The Way You Move

I love comparative stories about candidates that aren't all about policy. Which is odd, I suppose, since I'm such a policy hound. But I love it when a magazine or newspaper sticks a reporter in a room with experts about something — vocabulary, music, culture — and has those experts analyze all of the candidates on a side in turn. It happens every cycle and I never get tired of it.

So I was happy to read this article over at the Washington Post about the Democratic candidates and their body language. It starts off with a story about something that has long seemed impossible to me: Senator Clinton takes on Tim Russert over a question and how she wants to answer it, and wins. It isn't malarkey, but rather the stone truth, and they have the video to prove it.

Analysis of the other Democratic candidates is included, and they make the case that candidates' favorite issues are the ones that, when talking about them, make them look the best. We all know that to be true from our interpersonal relationships, but having someone point it out with video reference points is fun.

Mike Gravel is a friend of the show, but the analysis of his body language during that same debate is entertaining, if only for the zinger:

Scolding Clinton for a vote he claimed would lead to war with Iran, Gravel flings an arm in her direction. "You'd think that kind of forceful gesture would convey strength, but we're looking for a steady hand," says Neffinger. "And he's yelling already."