Can past speeches predict what Donald Trump will say tonight?

By Len De Groot

July 21, 2016 5:57 PM PT

The unconventional Donald Trump may deliver a few surprises tonight when he gives his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination. It’s hard to predict whether he’ll go off script, but according to excerpts provided by the Trump campaign, he will attempt to unify his party — a trend that appears in every Republican acceptance speech since at least Ronald Reagan’s.

In fact, there are several distinctive trends in word use during acceptance speeches. We selected the top 50 words used by each GOP nominee since 1980, compared and ranked them.

The results reflect shifting priorities and messages. What trends can you find?

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Len De Groot

As assistant managing editor, Len De Groot oversaw the Data and Graphics department and the editorial development of content management systems from August 2018 to July 2020. He joined the organization in 2013 as the director of Data and Visualization, where he led a transformation of the graphics department into an award-winning, digital-first team. De Groot has been an industry leader in creating and promoting innovative visual journalism.