KAMALA Harris is starting her campaign with power and confidence, a body language expert says as the vice president has made her first appearance since being endorsed for president by Joe Biden.
Biden withdrew from the presidential election Sunday afternoon in a shocking statement, later endorsing Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee.
Kamala Harris is appearing confident after being endorsed by Joe Biden for president, a body langugae expert saysCredit: Getty
The expert compared Harris’ body language to when she appears with BidenCredit: The Mega Agency
In a Monday White House event, Harris appeared to have a larger walking stride and was all smilesCredit: Alamy
Harris is seeking the Democratic nomination for presidentCredit: AFP
In her own statement, Harris thanked Biden for his endorsement and revealed she would be immediately launching her bid for the White House.
On Monday morning, the vice president spoke no further on the race as she made an appearance at the White House’s NCAA Sports Day.
Harris addressed the public at the event, sporting a trim black pantsuit and gray blouse.
Like past appearances, the vice president was all smiles and charismatic with the crowd.
Patti Wood, a non-verbal cue expert who has analyzed Harris’ body language for years, revealed the presidential hopeful excluded a strong confidence at the event.
Wood pointed to two main differences in the vice president’s body language that stood out compared to recent appearances alongside Biden:
- A longer stride when walking
- A longer arm swing
“Both of those things reveal confidence and a comfort in her power,” Wood said.
“And it’s particularly interesting to me because I’m also often analyzing her when she’s with President Biden. And so I believe a lot of times she restrains what is her more normal baseline of being a little bit broader, strider.
“Here she is confident and comfortable showing a little bit more power as she walks and even going against the baseline for how stereotypical females should walk and swing their arms.”
Wood explained that a person’s walk – particularly their stride – can reveal a lot about their emotional state as it is under the least amount of “conscious control.”
To analyze Harris’ non-verbal cues even further, Wood turned to the vice president’s hands.
She explained that, unlike many politicians, Harris does not have a traditional handshake for every encounter.
Instead, Harris is known for changing and adapting her greeting depending on the situation, sometimes using one or both hands.
On Monday, the vice president was spotted giving a quick up-and-down handshake before making her address.
“That tells me she wants to go quickly into the speech,” Wood said.
“She’s confident going into the speech, she doesn’t want to delay or linger. She wants to go straight into it, which is another indication of excitement or confidence level.”
Similarly, Harris appeared to be holding her hands at a resting state slightly higher than usual.
“She’s lifting it slightly and lifting upward,” Wood said of Harris’ hands clasped together.
“Just lifting is an indication of joy and happiness.”
Finally, Wood looked to the vice president’s face for any indication of fear or hidden emotion as Harris set her sights on the White House in a sudden campaign.
During Monday’s event, Harris sported a big smile with her eyes narrowing out the cheek, which Wood called a “true smile.”
“I’m very conscious of the little reveals in a smile that can say it’s forced or it’s pasted,” Wood said, saying Harris’ smile was “liquid and moved.”
“So, that tells me she’s not having – there’s not a negative emotion underneath that she’s protecting or hiding.”
During the NCAA White House event, Harris did not speak on her campaign but reflected on Biden’s accomplishments as president.
“Our president, Joe Biden, wanted to be here today. He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road,” Harris said of the president, who is recovering from COVID-19.
“And I want to say a few words about our president. Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishments over the past three years is unmatched in modern history.
“In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office.”
She went on to praise Bidne further before directly addressing the young athletes.
“You remind us what can be achieved with hard work and ambition,” Harris said to the students.
ROAD TO THE BALLOT
While Biden has put his endorsement behind Harris, the vice president still has a big hill to climb to clinch the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Harris must secure support from nearly 4,000 delegates and 700 superdelegates to name her nominee.
If chosen, several names have been floated as a potential vice president to run with Harris in November including Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has already begun to criticize Harris, claiming she will be “easier” to beat than Biden.
As Harris’ campaign gets underway, Biden insisted Monday evening that he is “not going anywhere.”
The president made a guest appearance via phone as Harris spoke at the Democratic campaign headquarters.
“I’m so proud of what you’ve all done,” Biden said.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he continued.
“I’m hoping you’ll give every bit of your heart and soul that you gave to me to Kamala,” Biden said.
