"Body Language Told Me Everything I Needed to Know About the GOP Debate"

Link

Not my title, I just used the author's. The author of the analysis is an ex FBI agent that specializes in body language reading and has written books on this topic. He goes into a quick analysis of each candidate and what he thought they appeared like last night, on the stage.

I’ve been studying nonverbal communication for over 50 years, 25 of them as an FBI agent specializing in decoding human behavior. I learned that humans are fairly good at lying — but they’re lousy at concealing their true emotions, especially when stressed. We reveal our unspoken thoughts in our bodies: faces flushed with embarrassment, lips pursed at unwelcome questions, fingers covering the neck dimple when discussing a touchy subject. I once interviewed a spy whose cigarette hand shook every time I mentioned the name of a co-conspirator.

Body language is the primary means by which we communicate, revealing our true thoughts and feelings. It tells stories that canned speeches do not.

As the eight Republican candidates — Trump, the frontrunner, was conspicuously absent — traded rhetorical blows, I watched with the sound off to focus solely on their body language: the handshakes, the gestures, the revealing facial expressions. Then I turned the sound on to assess how their tone of voice and words matched or conflicted with their nonverbal language. Through body language alone, the candidates revealed their passion, their resolve, their hopes and fears — and they might just have won some precious undecided voters to their side.

I won't post any excerpts of each candidate, it's not that long of a read... it's about two to three paragraphs for each candidate. And it's pretty informative, and I'd say accurate.

And Trump still won, right?

Nikki Haley is my choice out of all of them, after watching the debate. Strong, tough woman with experience getting things done.

Is Christie actually trying to run for president? The same guy who closed the beach, then brought his family there for a nice, isolated day? Didn't he also have a helicopter pick him up from his son's baseball game or something? Yeah, doubtless he wouldn't abuse his power.

a reply to: Schmoe1223

Christy is fund raising being the anti-Trump.

Seems like a Democrat trying to say nice things about Republicans.

He was saying good things about Christie and Pence who were absolutely horrid.

Um… no.

He was overly nice to DeSantis, and accurate of Vivek and Haley.

Unless they stop Trump it doesn’t matter anyway, none of them have a chance.

If they get Trump I don’t Trust Vivek enough to vote for him.

I’ll vote Kennedy in the primary and Kennedy in the main if they get Trump and Kennedy somehow gets through primary.

Or maybe just write in Ron Paul again…. *shrug*

Doesn’t matter D’s will cheat until they get stopped, and I don’t see that happening.

Haley sounds just like a neo con. She is not what this country needs. She is just like GWB, Cheney, etc…a reply to: 2ndtrumpet

originally posted by: Schmoe1223
Is Christie actually trying to run for president? The same guy who closed the beach, then brought his family there for a nice, isolated day? Didn't he also have a helicopter pick him up from his son's baseball game or something? Yeah, doubtless he wouldn't abuse his power.

I’ve never liked Christie. His platform has never really been inspiring either, seems like a died wool politician.

But I’m curious. Do you know any high level politicians who haven’t abused their power like that?

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: Schmoe1223
Is Christie actually trying to run for president? The same guy who closed the beach, then brought his family there for a nice, isolated day? Didn't he also have a helicopter pick him up from his son's baseball game or something? Yeah, doubtless he wouldn't abuse his power.

I’ve never liked Christie. His platform has never really been inspiring either, seems like a died wool politician.

But I’m curious. Do you know any high level politicians who haven’t abused their power like that?

Not really, I think the overwhelming majority of them are snakes in the grass who seek power to serve themselves. I live in PA, so I was more familiar with Christie than some of these others.

That's a sad state politics is in, isn't it? In a country of 330 million, these are the best we can come up with? And that applies to left AND right.

I’ve been studying nonverbal communication for over 50 years, 25 of them as an FBI agent specializing in decoding human behavior. I learned that humans are fairly good at lying — but they’re lousy at concealing their true emotions, especially when stressed. We reveal our unspoken thoughts in our bodies: faces flushed with embarrassment, lips pursed at unwelcome questions, fingers covering the neck dimple when discussing a touchy subject. I once interviewed a spy whose cigarette hand shook every time I mentioned the name of a co-conspirator.

If that was me, I wouldn't be wasting my time watching the debates. I'd be at a poker table somewhere.

Can you elaborate? Nikki sounds like she has good common sense and the willingness and ability to lead this country. I trust her to be above the corruption that plagues Washington D.C. She cannot be compared to GWB or Cheney except to illuminate her standing Above both of them.



a reply to: TacoLoco75

Very interesting. It's a good habit to look at none verbal clues and body language in your everyday life, especially work.

Sadly for the Trump fans, if he gets in, then you're up for years of divisive fighting, which will dominate public discourse. It's a pity he was not on the stage, because he does have the ability to play to the audience, which i quite a skill, so long as it's a receptive audience.

It would be nice for the US to be led by a younger person, with fresher ideas, and the ability to bring people together. Sadly for Biden fans, he's losing his marbles and should be allowed to retire instead of the spectacle of watching an old man's mental faculties decline, which is embarrassing and humiliating. Even Trump's cognitive abilities are in decline, and that cannot be denied - he's an old man too.

Luckily, I am not in the USA, so my perspective is from the outside. But I genuinely believe in the USA and its positive future, so don't shoot me down if I offend any sensibilities.

I read the article and pretty much agree. Time to narrow it down to DeSantis, Rammy, and Trump and let's see what happens. Just moved from FLorida and I liked DeSantis as a governor and still think he is a good candidate but this Rammy guy will leap frog him shortly and maybe even get within 20 points of Trump. Now that would be a great debate.

One thing is for sure we barely will survive one term with Biden and a second term would be the nail in the coffin for the US.

a reply to: Schmoe1223

Well put, it definitely seems like it’s been a race to the bottom.

The real smack in the face is they’ll act like victims if they lose. Pretending they were inches away from saving the country with their old dried out dog turd. And this goes for both of them.

a reply to: Mahogany

You know they’re all coached and aware of their body language. They probably don’t get to twitch their nose unless it’s scripted.

I don't think the body language of these folks says much. Not really a big fan of people supposedly reading body language.
That being said, Nicki Haley is about the only one I'd get behind out of all those folks.

Side note - I didn't watch.

thanks for the linque.
interesting.
I'd take any of them over President Biden.

originally posted by: CoyoteAngels
a reply to: Schmoe1223

Christy is fund raising being the anti-Trump.

Yet he raised his hand when asked if he'd support Trump.

a reply to: Mahogany

Kind of a non-starter for an article. Politico, go figure. This 'behavior analyst' doesn't really tell us who he thinks is full of it, and who's telling the truth.

The most telling thing was the parting shot at the end about how each of the candidates reacted to the question about supporting Trump. After reading it, I went out and found some slow motion video of it without sound. Ramaswamy's hand shoots up first, but the really telling ones were DeSantis, Christie and Pence. Desantis looks around (both left and right) to see who else has raised their hand before raising his. Christie (the hack) raises his finger. I'll bet he wouldn't be that slow if the question was about free donuts! Pence (the snake) raises his hand after a couple seconds, but the look on his face is like...'okay, well, if I have to'.

I rank political candidates like used car salespersons. In other words, I ask myself if I'd buy a used car from that person. Accordingly, just based on this, my ranking was...

1. Scott
2. DeSantis
3. Haley/Burgum
4. Ramaswamy
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Hutchinson
11.
...
47. Pence
48. Christie

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Yeah... I loved how Vivek looked at them all looking at each other to see what the other was doing with their hand, except Vivek. He pantomimed 'taking the tempature',. I laughed my BUTT off.

Trump/Vivek is the winner.