How presidents talk about their predecessors is changing – they are now more likely to mention past presidents from the other party.

As they try to gain public and Congressional support for their agendas, Presidents have a number of rhetorical tools available to them. In new research Amnon Cavari examines the changing ways that presidents mention their White House predecessors. He writes that contemporary presidents make nearly 300 references to former presidents a year, and that these references are becoming increasingly policy focused. In addition, Presidents are more likely to mention their predecessors from the other party when they are trying to reach across the political aisle.