Body language expert reveals how ‘nervous’ Tim Walz helped JD Vance ‘open up a clinic’ in VP debate

Tim Walz got his first chance to make an impact at Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, and he blew it before his opponent could. JD Vance also got a chance to speak,

The Democratic Minnesota governor greeted millions of Americans with wide eyes, looking nervous and stumbling over his words, the Washington, D.C.-based Body language expert Chris Ulrich told The Post.

“He was nervous right out of the gate,” Ulrich said. “He was using a lot of filler words like ‘umms’ and ‘ahhs,’ which can dilute (what you say).”

Ulrich said Walz’s bad start meant he would have to work to regain momentum the rest of the debate.

“Those first several questions are really important, because if you don’t come across strongly at the beginning of that moment, it weakens it,” he said. “Now you’re working against that (negative perception) in every way.”

The Democrats’ nervousness increased further as he answered the first several questions from co-moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, with Ulrich noting that Walz’s rate of speech had increased significantly by the time he answered his third question. Had replied.

Nervous energy reached its peak When Walz was asked about the lies he had repeatedly told about being in China during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Ulrich said, “The question that troubled him the most was the Tiananmen Square incident… because he doesn’t really answer that question.” “It’s something we’ve seen him do before, Where he sometimes vaguely says he’s an idiot, and he gets caught up in rhetoric.”

Instead, Ulrich said, Walz should have addressed the situation directly by acknowledging that he had “grossly exaggerated.”

Ulrich said the Democratic candidate later gained confidence when it came to issues like abortion and the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. But his late reform makes sense only if undecided voters are ready for a full debate.

Several prominent viewers mocked Walz, a Trump critic, for his body language during the debate Meghan McCain posted on Twitter that “Walz is so uncomfortable it’s hard to watch.”

Across the stage, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) looked calm and powerful from the start, beginning with a confident tone — despite what seemed like a pre-planned response that prompted debate monitor Margaret Brennan regarding Iran’s ballistic missile… Did not answer the initial question. Attack on Israel.

“Watching Waynes, he was very balanced. He delivered his message with confidence,” Ulrich said. “And what does confidence look like? There’s this open body language, these open palm gestures that he does.

This confidence continued throughout the night, with Vance using well-timed hand movements that “help your audience absorb the information, ‘follow the bouncing ball,'” body language analyzer Said.

Ulrich said the senator even excelled in the manner and speed with which he delivered his responses — even outperforming his running mate, former President Donald Trump, in some key elements of confidence.

“When Vance answered her questions, he was slow and careful. He would introduce that he was going to answer the question, and these open gestures were out loud,” Ulrich said. “So in that way, he seemed very confident and poised, and in a way that his boss didn’t.”

However, Vance showed some nervousness, increasing his “blink rate” when answering questions that were not in his comfort zone during the campaign, such as addressing climate change or his support of a federal ban on abortion. Prior comments, Ulrich said.

But overall, Vance’s performance may have eased some concerns among voters frustrated by Trump’s reactive, occasionally harsh comments. During his debate against Vice President Kamala Harris On 10 September.

Ulrich said, “I feel like (Vance) put on a clinic for Donald Trump on how to address a question and how to deal with it in a coherent manner.” “Compared to his boss two weeks ago, he was more effective in arguing the case that a second Trump presidency would be an option for voters.”