Kerry and Bush nonverbal and paraverbal communication.

[gulliver]

Bush nonverbals:
1. Monkey strut.
2. "Anti-pucker" of the lips. I don't know what you call this. His lips protrude but are open, like he is getting ready to breast feed.
3. Smirk
4. Leaning on the podium
5. Utterly, supremely confident hand gestures and deceptive salesman-like hand-waving

Bush paraverbals:
1. Self-conscious pauses
2. Confident in rhetoric. Sincere-sounding disdain.

Kerry nonverbals:
1. Eyes sometimes don't smile with his mouth
2. Licks his lips

Kerry paraverbals:
1. Vocal confidence sometimes fades as if he is second-guessing himself inwardly -- an overhonest salesman with a much better product but who still sees his product's flaws

Any others? I think Bush may have Kerry beat in nonverbal and paraverbal communication. The chief difference, IMO, is that Kerry can convey a mixed message. He is getting better and better as he gets madder and madder though.

Disclaimer: I'm not a human communications expert. I would be interested in the opinions of those who are, however.

[Heath.Hunnicutt]

1. kick

I would like to see more thought put into this sort of thing, too.

[cheshire]

2. Bush smirks at the mention of death. I think he rambles on. He leans on

the podium like you would the bar. I would laugh at him before I gave him the time of day. He is childish and smug with no reason.
Kerry is articulate, poised, honest and can be proud of what he says. He doesn't do so well if tired or the group is not buying it. His smile is great and he is warming up to people or visa versa. He is also a great speaker and will do fine in debates.
I think Bush needs to be ask questions he has not memorized the answer to.

[soothsayer]

3. bush always sits with his legs spread wide

alpha male behavior

[jefferson_dem]

4. Chimp also offers up that "learning how to read" E-N-U-N-C-I-A-T-I-O-N

whenever he is fearful of stumbling and bumbling over his words, or recites words over three syllables, or offers some foreign dignitaries name. This is usually preceded by the proverbial "deer in the headlights" dunderheaded look. And that fucking evil laugh as if he's having a mild attack of hyperventilation.

[Karenina]

5. "Disclaimer: I'm not a human communications expert."

But as long as the checks clear, I 'spose playing one in cyberspace works. :evilgrin:

[LittleClarkie]

6. I like that you noticed what happens

when Kerry gets mad.

He was mad in 1971 and we got "How can you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

He was mad at the rally right after the RNC and again last Sunday when it became obvious that Bush messed up diplomatically with N. Korea. I love his passion in the Monday article about it in the NYTimes. They said it was highly unusual for him to come looking for a reporter to talk to on his day off. The reporter said his voice was almost shaking in anger.

He is SO at his best during these times.

I'll add one to his paraverbals: how about the way he relaxs around people he obviously trusts, veterans for example. His normally stiff self just melts.

He seems to be relaxing on the campaign trail too. It's not easy to hug a teddybear as he did in that one picture and not look like a dork. He looked like he was having a good time. Good. We need him to show that he's a good guy.

I just wish he didn't look like a Disney animitronic with a malfunctioning right arm during some of his speeches. I wish his gestures were more natural in other words.