The Body Language of Political Bedfellows

The romance is obviously over. If John McCain could have gotten away with not hugging Sarah Palin on stage at the rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he certainly would have done so. His body language spoke loud and clear as they fake hugged: "Let's get this over with. You're the worst thing that ever happened to me. You're going to wind up being the reason I lose the presidency." It's hard to look like good buddies who plan to run the country together--or like the prom queen and her grandfather--when I can see plainly that they can barely stand next to each other without silent daggers shooting from their eyes.

It's a long way from the outright adoration McCain had for Palin at the Republican National Convention. His arms opened wide, his smile genuine. "Swoon, swoon. She makes me feel like a young buck. She's going to energize the base. And she's so hot!" In Hershey, the sweetness was gone. Holding hands, they stood as far apart as possible. I see it like the body language at the end of a marriage - in public the couple is pretending all is well, when at home the slamming doors say more than words.

We don't need to be told that there is a major strain between Palin and McCain's advisers, with one of his aides describing her as a "whack job" who is ignoring their advice. Even as McCain was saying "When two mavericks join up we don't agree on everything, but it's a lot of fun." What fun? His attempts to look convivial were as fake as the rhetoric in his campaign ads. Hey, the crowd hadn't come to see him anyway. The barracuda received the loudest cheers, and some of the audience left after she had spoken and before McCain began.

Seems the "diva gone rogue" is busily hoping McCain doesn't ruin her future career -- whatever that may be. Her body language speaks loudly as well: "I've got this old coot wrapped around my little finger. I'll put up with him a little while longer. . . until I get what I want."

If there's one thing I know based on observing their body language, there is no love lost between these two. It's all fake smiles, fake hugs, fake hand holding, and two people leaning away from each other -- as far away as they can get. Politics does indeed make for strange bedfellows.

Comments

[radnip]

She was using him. He was using her. Very (current) Republican - no charity, all ambition and selfishness.

[PetraD]

Hasn't this cliche play out over and over again. Some aging b movie actor trying to regain his youthful image marrying an unknown young actress that overshadows him and he become resentful that her star rise as his decline. How many times this happen? Problem for Sarah while some women succeed taken this coarse most do not and become has beens themselves.

[JBS]

Hopefully, she's well down the road to never was.

[WillCooney]

Sarah Palin is not a fool. From the beginning, when she attracted bigger crowds than he did, it became apparent she was laying the ground work for 2012. She realized that he had no real plans for anything and, was just a lot of bluster. Then, the sky fell in and she watched him go all herky jerky. The economy was obviously not his strong suit and, the war in Iraq fell way down on what was the biggest concern of Americans. Unfortunately for her, she will return to Alaska where her embarrasing performance on the national stage will see her popularity diminish and, she will not be reelected. After that, she may be approached by the right-wing, Christo-fascists, born-again Evangelicals to be their standard bearer however, by 2012, they will no longer be a major player in the GOP.

[justobserve]

Exactly! Once she saw that she drew bigger crowds and people left after her speech, she already had in her thinking "Palin-McCain Administration"! Unfortunately, she can only energize certain groups of people and those groups are dying. McCain-2008 and Palin: a double fraudulent act that even McCain-2000 would NOT approve of.

[cisco1]

I didn't see this scene on TV, but I can imagine! I have paid attention to Cindy McCain , and she seems to show a lot of stress and discomfort - I feel sorry for her!

[myersbug]

I have thought that from the beginning. If you watch how they hug or the looks. If you can watch when he nominated her. She turns and looks at him and is waiting for him to acknowledge her and he looks right past her. She turns and has a look on her face and says Thank you in a kind of different way. I don't want to say snide but kind of sarcastic in an off handed way. You can tell alot with body language and especially eyes. Also look behind them and watch the people sometimes they have strange expressions or aren't even listening to speech and talking to someone else. Every thing is a prop. I still wonder if it hadn't come out about the clothes if they would be given to Charity. I really don't believe it for a minute. And what about the kids clothes. Your going to tell them oh sorry we are taking the clothes now. They spend over $6000 on Choc. Elephants and wine glasses with Elephants for the Hopeful win. Please they are trying to play not only each other but everyone. Thankfully most are waking up and seeing them for what they are. They have performed like a C rated movie. If you have been watching Barack he has been in a continual A rated movie. His smiles travels to his eyes, that means a lot. You can see the sincerity.

[plex]

Well ... I must say that I am in complete agreement. When you see these two on the screen McCain's smile seems to be laced with tension ... almost as if he is grinding his teeth and not smiling. Great post!

[newme117]

No kidding! I saw that too, and figured he was really pissed at her for going rogue. But she's not thrilled with him either. Good observations!

[PatA]

For the Republicans......."Be careful what you wish for, you may get it"......"You don't always get what you want...but if you try, sometimes, you'll get what you need".....