Studies in Presidental Body Language
In the last week, the President has give three “exclusive” interviews to reporters from ABC, CBS, and NBC. I haven’t watched the Katie Couric interview, but I saw the Charlie Gibson interview on actual tv, and the Matt Lauer interview on YouTube. Weirdly, both these interviews have been conducted, in part, standing up.
I’m not sure if this is the White House’s call or if the networks have gotten a bit savvy, but in both interviews you can watch Bush physically intimidate the interviewers when the questioning turns serious.
Here is Bush at minute 6:14 of the Gibson interview:
Twelve seconds later (6:26), after a repeat question about Bush’s feelings about the security of the US if the Democrats take one or both seats of Congress, Bush’s manner is a bit different:
Notice Gibson lean back as Bush moves forward. It’s only for a moment, but as I was watching it I commented, “God, he’s totally trying to intimidate Charlie Gibson into dropping the question.” The person I was watching it with agreed.
Later the two are in the car (7:56), Gibson’s posture seems almost careless, but he also seems a bit frustrated. Obviously, I’m speculating, but his body looks like how I hold mine when I’m pissed off. He says, “It’s a simple question. Is George Bush really a liability to candidates…”
Gibson interviewed the president on Thursday, the 7th. Lauer interviewed him the next day, the 8th, though the interview didn’t air until Monday the 11th.
I don’t know if NBC watched the Gibson interview and decided to do the interview standing up, if the White House decided it, or if it was just a fluke, but again the president uses his body to challenge the questioner.
Minute 1:38 of the Lauer interview:
The photographer also chose to zoom in on the president’s face; in close ups it fills the screen (I’m sorry this is such an unattractive one, Mr. President. It’s an inexact science). Minute 3:57:
If the White House set these interviews, I assume that it was to present the president as a commanding force, ripping to shreds the media’s speculations that hurt the American people. Maybe it’s my liberal bias, but I think he comes off as a bully, using his body to intimidate. I find both these interviews uncomfortable to watch.
Kudos to Lauer though, who I don’t usually think of as a journalistic force to be reckoned with; he gets off the question,
“At some point, Mr. President, if these alternative techniques… if they are used, are you at all concerned that at some point, even if you get results, there’s a blurring the lines between ourselves and the people you’re trying to protect us against?”
You can watch the Gibson interview (which gets good around minute 6:00)
You can also watch the Lauer interview (which is shorter and more alarming on many levels)
