 24
- People: 19
- Know: 18
- Here: 16
- Need: 16
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|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 16.8 min
- Number of words: 4,177
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 29
- Think: 17
- State: 16
- Make: 16
- Plan: 16
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|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 30.4 min
- Number of words: 6,179
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 43
- Very: 35
- Know: 35
- Well: 27
- Talk: 26
- Want: 26
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March 2016 (FNC)
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 19.4 min
- Number of words: 3,562
- Most commonly used words:
- Donald: 32
- People: 18
- President: 16
- Right: 16
- Know: 15
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|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 15.3 min
- Number of words: 3,064
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 26
- Know: 24
- Want: 15
- Work: 14
- Country: 13
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|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 13.5 min
- Number of words: 3,316
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 29
- Issue: 19
- Money: 17
- Donald: 16
- Well: 15
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|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 26.7 min
- Number of words: 5,780
- Most commonly used words:
- Very: 68
- People: 60
- Know: 29
- Take: 25
- Many: 23
- Think: 23
|
|
March 2016 (CNN)
 Word cloud of Ted Cruz's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Ted Cruz
- Speaking time: 21.7 min
- Number of words: 3,807
- Most commonly used words:
- Need: 29
- Washington: 19
- Work: 19
- People: 19
- President: 19
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|
 Word cloud of John Kasich's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: John Kasich
- Speaking time: 18.8 min
- Number of words: 3,829
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 23
- Know: 22
- Work: 20
- Need: 20
- State: 19
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|
 Word cloud of Marco Rubio's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Marco Rubio
- Speaking time: 21.4 min
- Number of words: 4,936
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 29
- Work: 21
- Here: 20
- Deal: 19
- Change: 19
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|
 Word cloud of Donald Trump's speech during the debate |
- Candidate: Donald Trump
- Speaking time: 27.4 min
- Number of words: 5,391
- Most commonly used words:
- People: 44
- Very: 43
- Deal: 43
- Want: 35
- Know: 32
|
|
See also
| 2016 United States Presidential Election |
|---|
| | Overviews | |  | | | Candidate profiles | | | | Path to the presidency | | | | Policy positions | | | | On the campaign trail | | | | Campaign staff | | | | Debates | PBS, February 11, 2016 (Milwaukee) • PBS, February 4, 2016 (Durham, N.H.) • NBC News, January 17, 2016 (Charleston, S.C.) • ABC, December 19, 2015 (Manchester, N.H.) • CBS, November 14, 2015 (Des Moines) • CNN, October 13, 2015](Las Vegas)
February 13, 2016 (Greenville, S.C.) • ABC, February 6, 2016 (Manchester, N.H.) • Fox News, January 28, 2016 (Des Moines) • Fox Business, January 14, 2016 (North Charleston, S.C.) • CNN, December 15, 2015 (Las Vegas) • Fox Business, November 10, 2015 (Milwaukee) • CNBC, October 28, 2015 (Boulder) • CNN, September 16, 2015 (Reagan Library) • Fox News, August 6, 2015 (Cleveland) | | | Analysis | The media's coverage of Donald Trump • The media's coverage of Hillary Clinton
Post-debate analysis overview
Democratic: April 14, 2016 (CNN) • March 9, 2016 (Univision) • March 6, 2016 (CNN) • February 11, 2016 (PBS) • February 4, 2016 (MSNBC) • January 17, 2016 (NBC) • December 19, 2015 (ABC) • November 14, 2015 (CBS) • October 13, 2015 (CNN)
Republican: March 10, 2016 (CNN) • March 3, 2016 (FNC) • February 25, 2016 (CNN) • February 13, 2016 (CBS) • February 6, 2016 (ABC) • January 28, 2016 (FNC) • January 14, 2016 (FBN) • December 15, 2015 (CNN) • November 10, 2015 (FBN) • October 28, 2015 (CNBC) • September 16, 2015 (CNN)
Insiders Poll: First Democratic debate (October 13, 2015) • Presidential Nominating Index: Clinton remains choice of Democratic Insiders • Presidential Nominating Index: Bush remains choice of Republican Insiders • Insiders Poll: Winners and losers from the Fox News Republican Debate |
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