McCain/Palin: How Close Is Too Close?

(CBS)  There's been an abundance of buzz surrounding Sarah Palin's addition to the Republican ticket.

And, reports CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano, some people are taking note of way John McCain embraces her. Literally.

They've been campaigning together across the country and, at every event, there's a possible awkward moment: Should they hug? Kiss on the cheek? "Air kiss"? Shake?

When Walter Mondale ran for president in 1984 with Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, they never touched. The closest they got was standing side-by-side, with both raising their arms in the air as they waved.

Of course, times were different then.

But when Palin appeared with McCain at the GOP convention, she got a hug.

Etiquette experts say it was a gesture made for TV.

"What McCain was communicating through his body language to all of America," says Jodi R.R. Smith of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, "was that he embraced Sarah Palin.

The two have hugged at many events since.

But could a warm hug get a politician in hot water?

"If his hugs are a little bit too enthusiastic," says Washington Post columnist Sally Quinn, "I think it's not going to appeal to people, and I think it's particularly not going to appeal to his wife."

Some have wondered if Cindy McCain is uncomfortable, not only with the hugs, but with her husband introducing Palin before her, as he did at the first post-convention rally, in Cedarburg, Wis., last Friday. John McCain started by sending accolades Palin's way for her rousing speech at the convention, with Cindy standing right there. Then, and only then, did he mention Cindy, and her speech top the convention -- then moved right on to his own words for the crowd at the rally.

That hasn't happened again. By the end of that first day, at another rally, McCain was already mentioning Cindy first.

"I think she and the people around her said something to him," Quinn surmises, "that he looked like he was pting Sarah Palin first, and that might not play well to other women. ... I think there was some pillow talk, and I think Cindy McCain said, 'I'm No. 1 here.' "

Now, Solorzano points out, for every hug he gives his running mate, there's a kiss for his wife.

Displays of affection in politics can easily go too far, she notes. Take, for instance, Al and Tipper Gore's long kiss on the mouth at the Democratic convention in 2000.

And this year's Democrats haven't been without their awkward moments, such as the half-hug between Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton in their initial post-primaries appearance together in Unity, N.H. in June., or Obama's kissing Jill Biden, Joe's wife, on the mouth at this year's Democratic convention.

So, says Solorzano, while the handshake hasn't gone out of style, it seems the game of politics appears to have become more touchy-feely.

And etiquette experts agree that, in the business world -- and in politics -- the senior-level employee should always initiate the contact, whether it's a handshake or a hug.

And, Solorzano concludes, when in doubt -- go with the fist bump!

[avusmc]

What it is true, is the insane injection buy the republican GOP about family values and sarah is in total denial, It seems to me Sarah Palin did not put into her daughter a sense of values so that when she was old enough to make choices on her own,
and that she would make the right choices.

All we are in life is the result of what we choose and the consequences or rewards of our choices . Now you got a 17 year old girl in the national stage pretending that getting pregnant before marriage is not an error in judgment and that families values at best is last.

The family values that Palin and the republican party is injecting into 14,15,16,17 years old girls in America is insane. When you allow insane people to lead you and you say nothing and do nothing,
then you deserve the results of their insanity.

[mabourn]

What do all of these statements have in common?? They were all posted today Sept. 11 in response to various articles on CBS. What does it say about us as Americans if people have nothing better to do than post this stuff on a day when the country is remembering the thousands that died on 911. Spirited debate is one thing... but this is just embarrassing. You should all be ashamed.

-We call Palin Trailer Trash, because, well, she is....
-TundraBilly Barbie/McWho? 08! All the JaysusBillies are praying for McWho? to die now?
-If I were a Messiah Barbie/McWho? partisan, I ''''d be worried that the End Times were coming and that I had my Left Behind Books with me
-Obama is the disgraceful Pig... with Lipstick on the Bu-tt
-The lipsticked pig has gone back to her home wallow. I hear they have nice mud in Alaska.....
-Here''''s the sound coming from Alaska today..."Oink, Oink."
-Palin: Lipstick on a fascist.
-Obama is lucky that he is supported by Many Self-Hating & Low Self-esteem White Liberals... and Blacks who thought Obama was "really" a Black.
-Getting a religious extremist on the ticket was just what the doctor ordered. Hopefully she gets her orders from a different God than W.
-The rotten hypocrite *** and her sidekick McBush will be exposed soon enough for their lies.

[chyenna-2009]

CBS, shame on you. Did you get this news from the Enquirer or Globe. Tabloid trash talk. However, Obama kissing Biden''s wife on the Lips, that crossed the line. Hugs are good, kissing another man''s wife on the lips is WRONG! Draw the line, hugs only. As far as Cindy is concerned, are there not people to tell her where to stand? She''s not the one running for VP. Stay in the back. Smart though for McCain to kiss his wife after hugging Mrs. Palin. I would like my President and Vice President to like each other and being on the same page.

[jamesarmet]

This story just shows how far this campaign has deteriorated into the ridiculous. The nation has been at war for seven years, the economy is a mess, the deficit is skyrocketing, the national debt is unfettered, our highways and bridges are collapsing, our army is stretched too thin and all the press has to report on is if two candidates are hugging too much! Absolutely ridiculous

[youer7654321]

Remember McCain cheated on his first wife, and his second wife who was on the same drugs she stole. He is but another step to take poor and middle class people in the US down at the expense of all to maintain their richness. He cheated them and he will cheat you as he is so ordered by a select. They do not understand, that if they cheat any portion of thier Society, they cheat themselves, as what has happen with the US economy under Bush.

[precisionmar]

This is the most assinine and sexist article. I am an Obama supporter, but how low have we sunk as seemingly intelligent adults when we talk about the anatomy of a hug by two political candidates. Where''s the substantive talk about issues, the difference in platforms, the facts? Hugs, ***, lipstick on a pig or a pitbull...is this junior high or a national presidential election?

[mrpete67]

oh wow!! now ya can''t hug, because the early morning crotch sniffers get their depends all wet.i guess if ya ain''t down on them knees doing the commiecrat salute of polishing nobs.your against them!!!!!!!!!!!

[roach9703]

Give me a break Puritans! Sarah Palin really can not win with you Washington hpyocrates ( you know the demo kind ), can she?
You are is in *** because she is not paying attention to you, ego fed, self-centered,pompous, psuedo intellectuals. CBS for inquiring minds need to know, eh?

[jerry73505]

If anyone had noticed, after the first time Sarah and John were together, Cindy McCain was diplaying a lot of uncomfortable body launguage. Cindy wasn''t sure where to stand and kept trying to adjust without being so obvious. Saeah was also doing the same. I have noticed that lately Cindy has not been with them. I was a govermaent employee in management and making contact with female co-workers or subornates was strictly off limits. Sen.John McCain need to tone it down before he find himself in a place he does not want to be. OR, maybe his enhancers are working overtime. Just saying...

[caldwellptr]

Didn''t McCain advise Cindy to go topless?