|
|
|
archived: 17 - 24 Oct, 2004 Back Next KERRY CONNECTS Aloof, remote, verbose, nuanced, elitist – these were some of the terms used to describe John Kerry by mainstream commentators – not his detractors. His detractors focused on what they deemed to be the most unpopular aspects of his persona – liberal, tax and spend flip-flopper and opportunist were a few of the more polite terms they used against him. During the presidential debates, a totally new image of John Kerry emerged to challenge – not only George Bush – but also the old image of Kerry, himself. Kerry performed brilliantly in the debates. He made cogent arguments for his positions without resorting to the grayscale of nuance that would have clouded his message. Kerry projected the image of a hugely qualified presidential candidate in command of the facts, in possession of the values and in control of the capacity to lead America and serve as Commander-in-Chief. One of the most impressive aspects of Kerry’s persona that emerged fully during the debates that has received virtually no commentary is his use of body language. In the realm of body language, Kerry stands on an entirely different – and far higher – plane than his opponent, George Bush. While George Bush scowled, grimaced and erupted in an emotional kaleidoscope to the shock and horror of his huge television audiences, Kerry remained as cool as the proverbial cucumber. More, Kerry uses his hands and his arms to emphasize his ideas and underscore his debating points. His body language is the most impressive and articulate in US presidential history going back to JFK. Watch Kerry closely as he delivers his speeches. His hands emphasize his meanings in a virtually universally recognized series of gestures. He places his right hand over his heart when making a solemn point. He uses his hands as channels for his messages as he argues against the status quo. And, when he says goodby from the platform, he places his hands together, prayerlike, in the center of his chest in the classical oriental gesture of respect and goodwill. John Kerry is a master of personal and mass communications, and I am more impressed than ever before of his personal abilities as a political candidacy. However, all of this retrospective analysis is leading up to the moment in the third debate when Kerry finally broke through the icy layer of public perception thrown up by his enemies and his detractors. That decisive moment did not come until the final question in the last of the three debates. Bob Shieffer, the moderator of the final debate in Tempe, Arizona, interjected a new theme into the debates with his last question – and it struck a resonant chord with the American public. Shieffer remarked that he wanted to move away from questions about domestic policy and instead, provide a glimpse into the personal lives of the presidential candidates. He observed that all three of them, Shieffer, Bush and Kerry, were married to “powerful women” and that they all had precisely two daughters. Shieffer asked the two candidates what they had learned from the powerful women in their lives. Bush was the first to respond, and he gave a good answer, “To listen to them. Stand up straight. Don’t scowl.” The audience seemed amused. He went on to praise the women in his life, and then the camera turned to John Kerry. At this point in the debate, Kerry turned in the most intelligent response of the entire series. He said that he believed that all three of them had, “married up,” then he smiled as he orchestrated his next move. Then, he played his trump card. In a reference to his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, he said that he had married up even more than most, and he smiled broadly, in effect making a joke of himself. The audience responded with rippling giggles of pleasure and approval. Then he said that while he might be criticized for that, he could take it, and he unleashed a broad and beaming smile. Beaming at the audience, Kerry chortled and the audience followed his lead. They got the joke, and they loved him for it. At that point, John Kerry humanized himself. He was no longer the cold and remote liberal anti-Bush. He had become the beloved pater familias of a clan of powerful women and men. He touched the hearts and minds of America. He had connected. In the aftermath of this debate, we have seen many new developments. The moves emerging from the Republican camp reveal a startled and confused level of panic, while there is a quiet tide building up behind the candidacy of John Kerry, who is now positioned to receive the lion’s share of the undecided voters in what will become a tsunami of support on Election Day. Kerry connected, and he is now surfing on a swelling wave.
Last Update: 03/23/2006 |
