Questions from My HLN Interview This Morning.

QUESTION 1

PATTI, RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE WE SAW HILLARY CLINTON AND DONALD TRUMP WALK ONSTAGE LAST NIGHT - AND NOT SHAKE HANDS.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT HOW THEY FELT COMING INTO THE DEBATE?

A handshake signals, "We are equals, I trust you, I am unarmed as we begin and we can be friends and equals when we finish this battle. A lack a handshake, show disrespect and creates fear and animosity.  

QUESTION 2

TRUMP DID A LOT OF PACING WHILE CLINTON WAS TALKING LAST NIGHT.

DOES THAT SHOW HE WAS NERVOUS, OR JUST EAGER TO RESPOND?

His bulk and circling are threatening. At that point he circles her during her turn he is like a lion. going in with a biting attack then keeping his attack energy going by continuing to move and circle. 

QUESTION 3

AT TIMES TRUMP SEEMED TO LOOM BEHIND CLINTON. 

DOES THAT COME ACROSS AS IMPOSING OR THREATENING?

QUESTION 4

LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE WAS A TOWN HALL FORMAT, WHERE THE CANDIDATES ANSWERED QUESTIONS ASKED BY AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

DID THEY LOOK ENGAGED WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM?

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Hillary’s smile.

Hillary’s smile.

A couple things stood out am I don't think the smiling worked very well for her it looked inappropriate. I was honored by her composure. As a female she couldn't get mad we don't view anger the same way that we do man. She stayed calm and even through most of the debates. His circling and staying close to her did not affect her. As scary as it looked us.

I definitely think that know if she smiles or she doesn't smile it's a no-win situation for her let me send you a little piece as I've done several years of research on :-
It was often a female cover smile women smile to cover their anger men often smile to cover their sadness
It was often a female cover smile women smile to cover their anger men often smile to cover their sadness
What was admirable,  dare I say amazing,  is that n the context of those attacks she remained, for the most part calm centered and focused on speaking. 

One way to put this in perspective is to imagine how a man in terms of gender based stereotype might have been able to or might have responded. I think there would've been quite a bit of screaming and yelling and pointing.

Patti Wood, - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
     

Was Trump’s Apology during the second debates / town hall meeting,real and sincere?

Trump’s Apology during the second debates / town hall meeting.

No not a sincere apology. In fact he labeled it permissible OK normal and acceptable by labeling it as locker room talk. He wanted that to stick in our minds and did so by vocally emphasizing it with over articulation and slowing down and repeating it. For recently married man to boast about assaulting women, and to boast to a newscaster speaks of an immense sense of entitlement and a lack of control. Most people are careful what they say in front of a reporter. Again he was not in a locker room with his pals he was in a news van with a reporter.

If a future leader says that this behavior is OK because it only goes on in locker rooms he is saying when men are in private its normal and ok to denigrate women. 

An apology is always interesting for what it says but also for what it does not say. He did not say that he had changed as a person. He did not say I respect and honor women and do not treat women that way now.

A real apology does not justify bad behavior by saying some other guy is worse than me.

Imagine saying, “Hey I robbed a liquor store and it was not big deal that guy robbed stores too.”

Check out my post, "The Proper Way to Apologize"

Patti Wood, MA, The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.