Body language experts give their verdicts on Kamala Harris’s first sit down interview: VP raised finger in ‘gesture of authority’ as she defended White House record but was ‘deceptive’ when asked about Joe Biden’s decision to drop out

Kamala Harris looked “proud” and raised her finger in a “gesture of authority” to defend the White House’s record in her first major TV interview of her campaign. But she acted “deceptively” when asked about Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw, experts have suggested.

Judi James, a communications and body language analyst, said the Democratic candidate answered questions Thursday with a “tone of blunt determination” and took a “new approach to direct answers and power positions.”

However, she said the vice president was at risk of becoming “off-balance” when CNN’s Dana Bash asked her why her positions on several key issues had changed since her last bid for president.

‘She staggers back in her chair and her eyes drop, as if she doesn’t realise a relevant point is being raised,’ Ms James told MailOnline today.

While Ms. Harris “exudes authority” in her demeanor and manner of addressing her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, her approach to Donald Trump appears to be designed “as if he were still in office and they were the opposition party.”

Kamala Harris appeared on CNN with Tim Walz on Thursday to lay out some of her policy positions and give voters a better idea of ​​what to expect under her administration.

Among other things, she spoke about her stance on Israel, fracking and illegal immigration, positions that appeared to have changed since her last run for president in 2020.

Harris began the interview from a position of power. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Thursday, he led Trump by 45 percent to 41 percent, indicating “new enthusiasm” among voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

The vice president was asked what her first actions as president would be. She gave a general answer, but the CNN reporter pushed back.

“Well, there are a number of things. I’ll tell you, first of all, one of my highest priorities is to do what we can to support and strengthen the middle class,” she said.

“So what would you do on Day One?” Bash insisted, pushing Harris to talk about the “opportunity economy” — a vague resolution that left critics unsatisfied.

“When asked what she would do on her first day in the White House, her body language seemed to suggest she had not yet set foot there,” Ms. James analyzed.

She looks up thoughtfully, as if the thought is new to her, before raising her right hand in a defensive gesture as if scratching her face with the back of her thumb.

“Her comments are not specific, thus repeating the question, but she twists the gist of her answers into an attack on Trump, displaying facial expressions of pity, sadness and concern for the middle class and talking about ‘turning the page on division’ as if Trump were still in power.”

But as Harris emerged as a political leader, she began to send signals of authority, Ms. James added.

‘Her approach to Walz is one of great pride in her father, and when confronted with direct questions, she raises her right index finger in a gesture of authority. She conducts the interview with it, then ends by saying that she has done a ‘Good job’ and with a forceful purse of her lips says, ‘Topic closed.”

During the interview, the vice president continued to express her loyalty to incumbent President Biden and defend the White House’s reputation.

She also tried to convey a sense of relatability by saying she was making bacon and pancakes for her nieces when he called to tell her he was pulling out of the race.

“When asked if she regrets anything about supporting Biden and staying in power, her confidence returns. She raises her eyebrows, shakes her head firmly and says, ‘No, no regrets at all,'” James said.

‘But when we first hear his name, we see something like fear in her eyes and her brows furrow.

‘She even repositions her shoulders at this point as if she is going into battle.

‘Her speech endorsing Biden sounds sincere, but she moves into an attack on Trump.

“But her comments about turning the page on the past decade are too tempting an own goal for Bash, indicating that she and Biden were also in power at the time.”

Scott Rouse, a body language expert, was more critical of the signals Harris was giving.

Speaking to Newsmax, he noted that Harris’ “bobblehead” moving from side to side indicated she was having “an inner dialogue.”

“We see that a lot with both of them, with Kamala Harris and Walz. They’re thinking about what they’re going to say next…

“This is one of those times she makes things up on the spot.”

During the interview, Ms. Harris said she had been thinking about Joe Biden before when she heard he was dropping out of the race.

“We hear what we call ‘fading facts.’ As she talks, she becomes quieter and quieter; she tells us how worried she was about him.

‘And it often happens that when someone tries to mislead you, he or she becomes a little quieter as the answer approaches… We hear that very often here.

“We don’t see any sign that she is actually sad… this is a fake, sad face,” he added.

The interview came as voters continue to learn more about the Democratic ticket in an unusually short time frame.

President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid just five weeks ago.

Harris hadn’t given a full-length interview since becoming her party’s standard-bearer five weeks ago, but she did several interviews while she was Biden’s running mate.

During Thursday’s conversation, she focused on policy. Harris tried to show that she has taken more moderate positions on issues that Republicans consider extreme. Her running mate, meanwhile, defended earlier misstatements about his biography.

Trump and Harris will debate on September 10. A report on Thursday evening showed that Trump was closely following the talks.

According to Gallup polls, enthusiasm among Democrats about voting in November has increased dramatically in recent months.

About 8 in 10 Democrats say they are now more enthusiastic than usual about voting, compared with 55% in March.

This gives them an enthusiasm they didn’t have earlier this year. Republican enthusiasm has increased much less over the same period, with about two-thirds of Republicans now saying they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting.

Harris now has a 13-point lead over Trump among female and Hispanic voters, a rising trend, according to a Reuters-Ipsos poll released Thursday.

Trump still leads among white voters and men, but 73 percent of Democrats said they were more enthusiastic after Harris announced her candidacy.