Within the above video, there is a segment where U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch comments on her recent meeting with Bill Clinton at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport (during 0:53 - 1:01 and 1:05 - 1:09).
Many have emailed and inquired as to whether Loretta Lynch is being truthful. While this video segment has been truncated by ABC, from a nonverbal behavior perspective, Ms. Lynch was indeed telling the truth. There are no body language signals of deception.
There were however two microexpressions occurring simultaneously - one of contempt and another of anger.
Beginning at 1:06 as Ms. Lynch says, "... There was no discussion of Benghazi, no discussion of the state department emails ..."
Just as Ms. Lynch finishes saying the first "of" and continuing to the first part of the word "Benghazi" - there is an excellent example of a very brief lowering of the region between her eyebrows/upper portion of nose. This is indicative of one type of a microexpression of anger. Simultaneous with this we can also see a very short-lived curling up of her right lip and a contraction of the region above her right upper lip and below her right nostril. This is one variation of a microexpression of contempt.
We cannot say the precise reason for these emotions - they could have been for the reporter asking the question, the specific question he asked - or the way in which he asked it (perhaps including the body language he projected as well). Yet many would say most probably Loretta Lynch felt these emotions in response to the idea that anyone would insinuate that she was conducting herself in anything less than an ethical manner.
In retrospect, most (including Loretta Lynch and Bill Clinton) would say that this meeting was a bad idea. Many would also say that the appearance of impropriety sometimes may do just as much damage as true impropriety - at least from a public relations perspective. Political spin is of course running rampant - but for those interested in what Ms. Lynch's nonverbal behavior says here - she was telling the truth.
This website serves as an objective reference source for the science and art of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts – not to advance any political, religious or other agenda.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3607: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Dating Rumors and Body Language
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3474: Donald Trump, Handshakes and Narcissism
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3475: John Kasich Hugs a Supporter - Was He Sincere?
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3449: Natalie Portman's Hands
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3431: El Chapo, Sean Penn, an Interview and a Handshake
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3417: Freshman Mistakes and Faux Pas Abound
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2487: Chelsea Clinton's Beta Body Language - The Elevated Fig Leaf
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3333: Did Bill Clinton ask Donald Trump to Run for President?
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