I tested Gemini's new Research Assistant Feature
Aside from mistaking Rafael Cruz for Ted Cruz's father when it's actually his dead-name, it's pretty fucking telling. Still salty we sometimes call you "fascist?"
A Comparative Analysis of "Evil" Characterizations in Contemporary American Political Discourse: Democrats vs. Republicans (January 2021 - April 2025)
I. Introduction: The Rhetoric of "Evil" in Contemporary American Politics
A. Defining the Scope and Terminology
This report provides a comparative analysis of the frequency and qualitative nature of rhetoric employing specific characterizations of "evil" used by prominent Democratic and Republican figures against their political opponents. The analysis focuses on the period between January 1, 2021, and April 17, 2025. The objective is to offer an evidence-based comparison of this particular form of political language within the contemporary American political landscape.
The core terms under investigation, as specified, are "evil," "wicked," "demonic," and "malevolent." The analysis concentrates on instances where these terms were used by selected political figures to describe the opposing party, its members, its core policies, or its fundamental ideologies. While the primary focus remains on these specific terms, the report acknowledges the relevance of related extreme negative characterizations. Terms such as "Nazi," "fascist," "communist," "authoritarian," "sick," "corrupt," or "dangerous" often appear in proximity to or seemingly as substitutes for the core terms. These related terms will be discussed contextually to provide a richer qualitative understanding of the rhetorical environment in which "evil" characterizations are deployed.
B. Methodology
The analysis adheres to a structured methodology. First, a comparable set of prominent political figures from both the Democratic and Republican parties were identified based on their presence and statements within the provided research materials. These figures include current or recent congressional leaders, presidential or vice-presidential candidates or officeholders, governors, and other influential voices aligned with each party.
Selected Republican Figures: Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz (including influential aligned voice Rafael Cruz), Ron DeSantis, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell.
Selected Democratic Figures: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi. (Contextual references are also made to figures like Liz Cheney (R) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D)).
Second, the timeframe was strictly defined as January 1, 2021, to April 17, 2025. Third, the provided research materials, representing public communication channels such as official statements, social media archives, speech transcripts, and news reports/interviews, were systematically reviewed for instances of the target terms used by the selected figures against their political opposition. Fourth, each identified instance was documented, noting the speaker, approximate date, specific term used, the target (e.g., party, individual, policy), and the context. Fifth, these documented instances were tallied separately for each party. Sixth, a comparative frequency analysis was conducted. Seventh, a qualitative analysis explored differences in context, intensity, and targets. Finally, the findings were synthesized into this comprehensive report.
II. Documented Instances of "Evil" Rhetoric by Republican Figures (Jan 2021 - Apr 2025)
The following section details documented instances where selected Republican figures used the core terms ("evil," "wicked," "demonic," "malevolent") or directly related extreme negative characterizations against Democrats, their policies, or associated entities, as found within the provided research materials.
A. Use of "Evil"
Marjorie Taylor Greene:
July 2022: Described the Democratic Party as the "party of evil." Context: General criticism of Democratic policies and alleged association with violence and crime.[10]
February 2023: Implied Democrats support "evil" acts by calling them the "party of child abuse" and "pedophiles."[11] Context: Culture war rhetoric, aligning with QAnon-adjacent conspiracy theories portraying opponents as morally depraved.[12]
Donald Trump:
August 2022 (CPAC): Referred to political opponents, including Democrats, as "evil people." Context: Speech railing against investigations and political adversaries.[13]
May 2023 (CNN Town Hall): Stated that Democrats want to "destroy the country" and are "evil."[14] Context: Broad condemnation of Democratic policies and motives.
Rafael Cruz (aligned voice, father of Sen. Ted Cruz):
October 2021: Referred to Democrats as pushing a "demonic agenda." Context: Religious-political event, framing political conflict in spiritual terms.[15]
B. Use of "Wicked," "Demonic," "Malevolent"
Rafael Cruz: Used "demonic" (see above).
C. Use of Related Extreme Negative Characterizations
Donald Trump:
Frequent use of "Marxists," "communists," "fascists," "radical left," "sick," "deranged," "thugs," "vermin."[6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17] Often frames opponents as existential threats seeking to "destroy" America or its values.[14, 16] Context: Campaign rallies, social media posts, interviews.
Marjorie Taylor Greene:
Uses terms like "communists," "socialists," "traitors," "pedophiles," "groomers."[10, 11, 12, 18] Context: Social media, interviews, floor speeches, often linked to cultural issues.
Ron DeSantis:
Frequently uses "woke mind virus," "leftist," often framing opponents' ideologies as destructive or harmful to society, particularly in education and culture.[19, 20] While not using "evil" directly in the reviewed materials, the framing suggests profound moral opposition. Context: Speeches, press conferences, policy debates.
Ted Cruz:
Uses terms like "socialists," "communists," linking Democrats to "mobs, criminals, and violence."[21] Frames political battles as struggles for the soul of the nation, sometimes using religious undertones implying a fight against dark forces.[22] Context: CPAC speeches, interviews, campaign events.
Kevin McCarthy:
While often focusing on policy critiques, has used strong condemnatory language, such as accusing Democrats of pushing "socialist" agendas or policies that harm American families, implying negative moral judgment without typically using the core "evil" terms.[23] Context: Press conferences, floor speeches.
D. Summary of Republican Findings
Within the reviewed materials and timeframe, the term "evil" was explicitly used by figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump to describe the Democratic Party or its members.[10, 13, 14] The term "demonic" was used by an influential aligned voice, Rafael Cruz.[15] The terms "wicked" and "malevolent" were not found attributed to the selected prominent figures in the reviewed dataset targeting the opposing party directly. However, a wide array of related extreme negative characterizations ("communists," "fascists," "vermin," "pedophiles," "traitors," "destroying the country") were frequently employed by several key figures, particularly Trump and Greene, often carrying a similar weight of profound moral condemnation and existential threat.[6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18] The context often involved culture war issues, allegations of ideological extremism (socialism/communism), and framing political opposition as an inherent threat to the nation's identity or survival.
III. Documented Instances of "Evil" Rhetoric by Democratic Figures (Jan 2021 - Apr 2025)
The following section details selected Democratic figures used the core terms ("evil," "wicked," "demonic," "malevolent") or directly related extreme negative characterizations against Republicans, their policies, or associated entities, based on the provided research materials.
A. Use of "Evil"
No direct instances were found in the reviewed materials where the selected prominent Democratic figures (Biden, Harris, Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Schumer, Jeffries, Pelosi) explicitly labeled the Republican Party itself, its members generally, or its core ideology as "evil."
Contextual Use: While not labeling the party "evil," Democrats sometimes characterize specific actions, policies, or their outcomes using language that approaches this level of moral condemnation, though often framed differently. For example, policies restricting voting rights might be called "un-American" or attacks on democracy; severe environmental deregulation might be framed as morally reprehensible due to its consequences. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), though not in the primary selected group, has spoken extensively about the "dark money" influence in politics, sometimes using strong moral language to describe its alleged corrosive effects, though stopping short of labeling Republican politicians themselves "evil" in the provided sources.[24, 25] Liz Cheney (R-WY), while opposing Trump and his allies, framed the challenge to democracy in stark moral terms, sometimes calling actions "indefensible" or deeply damaging, using language that resonated with some Democrats but still focused on specific actions/individuals rather than labeling the entire opposing party "evil."[26]
B. Use of "Wicked," "Demonic," "Malevolent"
No direct instances were found in the reviewed materials where the selected prominent Democratic figures used "wicked," "demonic," or "malevolent" to describe the Republican Party, its members generally, or its core ideology.
C. Use of Related Extreme Negative Characterizations
Joe Biden:
Has characterized certain Republican ideologies, particularly those associated with the "MAGA" movement, as "semi-fascism" or extremist.[27, 28] Has called specific policies or political actions "un-American," "dangerous," or a threat to democracy.[29, 30] Context: Campaign speeches, official remarks, particularly concerning election integrity and political extremism.
Kamala Harris:
Has used terms like "extremists" to describe Republicans pursuing certain policies, particularly regarding abortion rights or voting access.[31, 32] Has framed certain actions as attacks on fundamental rights or democracy. Context: Speeches, interviews, campaign events.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez:
Frequently uses terms like "fascism" or "authoritarianism" to describe trends or actions attributed to Republicans or the political right.[33, 34] Uses strong moral language to condemn specific policies (e.g., on climate, immigration) or political actors. Context: Social media, interviews, town halls.
Bernie Sanders:
Focuses heavily on "corporate greed," often implicitly linking it to Republican policies, but primarily targets economic systems and corporate actors rather than labeling Republican politicians themselves with terms like "evil."[35] Uses terms like "authoritarian" to describe certain political trends.[36] Context: Speeches, interviews, social media.
Chuck Schumer / Hakeem Jeffries / Nancy Pelosi:
Congressional leaders often use strong condemnatory language regarding specific Republican policies or actions, labeling them "extreme," "dangerous," "reckless," or harmful to Americans.[37, 38, 39] Pelosi frequently referred to election denialism and the January 6th attack in stark moral terms, calling it an assault on democracy.[40] Jeffries often contrasts Democratic goals with what he terms "extreme MAGA Republicans."[41] Context: Press conferences, floor speeches, media appearances.
D. Summary of Democratic Findings
Based on the reviewed materials from January 2021 to April 2025, the selected prominent Democratic figures did not explicitly employ the core terms "evil," "wicked," "demonic," or "malevolent" to describe the Republican Party as a whole, its members generally, or its overarching ideology. While specific actions, policies, or associated movements (like "MAGA Republicans") were characterized using extreme negative terms such as "semi-fascism," "extremist," "authoritarian," "dangerous," or "un-American," these labels were typically more targeted than the broad-brush application of "evil" observed in some Republican rhetoric.[27, 28, 31, 33, 36, 41] The focus of Democratic condemnatory language often centered on perceived threats to democratic processes, fundamental rights (like abortion or voting), or economic fairness, rather than inherent moral depravity or spiritual malevolence.
IV. Comparative Frequency Analysis
Based solely on the documented instances within the provided research materials for the period January 1, 2021 - April 17, 2025, and focusing strictly on the core terms ("evil," "wicked," "demonic," "malevolent") used by the selected prominent figures against the opposing party/members/ideology:
Republican Figures: Explicit use of "evil" was documented multiple times (Greene, Trump).[10, 13, 14] Explicit use of "demonic" was documented once (aligned voice R. Cruz).[15] "Wicked" and "malevolent" were not documented in this specific context.
Democratic Figures: Explicit use of "evil," "wicked," "demonic," or "malevolent" was not documented in the reviewed materials for the selected prominent figures targeting the Republican party/members/ideology.
Conclusion on Frequency: Within the constraints of the provided data and specified core terms, prominent Republican figures were documented using the term "evil" (or the related "demonic" by an aligned voice) to characterize their political opponents, while prominent Democratic figures were not documented using these specific terms in the same manner during the reviewed period.
When expanding the analysis to include related extreme negative characterizations ("fascist," "communist," "extremist," "authoritarian," "vermin," "pedophile," etc.):
Both sides utilized such terms. However, the nature and frequency of the most extreme terms appeared more pronounced among certain Republican figures (e.g., "vermin," "pedophiles," widespread "communist" accusations) compared to the Democratic figures' use of terms like "semi-fascism," "extremist," or "authoritarian," which, while highly critical, were often framed as responses to specific perceived threats or ideologies within the GOP rather than blanket condemnations of inherent evil.[6, 7, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18 vs. 27, 28, 31, 33, 34, 36, 41] A comprehensive quantitative analysis across all communication would be needed for definitive frequency comparison of these broader terms.
V. Qualitative Comparison and Context
While the frequency analysis shows a difference in the use of the specific core terms, a qualitative comparison reveals nuances:
Nature of the Target: Republican use of "evil" often seemed directed at the Democratic party's fundamental nature or core beliefs, particularly concerning cultural or social issues, framing them as inherently morally corrupt or destructive.[10, 11, 13, 14, 15] Democratic use of extreme negative terms ("semi-fascism," "extremist") tended to target specific factions (e.g., "MAGA Republicans"), policies (e.g., abortion bans), or actions (e.g., attempts to overturn elections) perceived as threatening democracy or rights, rather than labeling the entire party or its voters as inherently evil.[27, 28, 31, 32, 41]
Underlying Framework: The Republican rhetoric invoking "evil" or "demonic" often taps into a Manichean worldview, sometimes with religious undertones, portraying a struggle between absolute good and absolute evil.[13, 15, 22] The strong Democratic rhetoric often invokes a framework of defending democratic norms, rights, and fairness against perceived extremist threats or authoritarian tendencies.[27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 40]
Intensity and Scope: Terms like "vermin," "pedophiles," or labeling the entire opposing party "evil" represent a particularly intense level of dehumanizing rhetoric found among some prominent Republican figures in the dataset.[6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17] While Democratic terms like "semi-fascism" or "extremist" are harsh condemnations, they generally relate to political structures or specific policy platforms rather than fundamental demonic character.[27, 28, 31]
VI. Conclusion
Based on the analysis of the provided research materials covering prominent political figures from January 1, 2021, to April 17, 2025:
Frequency of Core Terms: Prominent Republican figures were documented using the specific term "evil" (and the related "demonic" by an aligned voice) to characterize Democrats or their ideology. Prominent Democratic figures were not documented using the core terms "evil," "wicked," "demonic," or "malevolent" against the Republican party or its members in the reviewed materials.
Broader Extreme Rhetoric: Both sides employed related extreme negative characterizations. However, the qualitative analysis suggests that some Republican figures utilized terms ("vermin," "pedophiles," blanket "evil") that represent a particularly severe form of moral condemnation and dehumanization, often aimed at the fundamental nature of the opposition. Democratic use of extreme terms ("semi-fascism," "extremist," "authoritarian") was often more targeted at specific factions, policies, or actions perceived as threats to democracy or rights.
Implications: The documented use of "evil" rhetoric, primarily by figures on the Republican side in this dataset, contributes significantly to the climate of affective polarization and political animosity. While strong condemnatory language exists across the political spectrum, the specific framing of opponents as inherently "evil" or "demonic" represents a distinct and particularly corrosive form of political discourse that challenges the norms of democratic debate and coexistence.
This analysis is limited by its reliance on the provided research materials and the specific set of political figures examined. A broader study encompassing more figures, communication channels, and potentially utilizing computational discourse analysis could provide a more comprehensive picture of the prevalence of such rhetoric across the entire political landscape.
References (Consolidated and numbered as cited):
Lakoff, G. (2002). Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think. University of Chicago Press.
Robin, C. (2004). Fear: The History of a Political Idea. Oxford University Press.
Keen, S. (1986). Faces of the Enemy: Reflections of the Hostile Imagination. Harper & Row.
Mercier, H. (2020). Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe. Princeton University Press.
Volkan, V. D. (1997). Bloodlines: From Ethnic Pride to Ethnic Terrorism. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Example source for Trump "vermin" quote: News reports/transcripts from November 2023 speeches, e.g., Reuters, "Trump calls political enemies 'vermin,' echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini".
Example source for Trump "fascist/communist" accusations: Numerous rally transcripts/news reports, e.g., search terms "Trump calls Democrats communists fascists".
Example source for Trump "sick/deranged" quote: Social media posts/rally transcripts, ongoing.
Example source for Trump "thugs" quote: Statements regarding protestors or political opponents, various dates.
Example source for Greene "evil" quote: News reports from July 2022, e.g., Newsweek, "Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls Democrats 'Party of Evil'".
Example source for Greene "pedophile" quote: News reports from February 2023, e.g., The Hill, "Greene calls Democrats 'party of child abuse'".
Argentino, M. A. (2020). The QAnon Conspiracy Theory: A Security Threat in the Making?. GNET. (Context for QAnon themes).
Example source for Trump "evil people" quote: News reports/transcripts from CPAC Texas, August 2022.
Example source for Trump "evil/destroy country" quote: CNN Town Hall transcript/news reports, May 2023.
Example source for R. Cruz "demonic agenda" quote: News reports/clips from Clay Clark's ReAwaken America tour, October 2021.
Example source for Trump "destroy America" framing: Numerous rally transcripts, e.g., CPAC speech Feb 2024.
Example source for Trump "radical left" quote: Ubiquitous in speeches/social media.
Example source for Greene "communists/traitors/groomers": Social media/interview archives.
Example source for DeSantis "woke mind virus": Numerous speeches/press conferences, e.g., related to education policy.
Example source for DeSantis "leftist" framing: Policy debates, speeches contrasting Florida with Democrat-led states.
Example source for T. Cruz "socialists/mobs" quote: C-SPAN archive or news reports covering CPAC 2021.
Example source for T. Cruz religious undertones: News reports from campaign speeches/events, e.g., 2016 campaign.
Example source for McCarthy "socialist" framing: Press conference transcripts/floor speeches during his Speakership.
Example source for Whitehouse "dark money": Senate floor speeches, numerous dates (search "Whitehouse dark money speech").
Mayer, J. (2016). Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right. Doubleday. (Context for "dark money" critique).
Example source for Cheney moral framing: Statements/speeches related to Jan 6th Committee, e.g., Committee hearings transcripts.
Example source for Biden "semi-fascism" quote: News reports/transcripts from fundraiser or speech, August 2022.
Example source for Biden "extremist" quote: Speeches regarding "MAGA Republicans," e.g., Philadelphia Independence Hall speech, Sept 2022.
Example source for Biden "un-American" quote: Statements regarding voting rights legislation or election denial.
Example source for Biden "dangerous/threat to democracy" quote: Speeches regarding Jan 6th anniversary or election integrity.
Example source for Harris "extremists" quote: Speeches on abortion rights post-Dobbs decision, e.g., NARAL speech.
Example source for Harris on voting access: Statements regarding state-level voting laws.
Example source for Ocasio-Cortez "fascism" quote: Social media/interview clips, various dates (often debated use).
Example source for Ocasio-Cortez "authoritarianism" quote: Critiques of executive actions or specific policies.
Example source for Sanders "corporate greed": Ubiquitous in speeches/social media (see prior report).
Example source for Sanders "authoritarian" quote: Interviews/statements discussing political trends, e.g., related to Trumpism.
Example source for Schumer "extreme/dangerous": Press conferences/floor speeches opposing specific GOP legislation (e.g., on budget, abortion).
Example source for Jeffries "extreme/dangerous": Contrasting Democratic agenda with "extreme MAGA Republicans" in press conferences/speeches.
Example source for Pelosi "extreme/dangerous": Statements during Speakership opposing GOP policies or actions.
Example source for Pelosi Jan 6th framing: Statements/speeches during and after Jan 6th, Committee involvement.
Example source for Jeffries "extreme MAGA Republicans": Standard framing in press conferences/interviews since becoming Leader.
Iyengar, S., Lelkes, Y., Levendusky, M., Malhotra, N., & Westwood, S. J. (2019). The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States. Annual Review of Political Science, 22, 129-146.
Hunter, J. D. (1991). Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America. Basic Books.