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Beto O'Rourke's launch of his presidential campaign on Thursday became more of a call to arms – his ever-gesticulating weapons – than the message he wanted to convey. Perched on a chair in an Iowa cafe – and later, from the counter top of another -, O 'Rourke introduced a sporty exercise of upper body movements that would risk being overpowered. To exhaust a squad of menstruation: pointing, fist trembling, arms crossed and Bob Fosse like hands of jazz.
President Trump, flawless in the art of exuberant gestures at the hands, has made fun of the former congressman and mayor of El Paso. "I've never seen so many hand movements," he told reporters at the White House. "I said," Is he crazy, or is it just his way to act? "I have never actually seen anything like it."
The late-night guests feasted on O'Rourke's physically expressive entry into the crowded Democratic race, offering a buffet of struggles from the Texan. They also criticized Trump for criticizing O'Rourke for something the president perfected.
[‘You’re playing an invisible accordion’: Trump ripped for mocking O’Rourke’s ‘crazy’ hand gestures.]
Nonverbal communication is important. According to the specialists, this often counts much more than the words spoken. A candidate may say little, but the body never stops talking.
So, are there any distinctive, potentially distracting gestures, such as O'Rourke's help or hurting a politician? Experts say it depends on whether the (often unconscious) movements correspond to the message.
"This is not usually a harm, but an addition," said Carol Kinsey Goman, an authority on body language. "If we can not see a person's hands, we tend to be suspicious of them. I do not think I want to dampen his enthusiasm. "
Lyndon B. Johnson was an epic pointer, although every child is asked not to do so. He used his body as a blunt instrument, invading the personal space of other politicians to assert his power. Teddy Roosevelt was also a serial pointer and hat holder.
Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, speaking to massive crowds of clenched fists and fingers, address mass crowds of worshipers to choreograph their exhortations.
Winston Churchill is known for the V-for-Victory sign. Richard Nixon reversed his meaning – V for the vanquished – before his last helicopter flight from the White House lawn. Bill Clinton punctuated his speeches with a fist, topped an extended thumb, squeezing his lips inward until they disappeared. Al Gore, who was often criticized for his difficult delivery, even for his applause, often seemed like he had praised his body and that everything was wrong.
In the 19th century, long before the advent of microphones and sounds, and when politics was a bloody sport, the oratory was a very physical form of art. "It was like watching a silent movie, where you have to be dramatic and more aware of your physical movements," said historian Joseph Ellis.
According to anthropologist David Givens, director of the Center for Nonverbal Studies, politicians have to make gestures with their hands and arms. "This shows a conviction," he said, "and that they believe in what they say." It is an affirmation that "I am here. Pay attention to me. 'The use of hand gestures with the tongue is used by humans around the world.' Most people believe that they can read non-verbal communication, 'said Givens.' We think we can look at you and read you Sixty-five percent of the meaning that people derive from an exchange comes from the nonverbal.
Expressiveness can be an advantage, he added. "The deceivers usually omit the gestures of the hand. They hold back information, "said Givens, as poker players.
Patti Wood, speech coach and body language expert, said in the last election: "The candidate who stands for president with the largest and largest gestures tends to win – the alpha male." Trump over Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama on Mitt Romney, who has often appeared in wood. "The hands are coming out of the heart," she says. "They communicate emotions." They can help improve speech. "Gestures help you remember and reduce speech imperfections and breaks. Symbolically, it's like opening the drawers, "she explained.
But experts also point out that in politics, excessive nonverbal expression can sometimes overwhelm words. Brett O'Donnell, a communications and media strategist who brought Republican candidates to the polls, including President George W. Bush and John McCain, described O'Rourke's performance as "frenetic" and "d 'excessive efforts'.
"It looked like he was doing semaphores and shifting planes," O'Donnell said. "Good delivery must be natural and not attract attention to itself. If that reinforces the message, the delivery is good. "
In addition, what works in one part of the country, like Texas, might not play in a more moderate Iowa state.
O'Donnell, who warned Bush not to sigh and not sigh after his first presidential debate in 2004 with John F. Kerry, said O'Rourke's problem could be solved. The question, O'Donnell said, is: "Does he want to fix it?"
Authenticity is crucial to win voters, according to Robert Shrum, a former Democratic Policy Consultant, experienced campaign strategist who worked on Gore and Kerry's presidential candidates. "When you talk about coaching people, you can not do them what they are not," Shrum said. "It's so obvious that this kind of gesture is part of O'Rourke's communication model. JFK made constant gestures, pointing at his finger. The same is true for anyone who is an effective communicator. If you try to turn O'Rourke into something else, he will lose his authenticity and become very self-aware. "
But optics is important, especially in debates. Before the first Gore-Bush debate in 2000, Shrum recalled, "We told Gore not to react to Bush and not talk to the moderator. Gore massively won the debate on the merits but lost on the atmospheres. "
Gerald Shuster, who teaches political communication and presidential rhetoric at the University of Pittsburgh, said about O 'Rourke's arms: "If they become too distracting, any idiosyncrasies perceived by the public is negative ". Nevertheless, Shuster added, "I do not do it." I do not think Beto wants to get away from who he is. Without a solid foundation, it will not get him anywhere. "
O'Rourke's passion, his youthful energy, is what inspired his base. His arms are a natural expression of his zeal. Shrum noted that Cory Booker is a dramatic gestator. Bernie Sanders' hands can also be as animated as his rhetoric. Elizabeth Warren is prone to short, waving hands.
As for O'Rourke's taunting by Trump, although the president may compete with a Queen's taxi driver in his penchant for manual ballistics, Shuster said: "The president may have tried to create the distraction purposely. It draws attention to the movement and the non-verbal rather than the message. For his part, Trump has upset the nonverbal playing field, much like he has almost everything else.
Experts point out that some of O'Rourke's actions in Iowa are not consistent with his speech. "He uses gestures that do not have a physical representation of what he's talking about. A fist, lowering your finger and pushing your hands down instead of lifting, has almost exactly the same effect as what he's trying to convey, "said Wood.
The problem with O'Rourke's appearances in Iowa, Goman explained, is that his actions too often go too far. "You start to look erratic," she says. "You should keep your actions lower than your shoulders. If I trained him, I would try to minimize his actions.
Ellis called O'Rourke's actions a measure of his enthusiasm. "It's an expression of his message. Anyone who remains perfectly calm and perfectly immobile should be excluded from any debate. "
"Maybe it will be the era of passionate gestures," Goman said. "I can not wait for the debates. It will become wild. "
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