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Reading The Pictures: McCain Would Have Won ... If He Wasn't So Weird
My take on Friday night is captured by the second and last image in the NYT.com front page post-debate slide show.
What is stunning to me is how much the media and the nets are expressing reservations about McCain's performance when -- especially listening to clips of the debate on the radio -- I thought McCain was rhetorically more effective than Obama. What accounts for that, I believe, whether articulated explicitly or implicitly, is and was McCain's manner.
These images -- not so casually chosen, I believe -- account for a lot about the personality of McCain, particularly his capacity to relate to others.
The first shot picks up on the point made about McCain's lack of eye contact with Obama, which I agree stems from arrogant contempt. Driving home the contrast is Obama's eye contact with McCain, his physical embrace, and how Obama's overall approach, facial gesture included, actually conveys a paternal quality -- all the more noteworthy coming from the much younger Obama.
In spite of his didactic and sometimes ponderous debating style, I think Obama's performance -- pairing his widely noted emotional steadiness with instances in which he looked into the camera and spoke calmly to people at home -- conveyed a warmth and emotional dimensionality which departed markedly with the pique and emotional pinball quality of McCain.
This dynamics of the second shot are frankly devastating. The Obama's "familial tone" is natural to the point of mundane. This is in contrast to the daily campaign trail spectical of John and Cindy, and the frankly peculiar, relentless helicopter-like behavior Cindy exhibits toward John. What the photo most effectively and boldly captures, however, is the distance one senses from McCain not just toward Cindy, but -- at least from what I've observed -- from John toward everyone except daughter Meghan, his males buddies Lieberman and Graham, as well as the military vets he meets on the road. Of course, what the picture more easily nails is the odd, fidgety and hyperkinetic McCain who (and I feel the psychological dynamics of this go beyond any war-related injury) never knows quite what to do with his hands.
Overall, what I think the debate reflected and The Times photos captured -- especially, given McCain's better performance along most technical measures -- is how much Obama is more normal and Mac is more weird.
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(image 1: Doug Mills. image 2: Stephen Crowley. New York Times. Oxford, Mississippi. September 27, 2008)
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guess i watched a different debate.
i thought McCain was lost and lame.
and yes he looked absolutely creepy.
Obama rocked it. I was overall happy about the debate.
The moderator actually asked REAL questions.
"This is in contrast to the daily campaign trail spectical of John and Cindy, and the frankly peculiar, relentless helicopter-like behavior Cindy exhibits toward John. "
- What do you mean by "frankly peculiar, relentless helicopter-like behavior"? I have no idea what this could be. Please elaborate.
When I noticed that McCain would not look at Obama it struck me as fear. It reminded me of when my kids had done something wrong or lied and they wouldn't look me in the eye. There is something repulsively immature about McCain and it was so blatant in this first debate.
From Wikipedia
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
has a grandiose sense of self-importance
is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
believes that he or she is "special" and unique
requires excessive admiration
has a sense of entitlement
is interpersonally exploitative
lacks empathy
is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
sound like anyone in the photos?
But he's a Maverick. Not to worry,he's a Maverick.
If you call yourself a maverick, you're not.
~s~
-_- You had me iffy at the hands and then downright turned off at the last line. I never know what to do with my hands and am arguably quite quirky. Granted, I'm not running for president, but I resent those qualities being used as an insult.
Yes the war thing again---
McCain's not looking at Obama trashes McCain's repetitious accusations that if only Obama would have "engaged" with him in town halls, the campaign would not have been negative. If McCain can't/won't look at Obama, "engaging" in town halls certainly would be "weird."
Well said Annie!!!
It is stunning to me that you think McCain was rhetorically more effective than Obama. Pandering and repeating a script, including lies is only effective if one isn't actually listening. Obama continually had to set the record straight after McCain's ramblings and slams. McCain's behavior was inexcusable and decidedly UNpresidential.
I'll drink to that!
Agreed! But Shaw says he was listening in part to clips on the radio, and maybe he's getting hard of hearing. As one who has taught communication to college students, I believe that Obama was MUCH more effective rhetorically than McCain. I don't understand Mr. Shaw's judgment here at all.
Michael, youre perceptions are quite accurate. I'm a dance therapist and what I can tell you is that the body never lies. You (I) can tell you a person's entire life story from watching their body movements. McCain is not affectionate with his wife or children. He is only affectionate with his male buddies. His contempt for Obama was despicable. He should have showed some graciousness. This should serve as an example of McCain's inability to work with world leaders and his lack of diplomatic skills.
McCain does not have a warm relationship with his wife or family. He and Cindy lead separate lives. In other words he lacks emotional intelligence. Obama's emotional intelligence is very high. He loves and respects his wife and children; their is a lot of physical affection amongst them which is a sign of emotional health. I want a president who has a healthy relationship with his wife.
McCain is the one who is totally out of touch with the middle class and the working poor. He is the elitist. He's never known one day of financial hardship. He may be a war hero, but he is a very damaged man emotionally, who lacks sensitivity and grace. I don't want him near the oval office.
Of course he and Cindy lead separate lives; she's 20 years younger than John. She doesn't want a hug from him any more than Obama does.
So because I have ADHD and sometimes move erratically, that means that I don't love my family and by extension am emotionally ill? >.< That's what it sounds like you're saying. Sorry, but things aren't always quite that simple.
To rephrase slightly, I'm not upset about that it leads to you thinking he has low emotional intelligence. I'd probably agree (if nothing else, from personal experience, sharing some of those qualities). What I take offense to is the idea that, assuming he does, that means he's mentally ill, as well as the idea that it should be a disqualifier from the Oval Office. Previous presidents (including some quite good ones) are also thought to have been similar.
Speaking of images. Note the image with this HuffPost about the warm and natural relationship of Barack and Michelle, compared to the cold and distant relationship of John and Cindy. onehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathlyn-and-gay-hendricks/the-obama-relationship-a_b_128896.html
I kept dreaming up ways B H O could draw attention to how Ticky Mavericky wouldn't look at him
"John, I'm looking at you. I'm talking TO you. Look at me. Look at me. You were wrong"
It would have been devastating. I was a little deflated that he didn't do it.
I also wanted B H O to push his buttons. When he saw mcPOW getting agitated or fidgety, he should have got personal or taunted mcPOW. Cuz that is what the american people need to see, mcPOWs unhinged side. Also, I thought a little righteous thunder out of B H O would have been helpful. Just once, maybe, he should have thundered "THat is beneath you John mcPOW, you talk a big game about honor but you display very little on the campaign trail, and now you are spouting lies which would embarass your mother and goes against all the hi=falutin yammering you do.....etc."
DickTater (love the name!), I agree that McPow was being dismissive and rude but for Barack Obama to make a pointed remark about it would have been extremely risky. I think he should have, as well. Obama is a human being and deserves to be treated that way but the reality is had he demanded that basic respect, he would be branded - wrongly - as militant. Jittery on the fence voters would flee that. Obama cannot get righteously pissed off. I think that's up to his supporters.
Pinky2 makes a good point here. Although I agree with you in spirit, DickTater, Obama has to be careful not to appear to be an "angry black man" to all the white people in the country who fear black people.
The second picture, and your analysis of it remind me of the part of the debate where MCain blurted out (in a clearly "Oh Yaah" tone:
"Well How about this-" and proceeded to totally make up something obviously brand new to him that moment
( I'm afraid I forget whether it was on the bailout or the war),
to which Lehrer replied with some surprise- "are you telling me that you would..." seeming rather shocked by Mac's suddenly stated stance out of nowhere.
I havent seenanyone mention this yet on the news. Waiting to hear somebody else who caught it.
"the frankly peculiar, relentless helicopter-like behavior Cindy exhibits toward John"
This is particularly obvious in the 2nd picture to the extent that she looks like a marionette in idle, waiting for someone to pull her stings into action to follow McCain when he moves.
American doesn't like electing weird acting or weird looking candidates. I'm reminded of Buzz Lightyear's comment to Woody, in the movie Toy Story: "You're a sad, strange little man, and I you have my pity." You almost felt this sense of sympathy from Obama toward McCain, in deference, it seemed, to McCain's weak and quivery sounding voice, his "old man" posture, and his overall impression of physical feebleness. Maybe Obama learned that from Buzz, who never attacked Woody despite Woody's attacks on him (by insisting that Buzz was nothing but a toy), and eventually won him over ... that is, won us over.
Brilliant metaphor, Claude203.
As a Southern-born woman, I see the obvious signs of racism. McCain DOES NOT want to be the first white MALE to lose the Presidency to a bi-racial/two races/black and white MAN. His behavior ~ not looking at Senator Obama, not calling him by his first name, not greeting him with courtesy, not having the grace to walk halfway across the stage to greet Michelle Obama ~ all show the coded behavior of a redneck male showing the good 'ol boys that he's one of them.
As a woman who's lived for 15 years ~ happily ~ in Illinois, I was proud beyond words of my Senator who acted presidential. Senator Obama didn't take the bait of "What does Senator Obama think is rich?" (a trap for Senator Obama to mention McCain's 7 houses, foreign-made fleet of cars, etc. at which time McCain would've probably chastised him for talking about his wife's wealth and her father's hard-earned money and service in the military ad nauseum ~ Hello, John! You weren't drafted, buddy. You enlisted. Your choice.). I cannot wait to vote for Senator Barack Obama the minute the polls open for early voting! Join me!
I'm from NY and can not find one woman here voting McCain-as for his emotional intelligence- that may have come unglued in the war camp- but this should never ever translate into anything resembling a sympathy vote--- the American voter is too emotionally intelligent to fall for this-
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