Nonverbal Often Worth 1,000 Debate Words

A Long Sigh, A Peek At A Watch, A Five O'clock Shadow: Expert Explains How Appearance, Gestures Can Tip Scales

(CBS)  The very first televised presidential debate brought the first striking example of how candidates' words can be overshadowed by their appearance or gestures -- of how imagery counts. A lot.

As the nation waited to see whether John McCain showed up for his first scheduled debate with Barack Obama Friday night, political consultant Laura Schwartz pointed out to Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith that it was 48 years ago to the day when the young, handsome John F. Kennedy took on Richard Nixon.

Nixon had a five o'clock shadow, and a shirt that didn't fit.

He'd had knee surgery a month before and, Schwartz explained, "had dropped 20 pounds. He showed up at the debate, refused makeup, looked pale, looked pasty, and had an ill-fitting shirt from losing that weight. He didn't get a new shirt. So, it's really important. That shows you're healthy. It shows you're out there to compete."

In the end, said Schwartz, "Those listening on the radio said Nixon won and those watching, the 70 million, said Kennedy won. So, a lot of lessons were learned from that very first debate."

And, says Schwartz, it changed the way candidates prepare for the sessions. They use "briefing books (prepared a month in advance) about every issue and every talking point and every solution they've offered, everything from what the other candidate has been saying about it... not only what you need to say, but be prepared for what they have to say.

"But it's not just about what you say. It's how you say it, and how you look when you say it. They will be practicing under the big bright lights because, tonight, 90 minutes -- that's endurance, endurance under bright lights and under pressure."

It's estimated the first Obama-McCain debate could draw 100 million viewers and set a record, if it happens, Schwartz noted.

Then she looked back at a famous moment in the 1992 debate among President Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot.

It was the first televised town hall-format debate and, Schwartz recalled, Mr. Bush was asked a question about the recession. He was told by an audience member about its personal impact, "and he looked at his watch, he looked bored. He looked out of touch. And his polling went down the next day."

The first debate in 2000 between Mr. Bush's son, George W. Bush, and Al Gore is still remembered for a long, deep Gore sigh, and Gore rolling his eyes. "He claimed he didn't know the camera would get his reactions, but they certainly did," Schwartz said. "So, in preparing for the next debate, his staff sat him down and made him watch the 'Saturday Night Live' parody of himself to see how much these things get rooted in pop culture."

[robert2237]

Neither one in the debate were that great so it was a non-grader as far as I am concern.

[robert2237]

edabel2- Yes Republicans are totally against the bill as written and as requested by Bush, not only have the Dems. filled this thing up with so much pork it is giving the same companies and orgaz. such as ACORN a bonus for *** up. I know something has to be done but lets not 1 Reward the ones who screwed up. 2 give money out to things like ACORN since we know that money is going to be used to loan to someone else who is not able too make the payments and then is a year or so we will be buying that loan back. 3 Son''t allow these companies to get away with not paying this money back. We need some type of extra tax on the companies that take this money so the debt can be paid back this way the tax payers are not having to pay it. 4 This bill should have no pork at all in it none. I understand it has already been filled with money going to the Dems. favorite non effective vote getting org.

[jab232]

Everybody''s going to respond according to whom they support. Both men showed themselves capable of being president. To me the most important fact in the whole race doesn''t have anything to do with the debate. It has to do with vice presidential candidates. I find Palin really scary. I think McCain used terrible judgment to choose her rather than one of the other really qualified women in the Republican party. Jack Cafferty is right. Sarah Palin gave Couric the most empty headed answers I''ve ever heard any candidate for president or vice president ever give. We are facing the worst economic crisis since 1929, two wars, terrible conditions for working people and so much more. Both candidates on both tickets should be qualified to serve. The assassination of John F. Kennedy shows that every president is at risk, no matter the age. The vice president does matter.

[jab232]

Everybody''s going to respond according to whom they support. Both men showed themselves capable of being president. To me the most important fact in the whole race doesn''t have anything to do with the debate. It has to do with vice presidential candidates. I find Palin really scary. I think McCain used terrible judgment to choose her rather than one of the other really qualified women in the Republican party. Jack Cafferty is right. Sarah Palin gave Couric the most empty headed answers I''ve ever heard any candidate for president or vice president ever give. We are facing the worst economic crisis since 1929, two wars, terrible conditions for working people and so much more. Both candidates on both tickets should be qualified to serve. The assassination of John F. Kennedy shows that every president is at risk, no matter the age. The vice president does matter.

[aladdin49]

To dragonflydu - it''s a pity you couldn''t read the book with a little bit of empathy. Coming from a bi-cultural family, I understand exactly what he had to do. He''s has come out of it very balanced and knowing exactly who and what he is. It''s a pity we can''t say the same about everyone.

[flreason]

Posted by dragonfly4u

You are taking snippets out of context from the autobiography of how a man came to terms with both his white American and black African heritage. Barak Obama''s honest self journey is a snapshot of various times in his life. No intelligent person stays stagnant. They move and change. Obama had no contact with his African heritage while growing up. In order to be a whole person, and to deal with the racism he encountered because of his color, his journey of discovery was necessary. Obama is a man who can move comfortably in two worlds. He has chosen to embrace both, rather than reject one. That speaks well of both his intelligence and his maturity.

[wapotank]

What the media didn''t want you to know!

Obama''s own words:

From Dreams of My Father: ''I ceased to advertise my
mother''s race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing
so I was ingratiating myself to whites.''

From Dreams of My Father : ''I found a solace in
nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother''s
race.''

From Dreams of My Father: ''There was something
about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And
white.''

From Dreams of My Father: ''It remained necessary
to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses,
to strike out and name names.''

From Dreams of My Father: ''I never emulate white
men and brown men whose fates didn''t speak to my own. It was into my
father''s image, the black man, son of Africa ,( he lies here he has no
African roots he is Arab!!) that I''d packed all the
attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, Du Bois and Mandela.''

Now this is the change the Dems bring!!

[Ed Abelia]

Republicans against bailout details.

Democrats are pushing a bailout deal that puts 20% of the money into the troubled Acorn housing organization. This is pure pork by democrats.

The deal that%u2019s on the table now is not a very good deal. Twenty percent of the money that should go to retire debt that will be created to solve this problem winds up in a housing organization called ACORN that is an absolute ill-run enterprise, and I can%u2019t believe we would take money away from debt retirement to put it in a housing program that doesn%u2019t work.