On Friday on Meet The Press, Chuck Todd interviewed Representative John Lewis (D - GA). A transcript of a portion of that conversation is as follows:
Todd: "You have, ah, forged relationships with many presidents. Do you plan on having a relationship with Donald Trump?"
Lewis: "You know I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. Ah, it's going to be hard, it's going to be difficult. I don't see this President Elect as a legitimate president."
Todd: "You do not see him as a legitimate president."
Lewis: "I, I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. Ah, I don't plan on attending the inauguration. It will be the first one that I miss, ah, since I've been in the Congress. You cannot be at home with something that you feel that you feel that is wrong."
Todd: "That's going to send a big message to a lot of people in this country - that you don't believe he's a legitimate president."
Lewis: "I think there was a conspiracy on the part of the Russians and others that helped him get elected. That's not right. That's not fair. That's not - the open democratic process."
As Representative Lewis said, "I don't plan on attending the inauguration", he retracted his head and torso and his blinking duration became prolonged.
Later in this same exchange as John Lewis said, "I think there was a conspiracy on the part of the Russians ...", he once again retracted his head, neck and torso.
Summary: From a nonverbal perspective Representative Lewis' "pulling back" with his upper body is a form of distancing behavior signaling his disgust and a repulsed emotional tone.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2817: President Obama Awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to Joe Biden
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2815: Donald Trump's first Press Conference as President-Elect
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2812: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone & La La Land - Backstage Interview Golden Globes 2017
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3799: Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia - Full Lips and Lip Pursing
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3557: How Megyn Kelly really feels regarding Bill O'Reilly
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3696: Jimmy Kimmel's 2016 Emmys Opening Monologue - Sarah Paulson brought Marcia Clark
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3622: Theresa May's First Speech as Prime Minister
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3441: Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Interview regarding Flint's Water Crisis - Is He Being Honest and Sincere?
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