Rate the Debate: Body language ONLY

[ZenCat]

I'd love to hear from others who watched the 2nd presidential debate last night, but I'd love to hear critiques not of what came out of their mouths (all of which I found utterly predictable, mainly disappointing, and which I brushed away impatiently like a swarm of mosquitoes), but with their bodies, expressions, etc.

Inspiration for this thread? I was stunned to see Obama reach out to McCain after the debate to shake his hand, and have McCain refuse it, but instead steer his wife into Obama's path, indicating he should shake her hand instead.

What does that say?

"Nuh-uh. I'm not going to touch you. But here *shove* touch my wife. I don't care."

Re gobbletygook below... I don't know how to embed a video.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WI0iIOqPGak&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WI0iIOqPGak&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI0iIOqPGak

 

[Shai Gar]

Bribery. He's buying Obama off with his wife.

 

[ZenCat]

An interesting theory, after all, he's got a spare.

 

[ZenCat]

I stand corrected:

07 Oct 2008 11:15 pm
McCain Wouldn't Shake Obama's Hand: Updated

A reader writes:

I'm pretty sure they shook hands immediately after the debate was over while Brokaw was giving his closing remarks...Remember they were standing together in front of his screen? I just don't think the cameras caught it.
​

After double-checking the DVR, my reader is right. McCain wasn't an asshole at the very end. My apologies for missing that at first, so I removed the Youtube.
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But on to the next body language.

Initially both candidates responded to the questions they were asked by individuals on stage by approaching them, standing close to them, and looking directly at them. McCain was very physical with a white man who identified himself as a member of the armed forces, rubbing and patting his back, shaking his hand and holding it manfully for some time.

But a few minutes later, when McCain was asked a question by a black man, he did call him by name, but stood further away than either of them previously had to their questioners, made a condescending comment which began "You've probably never heard of... but...", turned his back on him and talked to the overall audience. When next asked a question by a black woman, he did not call her by name (she was the first not to be called by name by either candidate) and did the same (turned his back, addressed audience rather than questioner).

I had never seen either candidate behave in a way that brought these questions to my mind before last night, and it's not something I tend to be on the watch for as a rule, so I found it a bit jarring.