The framing of Hillary Clinton: a content analysis of media discourse on Clinton\u27s candidacy in the 2016 election

This study examines the media discourse surrounding the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, specifically to determine if a gender bias existed in the way first time female nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was described. Research shows that gender-specific language is used to predict leader ability and define leader success in business and in politics. As the first female nominee of a major political party for president, Hillary Clinton enacted a role that has typically been filled by a man and, therefore, defined in masculine terms. Through the use of emergent coding, the study identifies themes in the way two key media outlets - New York Times and Washington Post - set the political agenda related to the 2016 presidential election particularly in terms of language used to define the leadership style of Secretary Clinton. Four main themes emerged: Women in Leadership, Faithfulness and Weakness, Privacy and Caution, and Credibility. These themes are defined and implications described. Directions for future research are presented