The impact of Covid-19 on November 2020 United States presidential election: analysis of the presidential debates

This research analyses the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the United States of America elections held in November 2020. We analyse the 29th of September and the 22nd of October debates in which candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden participated. Content analysis is used as the research technique. The frequency and time spent by each candidate on the Covid-19 topic are measured. In addition, it is analysed the content of the speeches in general and the communication and discursive strategies employed by both candidates. Both verbal and non-verbal language and the elements linked to the staging of the debates are analysed too. Among other issues, the results show the importance of the pandemic in the debates, Biden explicitly took a pro-scientific stance, while Trump leaned towards a sceptical stance, and it was found that the communicative styles and strategies of both candidates have differed throughout the events analysed.