From left: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.
J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press
Speakers at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week spoke more than 109,000 words over four days. Their choice of words and phrases contrasted with the themes and ideas of last month's Republican National Convention.
Excluding common everyday language, the most frequently spoken words at the Democratic Convention were:
A similar number of words were spoken at last month's Republican Convention in Milwaukee, where speakers spun more than 110,000 words over four days. Among the most commonly used phrases were:
Words from famous speakers
Former President Donald J. Trump's acceptance speech was longer than Vice President Kamala Harris' acceptance speech, using more than three times as many words.
The circles indicate the number of times the keynote speaker used the following words:
| Joseph R. Biden Jr. |
Tim Waltz |
Kamala Harris |
words |
Donald J. Trump |
J.D. Vance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 |
– |
2 |
Democracy |
2 |
– |
|
6 |
8 |
11 |
Free |
3 |
– |
|
7 |
1 |
3 |
Economy, Economy |
13 |
4 |
|
2 |
1 |
5 |
work |
2 |
6 |
|
15 |
4 |
2 |
work |
twenty two |
8 |
|
8 |
2 |
5 |
tax |
twenty one |
1 |
|
4 |
– |
7 |
Law |
1 |
4 |
|
7 |
3 |
2 |
God |
9 |
5 |
|
13 |
5 |
9 |
love |
twenty two |
14 |
|
1 |
– |
– |
inflation |
14 |
1 |
|
2 |
8 |
1 |
Neighbor, neighborhood |
– |
– |
|
7 |
7 |
8 |
family |
8 |
10 |
|
2 |
– |
5 |
father |
4 |
1 |
|
2 |
– |
13 |
mother |
4 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
4 |
abortion |
– |
– |
|
4 |
1 |
2 |
Medicare |
4 |
– |
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
social security |
4 |
1 |
|
twenty three |
4 |
15 |
Trump |
8 |
16 |
|
2 |
1 |
3 |
Biden |
2 |
12 |
|
10 |
9 |
2 |
Kamala |
– |
2 |
|
3 |
10 |
3 |
Harris |
– |
2 |
|
5 |
– |
7 |
Border |
twenty one |
2 |
|
2 |
– |
2 |
Immigrants, immigrants |
5 |
1 |
|
– |
– |
– |
Intrusion |
13 |
1 |
|
– |
– |
– |
Illegal immigration |
4 |
1 |
|
6 |
1 |
2 |
war |
17 |
3 |
|
1 |
– |
2 |
Ukraine |
4 |
– |
|
2 |
– |
3 |
Russia |
9 |
– |
|
2 |
– |
2 |
Putin |
– |
– |
|
1 |
– |
1 |
China, Chinese |
14 |
5 |
|
– |
– |
4 |
Israel |
4 |
– |
|
3 |
– |
3 |
Gaza |
– |
– |
|
– |
– |
1 |
Hamas |
– |
– |
|
– |
– |
2 |
terrorist |
1 |
– |
|
– |
– |
2 |
Iran |
8 |
– |
|
– |
– |
– |
Afghanistan |
4 |
1 |
Photos by Mandel Ngan/AFP (Biden), Will Oliver/EPA via Shutterstock (Waltz), J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press (Harris), Kenny Holston/The New York Times
Divided words
In both tournaments,America” “country” “people” and “VoteHowever, the frequency of other words was not so balanced.
Speakers at the Democratic Convention leaned on the language of freedom and patriotism, saying,Free” 227 times compared to 67 times at the Republican Convention.woman” “joy” and “Strange” was also used frequently by Democratic speakers.
Republican speakers said:inflation“Seven times more than the Democrats, and both of them”God“and”Food” was used three times more frequently than the Republican Party.assassination” or “Assassin” was used 18 times, but the phrase was only heard once at the Democratic National Convention, and it wasn’t in reference to the shooting of Trump in July.
Missing words
Words and phrases that appear in the Democratic Convention minutes but not at all in the Republican Convention minutes include:abortion” “Project 2025” and “Convicted Felon.”
In contrast, what was not heard this week at the Republican Convention in Chicago was: “Indoctrination” “Illegal immigration” and “Intrusion.”
