Week 8: On Debate Analysis

This week, initially wanting to compile a single video with snippets of the “most memorable moment” from each debate, I realized that such was not practical as I would want to analyze the clips individually. So, I put together a powerpoint with every election significant moment, and analysis for the town hall debates. I approached my advisor to ask him what he would think the most prominent body language headline would be for the 1996 and 2004 debates. He informed me that the 1996 debate was largely unconflicted, so we still struggled to find a headline. For 2004, my advisor informed me of George Bush’s tailor’s pucker and the headlines regarding speculation around the bulge: how people thought he was possibly hiding a radio transmitter to receive guidance from his aides etc. My advisor told me of the significance of wardrobe distractions and the possibility of avoiding wardrobe mishaps that would potentially “become the story” and distract from the message. However, I have yet to relate this to body language.

In addition, we complied our analysis of the 1992 and 2000 presidential debates. For 1992, the main "take-away" was that it was "all about the voter" as Clinton was successful in engaging with speaking directly to the voters. We reasoned that the candidates could potentially ask themselves, "what does my body language demonstrate about my leadership?" Town hall debates are opportunities for candidates to enact their governance as how candidates engage with the audience is an insight as to how they will communicate with supporters and interact with voters.

Regarding the 2000 debate, the main "take-away" was "managing proximity" as Al-Gore abruptly encroached into Bush's personal space. We reasoned that town hall debates provide candidates with an unusual setting, and it is up to the candidates to decide how close they should get to their opponent. Violating an opponent's personal space has the potential to be powerful, but we have not yet seen it executed n an effective way.

In addition, the body language headline for the 2008 debate was regarding McCain's wandering, but I was having trouble finding a video clip that demonstrated this. To solve this, I plan on watching the 2008 debate in hopes of acquiring a snippet that emphasizes this paces. Also, in the coming days, I plan on completing the analysis for the remaining debates.