Body Language Analysis No. 4015: Reince Priebus' First Post-Resignation Interview - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

The above video is an excerpt from Reince Priebus' first interview after his resignation on Thursday as the White House Chief of Staff. Mr. Priebus' body language signals are worthy of examining. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a crucial portion of his exchange with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

REINCE PRIEBUS (Beginning at 0:44): "...One other thing - I'm always going to be a Trump fan, I'm on 'Tream Trump', ahum, and, I look forward to helping him achieve, ah, his goals and his agenda for the American people."

WOLF BLITZER: "But why did you resign? I'm still, ah, I'm still trying to understand. I, I underst- stand that you told the President you wanted to resign, he accepted your resignation yesterday, but why? What were there a series of issues? Was there one thing that one thing that came up and se-,  and you decided, you know what, I no longer can do this?"

Just after Reince Priebus says, "...One other thing - I'm always going to be a Trump fan, I'm on 'Tream Trump', ahum, and, I look forward to helping him achieve, ah, his goals and his agenda for the American people" - his nostrils momentarily flare (0:57).

Reince Priebus' stuttering and his mispronunciation of "Team Trump" as "Tream Trump", is a signal of his anxiety, low confidence, and low emotional comfort. Given the fact that he was essentially forced into resigning, his beta behavior is contextual and "leaks" out during this television interview.

Mr. Priebus' nostril flaring at the very end of his statement, signals a significant adrenaline surge and further signals the "leaking" of his true emotions. This is analogous to an over-boiling pot - momentarily pushing its lid off.

As Wolf Blitzer says, "... I, I underst- stand that you told the President ...", Reince Priebus displays a "Tight Tongue Jut" coincident with an extended blink (1:02). Note this signal came just after Blitzer said, "But why did you resign?"

A tight tongue jut (not to be confused with a loose tongue jut) signals emotions of strong distaste, disdain, and being repulsed by a thought, an action, person, group of people, etc. This is a clear signal that Mr. Priebus did not at all want to resign.

If you've ever fed an infant creamed asparagus or any other food they didn't want - it's no coincidence that their tongue behaves in this exact same manner.

During 1:03, simultaneous with Mr. Blitzer saying, "... that you told the President you wanted to resign ...", Mr. Priebus immediately segues into an "Inward Lip Roll" (ILR).

An inward lip roll is the psyche's attempt at both suppressing strong emotions from appearing on one's face as well as also preventing crescendoing internally.

As Blitzer says, "... you wanted to resign, he accepted your resignation yesterday, but why?", Priebus displays a Hard Swallow (1:04) - which is a non-specific signal of anxiety.


Summary:

Although considered by many to not be a very effective White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus was forced into resigning - and it was not act of his free will. As with anyone else in a similar situation, and very much contradictory to his verbal statement - he very much resents this and has disdain for the person or persons who precipitated his leaving the West Wing.


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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4014: Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Donald Trump, and Healthcare

Body Language Analysis No. 4011: Anthony Scaramucci's First UK Interview

Body Language Analysis No. 4009: Donald Trump regarding Jeff Sessions - "Time Will Tell"

Body Language Analysis No. 4007: Donald Trump, Robert Mueller, and Anthony Scaramucci's First Press Conference

Body Language Analysis 3988: Kim Jong-un, ICBMs, False Joy, and Fake Laughter

Body Language Analysis No. 3976: Bill Conner bicycles 1,400 miles to hear his daughter's beating heart again

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3911: Simone Biles gets Pranked on "Ellen"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3885: Vogue's 73 Questions with Selena Gomez

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3860: Ian McKellen, The Oscars and a spot-on Maggie Smith Impression


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3593: What does Tulsi Gabbard think about Hillary Clinton? - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

In response to a question yesterday, Representative Tulsi Gabbard displayed an excellent example of a subtle microexpression of disgust.

Beginning at 0:16 in the above video segment, Wolf Blitzer asks, "So you - endorsing Hillary Clinton for the nomination? Are you - "

Tulsi Gabbard [over-talking]: "I'm not, I'm not prepared ..." [microexpression of disgust]

Blitzer: [over-talking] "Are you in her camp yet?"

Gabbard: "I'm not prepared to do that ..."

Just after the first occasion she says the word "prepared" (during 0:20), Rep. Gabbard displays a microexpression of disgust. The former vice-chair of the DNC, who resigned this post earlier this year in order to endorse Bernie Sanders is exhibiting the emotion of disgust at prospect of endorsing Secretary Clinton for President.

In addition to her disgust displayed via the microexpression, Tulsi's coexisting increased frequency and prolonged duration of her blinking - along with her head-neck-torso retraction are disgust amplifiers.

Of course this is but one of the many nonverbal displays seen in this short video. What other significant body language signals did you see?

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. 3592: Gary Johnson, The Libertarian Party and Beta Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3580: Muhammad Ali, Donald Trump, Repulsion and Body Language 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3574: Selena Gomez's Body Language Reaction to Fans in Montreal 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3531: Helen Mirren, Subways, Sincerity, Empathy and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3510: Lindsey Graham - The Senator Picks His Poison: Ted Cruz vs. Donald Trump

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3500: Gal Gadot's last name used to be "Greenstein" 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3385: Adele, "Hello" and SNL

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3362: Marco Rubio and Alleged Misuse of State Party Credit Card

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1770: White House Correspondents' Dinner Lindsay Lohan's Body Language

 

Over the weekend, at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, comedian Jimmy Kimmel put on a fantastic show. Before the festivities began though (and Jimmy picked on Ms. Lohan and Kim Kardashian, among numerous others), many of the celebrities were interviewed. In this brief video, I want to contrast the body language of Lindsay Lohan (whom we don't hear, and is visible in another interview in the background) with Wolf Blitzer, the longtime CNN News anchor. 

Ms. Lohan appears at the 1:32 - 1:34 mark in a low-confidence, low-comfort fig leaf (aka genital guarding) configuration. While there are a few times this body language should be displayed e.g. in respect/deference & religious type settings, this is not one of them. It's not the way to attract quality leading lady scripts.

See also:

Secret # 415: When is it Appropriate for a President to Stand in the "Fig Leaf"?

Secret # 1563: Geithner and Holder - In Deference to the President

Secret # 441: Bill Clinton's Rapport and His Temporary Universe

Secret # 517: Respect for Vaclav Havel

Secret # 593: Projecting and Detecting Confidence

Secret # 10: High Confidence vs. Low Confidence Stance

Secret # 14: High Confidence and Low Confidence Drivers - Arms Akimbo & Assertive Attitudes

During the 1:35 - 1:36 segment, Lindsay displays a "Hair Adjust Behind Ear" nonverbal. This is a classic MAP (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier) indicating anxiety - and this specifically with the HABE, the psyche is calling upon inner reserves to "dial-up" her alpha qualities. She's trying to be more assertive and more confident in the midst of, what for her is, an anxiety moment. 

See also:

Secret # 411: Dialing Up Her Alpha - Dana Perino

Secret # 1459: Geithner Gets His Alpha On

Secret # 345: Dialing Up Her Alpha - Sharon Bialek

During the 1:37 - 1:45 segment, the actress rubs her left arm with her right hand. This is another MAP and is a clear indicator of anxiety. Ms. Lohan is trying to comfort herself.

During the remainder of her time in this video, 1:45 - 2:03, the former child-star once again reverts back to the low confidence fig-leaf.

Blitzer, the long-time CNN anchor, uses the political-point (loose okay sign) to indicate confidence and rapport-building authority very well. His palm opens up to a relaxed-hand vertical and 45 degree-palms up configuration, indicating openness and confidence - another great illustrator of confidence and rapport. Note also that Wolf uses his "Thumbs-up" to point at Brooke Baldwin and Brianna Keilar (she displays a sincere smile at the 1:32 mark) - and thus exhibits both the very positive universal emblem of optimism (thumbs-up) while avoiding the forefinger (index finger) point which is highly offensive and rapport destroying the World over.

See also:

Secret # 1995: Barack Obama, Social Darwinism and the Political Point

Secret # 441: The Political Point - How Not to Use it

Secret # 515: Huntsman's Political Point (C+), Skeptical Eyebrow and Facial Tension

Secret # 1553: Ann's & Mitt Romney's Body Language at NRA Meeting

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1019: Gingrich's Hands - Low Confidence and High Confidence Tells

Newt Gingrich, who during the Republican Debates, consistently has exhibited the best body language skills - at least as far as hand gestures are concerned, gives us a great example here of the contrary. Newt signals to us plenty of lower confidence - and then recovers to a higher confidence state - during this one-on-one interview with Wolf Blitzer. The first 42 seconds, the former Speaker's hands can't be seen, however throughout the next two minutes or so of this video, Newt uncharacteristically exhibits quite a bit of hand-wringing - which is strongly consistent with a higher anxiety and lower confidence emotional tone. When such subjects as the super PACs, the caucuses/primaries in Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada and Florida are mentioned - Newt's hand wringing is very evident.

At the 2:14 mark however, when Newt says, "... I think after tonight you'll see this is a wide open race...", he transforms to a low steeple gesture, which is a signal of high confidence and therefore a momentary drop in his anxiety level. After a brief relapse of hand wringing, he low steeples once again (2:22 - 2:30) when he references Governor Rick Perry. Interestingly though, when The Speaker later references the Texas Primary (April 3) - he wrings his hands yet again - indicating that he believes his chances of winning that State's Primary, or perhaps of pulling even in the delegate count (which he also speaks of) with Governor Romney by that date, are not good - despite his words to the contrary.

In the last portion of this interview, when Mr. Gingrich speaks about the idea of a Lincoln-Douglas style debate, he again displays the low steeple and his thus his confidence, particularly in his debate skills.

It is important to emphasize, that I'm not suggesting that Newt should have steepled throughout this or any interview or debate. Steepling should be performed only occasionally and for a few seconds at time. Most politicians steeple too much - and thus transmit feelings of arrogance and condescension. Rather, this video is a great example of how rapid changes in hand gestures can give us tells of a person's confidence levels - and how these correlate with equally dynamic subject changes/speech.

See also: Secret # 1093: When NOT to be Alpha

See also: Secret # 901: The Over-used Steeple - Backfire in Berlin

See also: Secret # 277: The Conventional Steeple - Use it on Rare Occasions - and in Small Doses

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