Repetition as Policy Tool: Anaphora, Tricolon, and Slogan‑Motifs in Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union (7 February 2023)

Abstract

This article examines how repetition operates as a policy tool in Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address (7 February 2023). Using qualitative rhetorical–discourse analysis of the prepared transcript, it traces three repetitive forms—anaphora, tricolon, and slogan‑motifs—and explains how they cooperate to make policy agenda publicly legible. Anaphora (“we/when/let’s…”) structures problem–solution sequences and assigns agency to government and citizens; tricolons compress complex claims into rhythmic, memorable triads; and recurring slogans (notably “finish the job”) function as ideographic labels that bind diverse initiatives into one narrative of continuity and completion. Drawing on work on political discourse, framing, and processing fluency, the study argues that repetition simultaneously reinforces salience (what audiences should notice), coherence (how policy items fit together), and credibility (why the agenda sounds familiar and ‘true’). The findings show that, in this speech, repetition is not ornamental but instrumental—an interface between institutional policy language and mass audience cognition—in a high‑stakes national address to Congress.