Patti's Reads the Body Language of the Presidential Candidates and Other Speakers at the Republican and Democratic Conventions

 

Click the link below to see Patti on CNN and hear her insights!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/09/09/exp-patti-wood-conventions.cnn

Here are Patti's rough notes from her recent appearance on CNN reading the body language at the Republican and Democratic Conventions.

Romney’s entrance: 14

His face is smiling. But look at how stiff his back is tension rod up through his back and neck. (He looks like he hurt his back.  He is so stiff.  His body is in a straight line. He keeps his lower body away.  Romney doesn’t do what I call the Clinton lean in.  When he came up he would step in and bring his whole body around each person in a symbolic embrace.

He comes out on stage.  His body stiff and hunched as he walks to the podium. He gives a rather stilted hand to heart gesture but it looks like faked humility. He is acting humble and teary-eyed but here he’s not in the moment.  He is acting to the audience rather than connected to them as he comes on stage.

Stiff posture no emotional Body Movement - He is more animated than in past speeches but he still has that stiff body language. (Time code 7:10 and then at more so at 7:38 he is talking about freedom, but his body is locked, arms at sides freedom to build a life)  This video doesn’t show him in close up it goes to the crowd but in the video I first watched his gestures should come up.  Only a handful of gestures in first 15 minutes of speech

Lack of Synchronicity of words and message - you move to illustrate what you are saying make us feel a candidate is sincere. Instead look at Romney 7:38 (This is so wild watch him say “Again when every new wave of immigrant’s looked up to the statue of liberty or knelt down to kiss the shores of freedom.” But in that truly emotional content. He doesn’t move or look up or gesture up as he speaks of freedom. He looks like a little kid who memorized a speech.

First real gesture at Puny gesture - When He says”freedom to build” his arms should have swept up. Instead he stands frozen.  But not just what we wanted but it’s what Americans deserved. (9:05) He gives his first gesture a puny pinched finger gesture down.  This gesture pressing the thumb against index and pointy finger make a point not a weapon like he wants to squeeze emotion out of you and make my point.

Again at (10:45 or so) his words are passionate and his voice has emotion but his body is stiff as he says, “Work harder… Hug your kids a little longer. Again no illustrator gestures. Made it ring false.  As he said, “I wish Obama had succeeded because I wanted America to succeed.” I wished he had shown more passion. “

Lack of connection to audience “With your help we will do something,” He had the opportunity to look at the audience and do an open palm Gathering Gesture gesturing out and bring the gesture back to himself.  Instead he kept his hands frozen at his sides and then at (11:23) you see him do eye shutter and close his mouth. Indicating nonverbally Romney either doesn’t feel we can do something or he does not feel he needs our help. Gestures my country deserves better point down cupped hand.

Great Emotional Moment - Typically in Romney’s speech his voice is very monotone.  In this speech he has more emotion in his voice than any other speech and has some genially emotional moment. One of the few in first 15 minutes, “every day dad gave mom a rose” pointing, and his eyes teared up. My mom and dad were true partners. Should women have less say than our men?  Eyes welled up his voice cracked.

Obama

Comes out claps with the crowd.  It’s not about him.  He smiles and says thank you several times.

Starts his speech real and warm (:49 “Michele I love you so much,” This is a very warm real moment. Uses humor quickly and well as he makes a reference to his daughter’s behavior” Lightens the first moment.

He leans forward opens and grabs the podium “I accept the nomination for president” then he bows slightly forward slightly humble and holding in emotion flat tight smile.

Gestures frequently and comfortably 4:12 he is giving multiple gestures in a sentence. Expressing himself comfortably.  Both fists closed (5:34 or so) double our exports.

Tobacco chew finds much of what he has to say distasteful. Challenges of our time. 8:59 does that over 20 times in the first half of his speech.

Truly emotional 1 Veteran story, He gives me hope. Share that hope with me. I ask you tonight for your vote, his voice is emotional and truly humble.

Great Strength in his gestures “If you believe that new energy can power our future. Ladders of ..” Watch his gestures grow in strength size and frequency.

Best moment in his speech for Democrats (38:09) “Every One gets a fair shot voice cracks with powerful emotions. Deserves his fair share.

Best example of his best gestures. (38:38 or so) He says, “Yes our path is harder. Yes our road is longer but we travel he grasps up as if to ask us to pull ourselves up from our bootstraps.

(39.20 or so) We pull each other up... We draw strength from victories. Gesture strike out hold out, keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon.

Finger pointing

Clinton is laughing and smiling and very comfortable with the crowd roaring after he is introduced. That is very hard to do.  We are here to nominate a president (long power of the pause) and I GOT one in mind Clinton, First Thank you his voice is warm.   We have got one in mind, Point gestures high and confident finger point, crisp and elevated thumb clasp points slow slide then at 1:26 knowing all the while hands up above waist palms open fingers spread.

1:16 Clinton is strong and confident and in control right out of the gate.

Listen to his voice striking on each word the pausing, “Just six weeks before the elections,

2.06 “A man who believes with no doubt.”

Clinton gestures with almost every single statement. He has over 14 gestures in the first minute and 45 seconds of his speech.  These frequent gesture show he is confident. Sure of his feeling and open to revealing them.

6:14 Watch Clinton use the power of the point as he says, “We know that investments in education and infrastructure they increase new jobs. “

Jennifer Granholm:   Great emotion enthusiasm open posture. She has more fun than any other speaker. Stand- up comic Pep squad Glee club of speakers.  Show us her side. Holds the gesture longer. Waits for the full impact of her words and gestures.

Chris Christie - Enjoys himself out of the box.  New Jersey republican. Likeable and funny Comedy. Emphasis he knows how to punch just the right word.  On the first four minutes he says we have to FIGHT, or I am HER son He gestures naturally and easily, though at times slow and delayed. 

Open palm internal state of openness and honesty. In Clinton, Granholm, Ann Romney

Closed palm dominance and authority can you get that for me.

Ann Romney consistent open window body language show. Open palm internal state of openness and honesty.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

What Does Pointing Your Finger at Someone Mean? Can Someone Point Their Finger and Lie?

I did a FOX News TV interview with Neil Cavuto concerning finger pointing and lie detection. Here is the transcipt of the TV interview. The actual video is on my website http://www.pattiwood.net/ and is also up on my YouTube channel. http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert
QUESTION -What does finger pointing mean –
It’s a really potent gesture of power, a symbolic weapon. When you make a fist and thrust your finger you’re symbolically shooting someone.

If I say, "take this and put it over there," it means something different than take this and put it over there or take this and put it over there. Threes an implied threat. I’ll kill you if you don’t move that.

QUESTION-When you see someone pointing their finger does it mean they are lying. Absolutely not, the average Joe would never do that. In fact, when I teach law enforcement I say it can be a sign someone’s telling the truth because they are passionately defending themselves. (It is very hard for the average person to lie and point their finger in sync with what they are saying.)

But certain ego types do use it. I see it used by powerful men who are use to getting their way and lied successfully in the past. They use it when they are cornered to defend themselves by counter attack. A different version is used by speakers to show conviction of thought. It’s typically not women as there is a sexual component as well.

QUESTION What about Rafael Palmeiro in front of congress in March 2005
Detecting deception in a scripted speech is tricky because you loose the critical spontaneity, but I think he is lying because his timing is off. When you are telling the truth you feel that in your heart, you show it with your gesture then you say it. Feel - Show - Say. He said,"I never," as he slowly raised his finger making it look staged.

Bill Clinton showed four clear deception cues:
1. "I never had" rather than the more natural contraction I didn’t. Liars like to emphasize the not or never
2. His finger is crooked rather than straight showing a lack of his own conviction
3. He is pointing one way and looking another a lack of congruence in his thoughts and actions
4. Depersonalization saying "she" then self correcting to say Monica's name.

George Bush
He uses the political coached version of the gesture to emphasize his conviction. Notice the point is up to heaven rather than out and the cadence with the words.

Nixon
His point goes down and his volume fades out also showing he is lying and lacks conviction in his words.
He doesn’t use it on the, “I’m not a crook” statement he uses it to say "he never made money in office."

Gary Condit
Scary body language! I counted over 40 deception cues in his famous Connie Chung interview. He shows his anger by not only shooting Connie Chung but slicing her in a sword gesture and symbolically strangling her.



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://pattiwood.net/. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Finger Pointing, Obama.

What does finger pointing mean? I just got a call from Salon.com. The journalist was interested in knowing what Obama's finger pointing meant. Obama is a masterful speaker and often plans open handed finger pointing in his speeches to emphasize his strong feeling about a particular issue. It is most interesting to me when he uses it in response to a tough question, as then it shows his desire to "shoot" the questioner.
Here is an excerpt from my book on the topic.

Here is an excerpt from my book success signals. I would love a link to the article.
Pointing
One of the first things most of us learned about body language is it’s not polite to point. Why? Pointing is a potent gesture of power, a symbolic weapon. When you make a fist and thrust your finger out you’re symbolically shooting someone. It’s threatening.
When Bill Clinton turned to the nation, pointing his finger and said, “I never had sex with that woman,” he was lying. This is often the case, especially during testimony in front of congressional committees. So, does pointing a finger mean you are lying? Absolutely not. The average Joe would never do that. In fact, when I teach law enforcement, I say pointing can be a sign that someone’s telling the truth because they are passionately defending themselves. I see pointing used by powerful men who are used to getting their way and who have lied successfully in the past. They use it when they are cornered to defend themselves by counterattack. Speakers use a different version of pointing to show conviction of thought.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
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