In part, because the president didn’t say anything he hasn’t said many times in other forums or do anything that was wildly different or unexpected o the most interesting unique aspect of this state of the union was the presence and nonverbal behavior of women. Both group of the Democratic women in while and Pelosi trying to find the clip where Pelosi held up and read her notes near the beginning of the presidents as an obvious and clear and sustained nonverbal message of disbelief and regard for the president. Reading notes is a tactic that I actually have coached speakers to do doing debates to hold in their nervousness and show their disinterest during debates because is one of the only oddly politically correct ways of showing disrespect and disagreement.
My rough notes taken down as I was watching.
In any case, I am highly focused on gender differences in this State of the Union for obvious reasons. Its Interesting that in the women whose stories that the president shared ( the female prisoner who became a minister and the family of the slain couple), brushed back tears. I am always interested when we hear the story of a woman with the focus on the story of the woman or women as victims and see a woman crying and men stories focusing on their success or hero stories that would draw more cheers than pity from the audience.
OH here is something interesting. , "...More women in the workforce than ever before and we see the women in white all stand and smile and stand again for the statement, "More women in Congress than any time before.'' And then quite dramatically a wild rousing repetitive cheer from mostly men, "..USA, USA, USA," and Pelosi standing and palms up gesturing for the women to rise again and take in the applause. "
OH here is something interesting. , "...More women in the workforce than ever before and we see the women in white all stand and smile and stand again for the statement, "More women in Congress than any time before.'' And then quite dramatically a wild rousing repetitive cheer from mostly men, "..USA, USA, USA," and Pelosi standing and palms up gesturing for the women to rise again and take in the applause. "
Now the president says with power and verve. quite a convincing "...the catastrophe of NAFTA and the Pelosi dramatically and bring her head go down in her down in disbelief and displeasure.
The president is a good storyteller this evening. He has more pauses as he speaks. And those pauses work to give his words power. He is reading, but he is a voice is dramatic. He did overall a good job on these stories.
With this exception... speak and train and write on public speaking and one of the greatest challenges is introducing someone. As the president shares stories of survivors of the Holocaust and the man he is talking about is applauded we see the president lift his chin up and raise the bottom point of the chin up high, only talking the applause for himself. His chin has been up in pride quite a bit, during this State of the Union, but this is an odd prideful when the honor should go to the person he is introducing. I advise anyone introducing someone to give the audience to them once they have been introduced. You don't claim someone's honor as your own.
They finally showed Mitch Mcconnel as the president was talking about pharmaceutical prices. He looks like he is about to cry, you have to get a photo screen grab of him. This is sadness, a downward sagging corners of the mouth, muscles of the face sagging I have never seen this expression on his face. It does not flash across his face, it doesn't vary, it is not a response to what the president is saying. It is how the feeling in response to the event.
The little girl grace who collected donations for cancer and battled cancer smiling as he speaks of her. A hero's journey, but a suffering journey. Melanie the seated next to her is smiling, Though still shows tension.
And as outlawing late-term abortion men cheer and most of the house chamber stands while the women in white stay still and silent, we may presume in strong protest of the government ruling over what they can do or must do with their bodies. Because not one woman moves to stand and stays still this like a group decision made before the debates.
Later the cheer that I thought supported the women is repeated when the president talks about fighting socialism, "USA, USA, USA"
This changes the cheer to something quite different, a rebellious and decisive cheer of Republicans and makes us wonder if the cheer used before when the comment about more women in Congress was a rebellion against them.
This changes the cheer to something quite different, a rebellious and decisive cheer of Republicans and makes us wonder if the cheer used before when the comment about more women in Congress was a rebellion against them.
Adam Shiff faces as the president speaks of administration rather than investigation of his administration. Shiff was not happy. I will look for a screen grab of it to analyze it fully.
The president is speaking more formally, more slowly and with fewer gestures than he has in recent speeches.
When the president said something to the effect that America had the powerful military the camera scanned the generals and only one smiled the others faces where stressed and grim.
As the president talked about, "Large caravans of illegal immigrants coming to the United States." there was a loud audible groan from the crowd.
Note the Democratic woman of power most in clean crisp white suits and dressed creating unity and presence that was visually striking. As the president began, the white highlighted these woman's facial expressions shown s with grimaces, smirks and rolling eyes when the president talked of the unity of the parties and when the cameras scanned the rows of a woman in white after one statement you saw only one woman clapping. Again we see in mass how these women feel.
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.
