Drew Weston and TJ Walker break down the Biden vs. Palin debate. Polling showed Biden leading 51% to 36% among viewers. They analyze body language, from Palin's winking to Biden's emotional moment, and how men and women reacted differently.
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Welcome back to the Most Politics in the morning. New poll numbers just out this morning. 51% who saw the debate say that they felt Joe Biden won, compared to 36% for Sarah Palin. But it wasn't just the candidates answers that voters were listening to. Body language, facial expressions, all of it can have a big impact on the overall feeling they get from a candidate. Drew Weston is the author of the Political Brain. And TJ Walker is a body language and media consultant and the Author of over 50 books and CDs, including media training A to Z. Good morning to both of you. Thanks for being with us this morning.
Good morning.
All right, Drew, let me start with you. Overall, how did you think the candidates did?
Well, I think that Sarah Palin passed the George Bush competence test. You know, I think she. She was above the threshold of. She didn't make any major gaps, and that was a. That was a positive for her. I think Biden came out as the Biden who came out in the Democratic debates. This was his, probably his strongest performance. He was comfortable. He didn't have any trouble with the gender issue with her, yet he was very comfortable with attacking the bush administration and McCain in particular.
And TJ when you go to read body language, there was a lot going on there. But both of them, as they were delivering their lines and criticizing each other, had smiles all over their face.
They both came across as relaxed. Palin, especially, did not look scared like she did in earlier interviews this week. She didn't have any of those moments when she looked like the kid who was asked, what did you think of that homework assignment? And she looked confident, comfortable, and much more relaxed.
And Drew, I want to play something that struck a chord with you. This is when Senator Biden spoke about the difficulties of being there for your children as a single parent. He got a little bit choked up. Let's take a look.
The notion that somehow, because I'm a man, I don't know what it's like to raise two kids alone. I don't know what it's like to have a child you're not sure is going to make it. I understand.
All right. And what we really wanted to see there, which we clipped away from, actually, was Sarah Palin's reaction. You felt that this was a missed opportunity for her.
Yeah, I thought it was a really strong thing for him. It wasn't obviously a planned moment, but it was one where in some ways, he kind of took motherhood away. He took parenthood away from her and really humanized himself in a way that that Obama and McCain didn't in the last debate. I thought her missed opportunity was her response to that. Kind of ignored what he just said and went straight into sort of political speak. And it seemed a little jarring to the ear.
It was abrupt. But again, overall, she came across quite well because she smiled and looked relaxed. Biden did a good job with his body language most of the time, but there were times when he was just scratching his face too often.
All right, I want to ask you about Sarah Palin as well, TJ in the smiling and the winking. I mean, since we've seen her five weeks ago on the national stage, these are some of her mannerisms. Does this work?
Well, to some people, the winking seems too cutesy, but other people find it endearing. I'll tell you what, nervous people don't do that. So to most people, it made her look more comfortable, more confident. Biden looked confident, too. The only place where I'd give him marks against him is a little too much scratching, playing with the face and when the camera wasn't on him and he went into sort of what looked like a scowl. But overall, he seemed comfortable and confident, had a pleasant smile, too.
And, Drew, as a psychology professor, you say that men and women look at Palin differently. How so?
Well, if you watch the dials last night, one of the most interesting things was she was supposed to shore up the female side of the ticket, and men were really responding to her. Among those independent men who were being dial tested in Ohio, it was the women, actually, who weren't responding to her, which was a really interesting phenomenon.
And TJ Advice to E's candidates going forward?
Well, they both have to continue doing the things they did. Well, Biden didn't make any gaffes, and Palin didn't look scared or surprised or startled or fail to answer any basic questions like what newspapers do you read?
All right. Well, I want to thank both of you for being with us with a unique take this morning. Drew Weston and TJ Walker. Thanks.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Coming up now in a minute to the top of the hour and breaking this morning, Wells Fargo is buying troubled Bank Wachovia for $15.1 billion in stock. On Friday, Citigroup Agree agreed to purchase Wachovia with government funds, but Wells Fargo made a higher bid with no federal funds.
