According to body language Expert Patti Wood, Kamala Harris gave a strong first impression while giving her concession speech earlier today.
After a very long presidential campaign, Donald Trump, a Republican nominee claimed victory last night. He secured 295 electoral votes and ensured his return to the Oval Office in January 2025 becoming the 47th president of the United States.
Following her reported call to Trump to concede the election, the vice President and Democratic nominee, Kamala, appeared on stage at her alma mater, Howard University, and publicly addressed the nation and her supporters.
“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said in her concession speech. “The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people.”
As Kamala Harris took the stage, receiving a roar of applause from the people, the body language expert Patti Wood revealed to UNILAD that she appeared completely confident and powerful.
“Coming on stage, from backstage, to the podium by herself without even being introduced was a bold, brave move,” Wood shared. “It gives a powerful first impression.”
“[Harris] smiles and waves high in the air several times, and claps with her arms up and out towards the audience,” Wood continued. “A multitude of ‘up’ body language cues that indicate happiness and joy. That she still feels powerful and confident…It makes her look like the winner.”
When the vice President started addressing the crowd, the professional speaker, and author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma Wood explained that Harris does a lot with a huge open smile, “lifting her cheeks and placing hands on her chest, ‘ which indicates that her smile was not fake’ and she was feeling the immense love from the crowd making her truly happy.
As Kamala continued her speech, Wood observed some changes in her body language, mentioning that ‘we all can see how she was bracing herself to speak’ as she took deep breaths and pulled her shoulders back.
“She gives a more prissy, forced, tight smile, and this slightly sour smile [is] letting you know the taste of what she is going to have to say is not sweet,” Wood explains.
She states, “The light of America’s promise will always burn bright,” but she delivers it with little emotional vocal fry and a slight squint. It’s a strong statement. However, I would prefer it to be delivered confidentially.
“As she finishes, she looks down, brows down, and tight-lipped, trembling chin, holding back tears,” Wood adds. “She does follow it up with…’As long as we keep with a slightly stronger delivery and gesturing with a pointed finger, but her voice breaks.”
While Patti Wood mentions that you all can “see” Harris’ love as she addresses her husband Douglas Emhoff and their family, she further mentions a “revealing tell” when Harris begins discussion about President-Elect Donald Trump.
“There is a revealing ‘tell’ when she says, ‘Earlier today I talked to President-Elect Trump’ as she gestures with a downward push motion, symbolically pushing him down as she frowns,” Wood explains.
“The most potent illuminating moment occurs after she makes several strong statements,” she continues. “[Harris] sounds strong, angry, and opens her mouth wide with power. Then her eyes flutter briefly showing that she may be hiding even more anger,” she notes that these moments happened particularly when Harris motivated her supporters to never stop and keep fighting.
“There is a moment where she begins a statement, ‘To the young people who are watching’… You see a mixture of happiness and sadness. She feels both simultaneously. She is saying some very motivational things and using the word fight many times. But as she continues to say it, she is no longer mad. Her voice is strong.”
At the end of her speech, Harris encouraged the crowd to mobilize, be perseverant, and organize even in hard times, she also gave a reference calling an adage:
“Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
Wood observes that Harris makes a positive statement as she uses the word light’ in this instance, emphasizing her belief that “people will need to fight, but her final message was more about light”.
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