Sunday, January 17, 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3437: Donald Trump Defends New York Values accusations from Ted Cruz - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)





In the most recent Republican debates (North Charleston, South Carolina on 14 January 2016), Ted Cruz said that Donald Trump represented "New York Values" - and "Not a lot of conservatives come out of Manhattan - I'm just saying."

In his response, Mr. Trump gained some praise for appearing, by some accounts, more diplomatic and presidential. Yet, if we analyze his response in more detail, we find sizable cracks and insincerity in his answer. 

At 0:02 in the above video, the businessman turned-politician says, ".... So - conservatives, actually, do, come out of Manhattan, including William F. Buckley and others - just so you understand. And, just so, and if I could, because he insulted a lot of people. I've had more calls on that - statement - that Ted made - and New York is a great place, it's got great people, it's got loving people, wonderful people. When the World Trade Center came down, I saw something that no place on Earth could have handled more beautifully, more humanely than New York.

You had two, one hundred [audience applause] - you had two, one hundred and ten story buildings come crashing down. I saw them come down. Thousands of people killed. And the clean-up started the next day and it was the most horrific clean-up probably in the history of doing this and in construction. I was down there. And I've never seen anything like it. And the people in New York fought and fought and fought. And we saw more death and even the smell of death - nobody understood it. And it was with us for months - the smell - the air .... And we rebuilt downtown Manhattan and everybody in the World watched, and everybody in the World loved New York and love New Yorkers and I have to tell you [index finger pointing at Ted Cruz] - that was a very insulting statement that Ted Made."






















1:11 - Microexpression of Disgust when Trump says, "... even the smell of death ..."





















And again at 1:15 as Mr. Trump says, "...  the smell - the air ..." we see another Microexpression of Disgust.


While it is certainly true that the smell of decomposing bodies is a very unpleasant - and most people, would indeed describe the smell as disgusting - it's the smell of death that is burned in Mr. Trump's emotional memory.  His nonverbal display in his answer is by far most expressive during this olfactory retelling. In his recounting of the events of 9/11 here, while he admired and complimented the people of New York, he expressed no sadness or empathy for those killed and injured or their families - either in words or with his body language. Rather, he immediately went into what made the most important impression on him - the smell of death and his associated disgust.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3436: Is Hillary Clinton Intimidated by Donald Trump?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3429: Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward met with Ammon Bundy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3423: Australia's Got Talent Promo

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 1841: Disgust in Response to Rep. Barney Frank's "Hoodie" Joke

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1496: Tiger Woods' Disgust & Biofeedback

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3301: Sarah Palin re: Bush vs. Trump regarding speaking Spanish - "When you're here, let's Speak American!"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3258: Hillary Clinton speaks out on "inaccuracies" of private email controversy

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3431: El Chapo, Sean Penn, an Interview and a Handshake

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