In debates, McCain loses blinking contest to Obama - Reuters

[steve2470]

http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/10/16/in-debates-mccain-loses-blinking-contest-to-obama/


WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate John McCain may not have blinked first in his debates with Barack Obama — but he certainly blinked more often, which is not a good thing.

Candidates who blink more than their opponents in debates tend to lose presidential elections, says Boston University psychology professor J.J. Tecce, and McCain outblinked Obama during the their three debates this fall.

“People are picking up McCain’s rapid blinking and saying, ‘There’s something about him that’s awfully twitchy and nervous and I don’t think I want to vote for that guy,’” said Tecce, who has presented a paper on blinking in debates.

Tecce said rapid blinking is an indicator of negative emotions such as fear, pain or stress. Most people blink 10 to 20 times per minute, a rate that increases to between 30 and 50 times per minute if they’re in front of a television camera

more at link above

[justiceischeap]

1. Then of course there's the tongue-slithering "tell" he has everytime he's about to lie

Out comes the tongue.

[alsame]

2. And the hissing 's' sounds constantly. All in all, not a pretty

sight to watch McCain.

[Window]

3. Yes, that hissing was pretty bad. I had my back to the TV and couldn't believe

what I was hearing from McHockeyPuckFace.