Kamala Harris seized the initiative before the debate even began by assertively shaking Trump’s hand, and she kept the momentum going for the rest of the evening, a body language expert concluded.
Donald Trump had insisted beforehand that the diminutive Democrat not be given a pedestal behind her podium, hoping that at 6 feet 3 inches he would be an impressive presence on the debate stage.
But according to body language expert Judi James, it was Harris who dominated from the opening seconds, after spending days cooped up in her Philadelphia hotel room perfecting her techniques with a group of trusted advisors.
“Her greeting ritual of Trump immediately put her in control and elevated her status,” James said.
Donald Trump appeared surprised when his opponent gave him a firm handshake at the start of the debate, body expert Judi James concluded
Kamala Harris made good use of Trump’s speaking time to convey clear messages through her body language and facial expressions, Ms. James believes
‘She walked across the stage with energy and determination, extended her hand to Trump and introduced herself.
‘The attribution effect involves a lasting impression of leadership or power that is created within the first few seconds of an encounter. The rule for shaking hands is that the host is the one who creates the impression.
“Trump seemed stunned here. His power shakeups are legendary, but he responded with a limp-looking hand.”
The British body language expert has been closely studying public encounters for decades
The former president may have spent four years in the White House and 13 as a star of The Apprentice, but it was his rival who looked most gifted on TV, with her “direct and often intimate conversations and presentations to the viewer,” James said.
‘By looking straight into the camera as she spoke and introducing her words with striking, personal phrases like ‘Let’s talk about this,’ ‘Understand this…’ and ‘Understand.’
“She held our attention and made her points personal and relevant,” the analyst said.
‘Her speech was directed at the viewer, allowing her to change the viewer’s opinion and voting behavior by flattering them.’
Trump, on the other hand, had a hard time adjusting to the studio environment without an audience after weeks of speaking at campaign rallies.
“While Harris kept her tone cozy and intimate, Trump started yelling as if he were on stage,” James said.
‘This technique may have worked with his large live audience, but in an empty studio it sounded and looked wrong and outdated.
“He also used the same familiar phrases he uses in his rallies, making Harris sound and seem like he had a fresh message.”
The candidates’ microphones were muted while the other spoke, but the cameras were still trained on both, and Harris took advantage of the time she had nothing to say to convey a clear message through her body language.
“Her raised chin and eyebrows, her shaking of the head, her knowing smile and her pursed lips all gave the impression of intelligent assessment and mockery,” James concluded.
“Trump seemed stunned here,” James claimed. “His power moves are legendary, but he responded with a limp hand.”
“Her speech was a conversation with the viewer, allowing her to change opinions and voting tendencies by flattering them,” James said
James praised the Democrat’s practiced palette of facial expressions: “She narrowed her eyes to emphasize her disbelief at his words. At one point, she looked at him with an expression of pity.”
Trump, who fared well in the debate with Joe Biden, appeared “startled” by his younger opponent and at one point appeared “visibly wounded,” the expert said
But her coup de grace was her pose with one hand on her chin.
‘She made this gesture twice as she turned to listen to Trump and it sent the message of superiority and evaluation.
‘She narrowed her eyes to emphasize her disbelief at his words. At one point she looked at him with an expression of pity.
His reactions on the split screen seemed too still.
Shake it off: The greeting that set the tone
“He seemed instructed not to attack too directly, but his smug, closed-off smile and narrowed eyes worked better on Biden than on the much sharper and more animated Harris.”
Harris knows the battle for the White House is fierce and the best she can do is rile him up.
Trump, who fared well in the debate with Joe Biden, appeared “upset” by his younger opponent and at one point even seemed “visibly hurt” by some of Harris’ well-worded comments.
“She said that people at his rallies get bored and leave early, and she used the word ‘fired,’ his catchphrase on TV, to say that 81 million people fired him in the last election,” James said.
‘Trump’s blinking rate increased and he became visibly angry. His tone rose to a scream, his lower jaw protruded, his teeth showed, and at one point he even had saliva on his lower lip.
It also caused him to go off topic verbally and keep throwing other topics into his answers.
‘During his debate with Biden, Trump came across as the younger man ridiculing a president who could barely get his words together. His was the voice you wanted to listen to.
‘But here he seemed to offer nothing new, allowing Harris to bring the fresh energy and voice that captured interest.
“Harris’ coaching and planning paid off tonight as she scored winning points in almost every aspect of her performance in this debate,” James concluded
Trump, on the other hand, struggled to adjust to the studio environment without an audience after weeks of speaking at campaign rallies, she added.
“His nadir came when, after Harris repeatedly spoke about her plans, Trump responded to the host who accused him of having no plan that ‘I do have a draft of a plan.’
“His claim that people ‘eat pets in Springfield’ caused Harris to burst out laughing and then express her sympathy.”
Trump had won the coin toss prior to the debate to determine who would deliver the closing speech.
But that did allow Harris to take the more psychologically prominent stage on the viewer’s right side of the screen.
And despite blowing the chance to have the last word, the current vice president made the most of her farewell speech to viewers.
‘As Harris summed up her solo speech, she gave Trump two looks of utter contempt. She turned to him, the “nice” smile now gone from her eyes, and looked him up and down, as if she thought she had finished him off.
“Harris’ coaching and planning paid off tonight as she scored winning points in almost every aspect of her performance in this debate,” James concluded.