Bush's smirk and Kerry's smile send the wrong message, say experts

[RedEarth]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - George W. Bush needs to get rid of the grimaces and smirks, John Kerry (news - web sites) is still struggling to put on a natural smile, experts said after the first presidential debate between the two rivals.



While Kerry was given the best marks in some polls after Thursday night's debate, communications experts said both contenders must work on their body language ahead of the two remaining presidential debates and the November 2 election.


According to Patti Wood, an Atlanta-based body language consultant, Bush had an assured first 30 minutes at the crucial first debate.


"But he seemed to run out of planned stuff to say and I think he became emotional," added Wood, who has advised the US military and top firms on communications and body language.


"He repeated himself so much. When you repeat the same message it makes it look as though everything is planned and rehearsed. I think it made him look childish."




http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041001/ts_alt_afp/us_vote_kerry_bush_body&cid=1506&ncid=2043

[Catfight]

1. "Could it be....Satan?" LOL

[Jade Fox]

5. Pray for our dear President!

Well isn't that special!

[saracat]

2. More negative to Kerry than BOOSh!

Drop kick this article. It is BS.

[NNN0LHI]

10. I ain't never seen the words "Bush" & "smirk" in the same headline before

And right next to one another too.

Don

[Ripley]

3. Kerry needs to put on a natural smile?

What in the hell does that mean? Like the man doesn't know how to or something? They are just mad because there is nothing un-Presidential about him. Grasping for straws, or in this case, smiles. :crazy:

[skylarmae]

4. I'm -wit-chew

childish, and impish, and corrupt, and like
someone caught 'live' with their hand in the
cookie jar, or caught in bed with someone else,
or when your evil is showing.

[bloom]

6. I just rewatched the debate on Cspan

I had first seen it on CNN - where it was not split screen all of the time and had different camera angles.

I thought Bush* looked more negative on the CNN version. He seemed smirkier and the occasional shots of him made him seem more agitated somehow.

Watching the Cspan version - you saw Kerry smile more and nod his head more in agreement with Shrub - that bothered me.

Another thing I didn't like about the Cspan version was that I think Bush was closer to the camera than Kerry - making him seem larger. I think it was an advantage for Bush over CNNs version.

[Ripley]

8. Kerry's head nod/smile bothered me the first one or two times,

but then I realized he was being polite. He was like a racehorse stamping his foot...ready to go! I think he was not agreeing, but saying, boy do I have an answer to that. And he always did.

I only watched CSPAN - no filtering angles or comments - and I thought Smirky was a complete disaster.

[Peanut Gallery]

49. Agreed

I viewed the nod and smile as graciousness.

[progdonkey]

60. very polite

I got the feeling from his nods that he was politely saying, "Hm hmm, I see what you're saying... but...." It was far better body language than the chimp's perpetual annoyed grimace (the picture in the first post is my new favorite).

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. I thought Kerry smiling and nodding was communicating

" I knew you were going to say that." The problem with Bush's mantra and his inability to think is that it makes him so predictable.

[bloom]

26. I think Kerry looked more Presidential - more calm and self-assured

I wrote in my letter to the editor that I thought Bush* didn't look presidential and Kerry did....

Someone else wrote that they thought that Bush was trying to look disagreeable or something - and apparently Karen Hughes is defending Bush as answering with his facial expressions. But I thought he just looked like an idiot - as ususal.

[yardwork]

27. They're stuck with their previous spin. They slammed Gore for sighing

and now they can't turn around and make something good out of smirky's petulance and frowns.

[truthisfreedom]

33. one pundit caught bush sighing.

Alessandra Stanley writes in the New York Times: "The cameras demonstrated that Mr. Bush cannot hear criticism without frowning, blinking and squirming (he even sighed once). They showed that Mr. Kerry can control his anger and stay cool but that he cannot suppress his inner overeager A student, flashing a bleach-white smile and nodding hungrily at each question."
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/01/politics/campaign/01teevee.html?oref=login


------------------------------

Bush: "Of course we're after Saddam Hussein -- I mean bin Laden."

Bush on the toll of war: "I see on the TV screens how hard it is."

Bush on the twins: "I'm trying to put a leash on them."

The latter elicited this comment from blogger Andrew Sullivan: "No president who has presided over Abu Ghraib should ever say he wants to put anyone on a leash."

[TrogL]

56. he sighed more than once

But I had the volume cranked up high enough to hear a flea fart so they may have missed it.

[LiberalFighter]

54. Everyone think of what Christmas character gw* looks like...

Especially with that smirk of his...








And the character really fits gw* perfectly...








The only thing really missing is the color...

[doni_georgia]

69. You mean like this - I call this Smirking Grinch

[rocktivity]

20. I think CSPAN wanted to make Bush and Kerry look the same height

on their split screen. As a result, Bush looked bigger--and, ironically, more orange.

I not only liked the split screen effect--is it asking so much that two politicians have a camera locked on them for ninety minutes?--I thought it was the way the video feed had been set up. It was only after a quick trip around the dial that I realized that each network was presenting the feed their own way.

:headbang:
rocknation

[bloom]

29. "look the same height"

I suppose - but I really didn't like how small Kerry looked as a result. His whole head appeared smaller...

I would want the cameras to show them a relative, comparable size.... or if they can't do that - show the speaker larger - with the listener smaller. Not have Kerry look smaller the whole time.

[DS1]

22. The Kerry nod and smile after Bush said something, imo, was Kerry

thinking to himself "Oh man, you're making this too easy"

[LiberalFighter]

52. Agree that his nod more in agreement was wrong to do

As for the camera angle... it wasn't C-Span's fault although they probably could had brought the split screen more in line... meaning zooming in more on Kerry or zoom out on gw*

The other networks had the same split screen when they showed it.

[Lizzie Borden]

61. I thought it looked...

like that on CBS too. I'm sure he was closer to the camera. But even so, Kerry looked taller, and certainly more Presidential. Bush just looked plain pissed-off.

[saskatoon]

65. "pissed off"? He looked more like he was going to have a heart attack

I thought he really might lose it any minute, his face seemed to swell and his eyes kept shifting,a lot of times he struggled to get out a sentence. Reminded me of the rat caught in a trap look he had when sitting in the school in Fl.

[NashVegas]

7. Assured First 30 Minutes My Ass

Anyone watching on C-SPAN knew that was not the case.

[Tight_rope]

47. I totally agreed with you...I watched it on CSPAN! Only safe way!

[Digit]

67. I thought * was "throwing" the debates on purpose!

Hmmm, maybe he IS tired of being, um, where he is when too many people are questioning him. Afterall, he kept saying what a HARD job it was. That was MY reaction regarding the first 30 minutes.

* appeared to be a fool with those ridiculous facial expressions.

[ismnotwasm]

9. I thought Kerry's smile was natural

In fact, I thought he was trying not to bust out laughing at the little man. Kerry was doing his best to have a debate with substance, he brought up facts, figures and historical contexts. Bush was practically mumbling at times, and sounded supremely ignorant for the leader of the free world. His debate points would have been more appropriate at some red-neck bar at 6 in the morning

[ReadTomPaine]

12. I'd agreed with both of your points.

Kerry looked very comfortable to be arguing his case and to be hearing his opponents critiques. I also detected those suppressed bursts of mirth from Kerry when Bush was struggling with his speech cadence or let logical fallacies slip by.

RTP

[nolabels]

25. Maybe John Kerry will get Emmy for his performance

Even to the point of making Bush look person that would be worthy to debate (at least for while).

I couldn't stand to watch smirky for more than a just couple minutes without becoming ill :puke:

I was listening on the radio and when smirky was coming on for those few minutes I mostly hit the mute button.

[Swamp Rat]

45. Me too

Instead of watching I listened to Air America's coverage. When Dumbya came on I would hit the mute button. I saw it later on C-SPAN and listened to more of the chimp, but I still had to mute it at least half the time. :puke:

[Digit]

68. Kerry was natural and in his element.

He was presidential, assured, and I loved his smile.

[henslee]

11. I always get queazy when I hear that word expert bandied about.

[Sequoia]

13. Kerry's smile looks natural to me

just as smirking is natural to the Chimpster. New name for him: RePete

[demokatgurrl]

14. Kerry's smile looks GREAT to me! n/t

[Ilsa]

18. I liked Kerry's smile. It looked relaxed. Bush looked

like he had a turd trying to come out sideways. I think Bush IS too emotional in debates.

[louis-t]

15. Not only did smirky seem agitated

but he attempted to interrupt a few times, one time even blurting out "let me finish". Who was he talking to?

[yardwork]

30. I noticed that! And nobody had tried to interrupt him!

It was just one of many embarrassingly bad moments for the chimp.

[Lizzie Borden]

62. Hallucinations.

n/t

[tblue37]

64. Nah, it was Karen or Karl in his earpiece. n/t

[Kolesar]

17. The GOPress raked Gore when he was sighing to Bush's bullshit

The press never give our candidates a break. Sighing: too emotional. Smiling: too fake. Meanwhile, there is the biggest fake-ass on the planet over at the other lectern.

[JohnKleeb]

19. but but Kerry can't smile lol

[Beacho]

21. No Mention Of Bush's 'Roberto Duaran' Moment?

That was my favorite part, when Bush was propitiating Kerry with compliments. translation:"No mas!, No mas!"

[Kikosexy2]

23. Can ...

anyone tell me what's up with David Brooks of NYT. He called it a draw and I'm like "WTF!" "WTF was David looking at all that time??" Then on Tavis Smiley afterwards some Republican Strategists named Roselyn(?) Sanchez said something stupid (I was on the phone at the time) saying that the Chimp spoke clearly, especially to "security moms" because they speak in simple terms like the Chimp does--so he connected with them and women voters--huh??? If "security moms" speak simplistically then they are dumbest mothers on the planet! This b*tch was practically having multiple orgasms gushing over Chimpy's "so called" great debate performance--I think she and Chimpy had a couple of bumps before showtime.

[yardwork]

32. I am one of those moms! Grrrrrrrrrrr!

I am a so-called soccer mom, who works part-time as a consultant and spends a lot of time driving kids here there and everywhere. I also happen to have an advanced degree thank you very much. It makes me FURIOUS when moranic (sp deliberate) TV commentators who don't appear to have ever read a book in their lives instruct me and the rest of America on how "simplistic" (read: stupid and ignorant) we are, and how chimpy supposedly "speaks to us."

No, he doesn't. We can see right through the little turd. We don't like him and we know that he is making us a lot less safe, not safer.

Those TV morans can take their gallup polls and stick em where the sun don't shine.

[Kikosexy2]

34. Thank you..

because the women who really do support him just makes me wonder if there's anything upstairs or even if the lights are on--it's like "gay republican"--huh?

[Tight_rope]

48. Or worse...A "BLACK GAY REPUBLICAN"!

[progressivebydesign]

43. Me too!!

Bush doesn't need to talk down to me. He couldn't keep up with me! I guarantee my IQ is at least 65 points above his barely average IQ.

I find it so insulting, also, that the media and consultants have herded the women into some group that appears to need everything dumbed down to the level of reading serving instructions on a baby food jar. Screw that!

I'm a soccer/volleyball/basketball/track mom that would happily debate that little wanker, myself, and I'd mop up the floor with him on every issue.

[LiberalFighter]

55. Make sure you wear sterile surgical gloves

[Kikosexy2]

59. You...

go Momma! You all should have a million moms march on Capitol Hill! And demand impeachment of the Chimp!

[Amigust]

50. David Brooks is just a GOP shill masquerading as an intellect

eom

[Dudley_DUright]

24. He was smiling because as Jon Stewart pointed out last night

he was thinking "I am SO crushing this guy". :-)

[yardwork]

28. I like Kerry's smile

These "experts" are bought and sold by bushco.

[Catfight]

31. Because John Kerry understands there's a time to laugh and a time

to cry, right now are not the times of happy smiling faces. Even I am appalled at how easily Bush laughs while people die.

[Emillereid]

35. These so-called experts indulge in so much drivel --

they seem to think they have to say something equally bad about both Kerry and Bush to make themselves look fair -- but the fact of the matter is that Bush looked and acted and talked like the idiot that he is and Kerry was statesmanlike, poised and very articulate. Bush's facial grimaces were the mark of a bully boy who had to stand there and listen to some truth about his sorry ass.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

37. Bingo! Kerry owned the debate.

Kerry won and all they can say is that his smile was "wrong".

:eyes:

[arikara]

36. I've always liked Kerry's smile.

Sometimes I think he can look really wooden but then he beams and it changes his entire face.

Keep on smiling, JK!

[JohnOneillsMemory]

38. Meanwhile, US troops killed 109 Iraqis today. (sigh)

And this is what passes for a relevant story. Body language.
109 dead bodies make a very strong statement, too.

[NNN0LHI]

39. Iraqis can take care of themselves. They appear pretty adept thus far

We got an election to win over here. If it takes someone with a pretty face or good body language to accomplish that, so be it. Kerry can get to work fixing stuff next year when he becomes president. Until then I hope the body count stays to a minimum.

Don

[pffarrell]

53. Iraqis can take care of themselves ????

Sorry, but WHAT??? 35 kids got killed yesterday

ps sorry to be negative on first post

[progressivebydesign]

40. I actually remember thinking how nice and natural Kerry's smile was..

.. we all talked about it last night.. what a winning smile he has, how it lit up the stage. Those people are wacked.

[progressivebydesign]

41. I actually remember thinking how nice and natural Kerry's smile was..

.. we all talked about it last night.. what a winning smile he has, how it lit up the stage. Those people are wacked.

[Merlin]

42. This is a terrific JFK smile!

It's reminiscent of JFK-1's. Nothing wrong with that.

[damntexdem]

44. Doesn't he look like a dolt? But poor Dubya can't do more:

1. he doesn't have more than 30 minutes of content -- not even that much;
2. even if he had more content, he couldn't remember it;
3. too much of that 30 minutes of content would only get him into deeper trouble.

[Tight_rope]

46. Bush is such a "MONKEY"!.....He is so pathetic!

[Amigust]

51. Kerry looked great to me

Nothing wrong with his smile. It was just fine.

Stretching pretty far to try to criticize.

[0007]

58. I don't what the problem is with Kerry's smile I must in left field

I didn't see anything wrong with Kerry's smile.

[high density]

57. Crap article

They're grasping at straws to "balance" something that can't be balanced. Bush did horrible, Kerry did great. That's the bottom line.

[funnymanpants]

63. What a stupid F**ing thing for the press to say

As if that is important. We are living in an age of global warming, and let's talk about who smiles better! Let's dumb things down anymore. To paraphrse from www.dailyhowler.com "When you were in high school, did you ever imagine that political discussion could be so stupid?"

[sal]

66. stop nit-picking, folks

I'm sorry, but I have been reading these posts off and on all day, and as far as I am concerned Kerry kicked that brain-sick coward's ass all over the stage. Mopped the floor with him.

Bush looked shrunken, and hunched over the lecturn which was way too big. His suit was too big and his shoulders were bent over. His make up was too heavy and he blinked too much (from seizures). He looked scared, angry, petulant, and stupid. Petty. Wicked. He was on the defensive all night. Couldn't articulate thoughts well; incomplete and run on sentences. Non-sequiturs aplenty. He was practically incoherent.

Kerry just needs to look into the camera more, relax, and continue to connect.

Bush is toast. I think he might blow something up rather than let himself get savaged again.

God help us.