Thou Shalt Not Speak Ill of Any Fellow Republicans? Politeness Theory in the 2012 Republican Primary Debates

This study examined face threats in nine Republican primary debates preceding the primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, and Arizona. Debate transcripts were coded according to level of face threat, target of message, and subject of disagreement. Results indicate that these 2012 Republican primary debates were overall less threatening than general campaign debates once the incumbent president is removed from examination of the overall tone of the debates. However, compared to general campaign debates, when the Republican candidates did use face threats against each other, their attacks were more intense. Additionally, results indicate that standing in the polls shapes the degree to which a candidate becomes a target of attacks and the intensity of the attacks. It was also found that moderators play a role in shaping the quality of the debate discourse.