Bob’s Politics

IF you watched the 60 minutes interview with John McCain (http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=9827930&ch=4227541&src=news)

and really watch the whole thing.  You will see where John McCain gets asked by the reporter “In your opinion, can you see Sarah Palin as President of the US?”.

McCain’s verbal response “Absolutely”.

Now, if you were just listening to the words, which most people do then that’s all well and fine.  But if you are really observant and recognize that nonverbal communication is actually 93% of the communication and words only 7%, then you will see him clearly shaking his head “NO” during that answer.  Watch the video.  It’s as clear as day.

If you pay attention to people, you will see that their body does not lle.  And at best that’s a very incongruent response from McCain.  Incongruent meaning his words and actions do not match.  And if you pay attention to body language long enough, then you’ll begin to appreciate that the body responds first and then the words come second.  And it’s CRITICAL to pay attention to the body language.  It makes up the whole of the communication.

When you get 2 different responses ALWAYS go with the non-verbal response first.  In this case, McCain’s words and body language are clearly communicating two different things. 

Politicians are the most fun to watch during this process as they are usually incongruent as hell.  A congruent repsonse would have been him shaking his head up and down (for yes) instead of left to right (for no).

I just hope if McCain is elected that his health holds up and that we never have to find out if Palin is ready to President, because clearly McCain honestly doesn’t think so.

Also, the question is really being asked to the wrong person.  How would McCain know if Palin was competent to be President?  He hasn’t even been President.  A better person to ask would be Clinton, or God forbid W.  At least they could give a more qualified answer.

So if we are not careful, we might miss the nonverbal communication and miss the presuppositions in the questions and answers given during this process.  I am sure more will come up to blog about.  Until then, enjoy the drama….

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September 22nd, 2008 | Category: body language | Leave a comment

I must admit, like most people I did not vote for Bush the first time.  I sure as heck didn’t vote for him the second time around and I have never been a fan of George W Bush.  I couldn’t even watch him on TV for more than a few minutes at a time without getting nauseous. 

And thankfully, the election is only a few weeks away.  And one thing is certain.  Either candidate, Obama or McCain is going to be a better President than George Bush.  That’s the good news.  And provided McCain (if elected) actually lives through his term (he’s no spring chicken), then in my opinion, there is no way either of them could be worse than our current President.  It terrifies me, should McCain not be able to perform his duties that Palin would be President of the US.  They won’t even let her talk to the media by herself.  That instills a lot of confidence about a potential second in command.

But back to the end of reign for Bush post, even Jimmy Carter said that George Bush is the worse President we have EVER had in history of our country.  I just wish he hadn’t rescinded that comment a few days later.  because I suspect he was spot on.

Attacking a country under false pretenses should be criminal.  I believe he should be held accountable.   If I thought the speed limit was 55 and it was actually 35, then the police officer pulling me over couldn’t care less.  Because the law is the law.  But somehow, it’s different when thousands of innocent people are killed.  The war in Iraq has cost us an absurd amount of money, has killed tons of innocent people and has left Iraq and the middle east in a state of chaos.  Brilliant move.

Anyway, I am just glad it’s almost over.  And that I can actually watch and listen to either candidate and actually feel something other than embarassment from both and I think both have the ability to communicate far more effectively than our current leader. Just on that consideration alone, either one will make for a far better President.

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September 21st, 2008 | Category: Democrats | Leave a comment

I managed to catch that CNN special where they had 5 former US Secretary of States on and a couple reporters were interviewing them   They had Henry Kissinger, Madeline Albright, Warren Christopher, Colin Powell and James Baker.  The purpose of the panel was to see what the newly elected President needed to do to be successful.

The moderator asked a question, albeit a horribly vague and general one.  She asked something to the effect of …’Can we all agree on the importance of the environment??’ or something to that effect.  The point being that the environment is headed in a direction that is not in the best interest of our current society.  OR something to that effect.  And that the environment should be a serious consideration for political debate.

Well the response to her question was clearly the problem with why nothing is being done to help the environment.  The main response was James Baker, who laughed.  And actually made some joke about cow farts being the main problem causing our current declining environmental conditions. 

This is the heart and soul of the problem.  When politicians think the environment is a joke and can’t even talk about it seriously, then not much is ever going to be done.  Either their immense stupidity or their unmotivated self interest has clouded the issue.  To laugh about our environment as a response to a question about improving conditions is horrific.  And as long as its a joke to politicians, especially republicans, then nothing else will be done.

We’ve been talking about global warming for a long time.  What has been done in the last 20 years?  It doesn’t seem like very much, if anything.  We are producing more plastic than ever, the republicans want to drill in Wildlife Refuges and off shore (where it is now illegal to do so and for a good reason).  And rather than developing and actually implementing alternative sources or energy (Namely solar and wind), we have squandered the last 20 or 30 years knowing full well something needs to be done.

According to a geologist at the USGS, it’s natural for the earth to warm up.  It’s part of a cycle.  The question is how much is man accelerating that process?  But even then, just considering the former summer olympics in a city riddled with pollution, it’s clear that there is an effect on our immediate health.  And if for nothing else, that should be an important enough consideration to actually do something.

But what has happened?  Bush has loosened restrictions and the power that the EPA has on regulating the corporations in the US. 

So when I see James Baker laughing to a question about the environment, it’s clearly not even important enough to warrant any future consideration.  Maybe when more and more people actually develop dire respiratory problems, then something might be done.   But I doubt it.

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September 21st, 2008 | Category: environment | Leave a comment