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Across The Media Universe: Media Critics Without Undergarments Edition

By Hillary Profita

January 5, 2007 / 1:45 PM EST / CBS News

(CBS)

Adventures In On-The-Record Body Language: The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire took note of yesterday's White House Press Briefing, which included an interesting non-verbal message from Press Secretary Tony Snow in response to speculation about John Negroponte's appointment as deputy secretary of state. From the briefing:

Q Do you want to comment -- there's speculation that the reason that Mr. Negroponte is going to move over to State is because Dr. Rice will leave in several months and that he's in a position to take over. Do you want to say anything about it?

MR. SNOW: No. But let me just -- let me try to do this. This will be some subtle body language that should help you on this. You ready? (Head and eye roll.) (Laughter)

The Journal's John McKinnon described the move as "a kind of full-body expression of dismissiveness."

Cheers To A Back-Rub Free 2007: In other public-display-of-awkward-body-language news, McKinnon also takes note of the final denouement of President Bush's awkward much YouTubified moment with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last summer "in which he squeezed her shoulders from behind at a summit of world leaders, causing her to recoil visibly in surprise." At the end of their appearance on Thursday at the White House, Bush told reporters: "No back rubs."

Britney Spears, Media Critic: Finally, today's notable media criticism comes from Britney Spears, recently maligned for her much publicized, and incidentally, profound lack of undergarments. CBSNews' The Showbuzz reports that a message on her Web site argues thusly: "The media has criticized my every move and printed a skewed perception of who I really am as a human being." She adds,"I know I've been far from perfect and the media has had a lot of fun exaggerating my every move, but I want you all to know that I love my fans so much, and I appreciate everything you have done for me, so Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" No, Britney, thank you.