That Biden didn’t walk away was the biggest shock of the night and it was a surprise that he lasted the full 90 minutes, a body language expert said in her scathing assessment of last night’s presidential debate.
‘His hands were flapping, his voice sounded hoarse and he kept coughing in an attempt to clear it. His breathing sounded audibly poor and in his final speech he used short, shallow breaths that resembled gasping,” expert Judi James told MailOnline.
She said Biden’s vacillation and hesitation looked worst early in the debate and even hinted he might not make it to the end of his disastrous performance against Donald Trump.
“He would often stand and listen to Trump with his mouth open and his eyes round,” Ms. James said, adding that this gave him “a look of incomprehension” compared to Trump’s smug grin.
She also said that Biden’s fingers shook when he pointed at Trump during his clumsy speech, and that he therefore lacked authority.
‘Biden’s hands were flapping, his voice was hoarse and he kept coughing in an attempt to clear his voice. His breathing sounded noticeably poor and in his final speech he used short, shallow breaths that sounded like gasping,’ body language expert Judi James told MailOnline.
She said Biden’s vacillation and hesitation looked worst early in the debate and even hinted he might not make it to the end of his disastrous performance against Donald Trump.
She also said Biden’s fingers shook when he pointed at Trump during his clumsy arguments, preventing him from registering authority
Biden also showed “overt signs of anger” when Trump spoke about his son, as “his face contorted, turned white and pinched with anger,” the body language expert told MailOnline
At times, President Biden stared blankly into the camera or at his notes (photo) while Trump was speaking
Biden also showed “naked signs of anger” when Trump spoke about his son as “his face contorted, turned white and pinched with anger,” the body language expert told MailOnline.
The Democrat’s “signature wide, toothy grin” previously used to mock opponents in a debate turned out to be a “painfully asymmetrical” grimace, according to Ms James.
Miso Wei, another body language expert, told the New York Post Biden’s stiff shuffling to his podium during the debate was a testament to his advanced age.
“There’s no hiding how old he is from the way he talks,” she said. “And the way he is now – the shape his body is in now – there’s just no hiding how old he is.”
Ms Wei added about Biden’s performance: ‘I would like to encourage him [Biden] to pay attention to the moments when he is not talking, because when he is not talking, his facial expression opens up [and he] zones with wide open eyes.’
Meanwhile, Trump’s body language indicated that Biden’s comments about him as a “convicted criminal” who had “had sex with a porn star” fueled Trump’s anger, but he kept his emotions in check, James said.
She said the “porn star” comment “caused Trump’s smile to fade and his eyebrows to furrow as his outstretched lip pouted with his mouth open in an ‘O’ shape,” indicating “a state of aggressive arousal.”
“His rapid blinking rate indicated an internal adrenaline rush,” the body language expert added.
Ms James said Trump also wore a “smug smile” with his lips pursed, showing his anger at Biden midway through the debate as the sitting president spoke about Trump’s upcoming legal battle.
She explained that Trump’s “tongue licking the corner of his mouth suggested he was preparing for an open fight.”
The Democrat’s “trademark wide, toothy grin” previously used to mock opponents in debate turned out to be a “painfully asymmetrical” grimace, according to Ms. James.
Miso Wei, another body language expert, said of Biden’s performance: “I would encourage it [Biden] to pay attention to the moments when he is not talking, because when he is not talking his facial expression opens up [and he] wide-eyed areas
Body language expert Ms James said Biden appeared to walk off stage at any moment as he stuttered through the debate
Biden gave a disastrous performance, his hands appearing to shake as he fumbled with his words
Donald Trump remarked, “I don’t know what he said,” referring to Biden’s fumbles
Ms Wei said she would advise Trump against grinning while Biden speaks as it would “create a condescending tone”
The British body language expert also addressed Trump’s response to Biden’s mumbled arguments.
She said Trump created “a sense of intellectual contrast” by using his right hand in a chopping motion to “suggest certain thinking.”
Ms James added that Trump’s “constant use of the precision pinch” suggested that “even his wildest claims had been costed or corroborated down to the last detail” as the former president used his body language to get his points across.
“Trump’s lips remained pursed for the most part as Biden spoke, either with a smug smile or an inverted gesture of outrage and projected righteousness,” Ms. James said.
However, Ms. Wei said she would advise Mr. Trump against grinning while Mr. Biden speaks because it would “create a condescending tone.”