Body Language

Sometimes this is too easy.

     "You are incredibly safe to go out."

               Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vox

Hazard

The real message isn't what you say. It is who says it, how it is said, and what team you play for.

Political speech is a presentation. The speaker may intend one message but the audience sees what they see. The Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly had a point to make, that it was perfectly safe for voters to vote in person in Wisconsin yesterday.  

Perfectly safe. See!

He was photographed with a mask, safety glasses, a plastic coverall, and latex gloves. His actual presentation was a strong message of hazard, which overwhelmed his stated words. 

A stay-at-home order is in place in Wisconsin. The election went forward Tuesday as originally planned, yesterday, in-person, with limited absentee balloting, and polling places in Milwaukee reduced from 180 down to 5. The date and manner of the election became a matter of intense partisan dispute. 

It has become an article of faith among Republicans that vote by mail helps Democrats and hurts Republicans. Trump has said, "I think mail-in voting is horrible. It's corrupt." Wisconsin Republicans have the message: insist on in-person balloting, and maintain--against any evidence to the contrary--that the election is perfectly fair. Lines in Milwaukee were 2 and 3 hours in wait time. And it's safe.

Next time, don't say it wearing a hazard outfit.

This easy lesson in message-sending takes place in the context of another set of incidents, rich in signaling, the turmoil on the Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt.  

1  A commanding officer communicated concern for his men, doing it in a manner that let his letter get leaked to the media. He was relieved of command. (Signaled message from top Navy brass: Don't use publicity to force the hand of your superiors. It will end your career.)

2. The crew cheered the departing captain. (Signaled message to the Navy and the world: We like this guy. He was right. He is a hero.)

3. The Acting Navy Secretary flies to Guam to speak to the entire crew on loudspeaker and insult the fired commander, calling him too stupid or naive to command a vessel. (Signalled message to Trump: See, I am handling things like you would, exercising power, showing contempt for weak sentimentality.)

4. A Navy seaman is heard off-mic saying, "What the fuck?" in objection to the speech, which is audible and communicated worldwide. (Message to the world: the crew stands with their commander, not this DC bozo.)

5. Acting Navy Secretary promptly resigns. (Message to Trump: I picked on the wrong target. I embarrassed myself and you. I resign before you can fire me.)

President Trump overpowers an audience with bluster and certitude. He can pull off public presentations of power and contempt. He is smart about it. He picks targets his supporters like seeing insulted: the media, Crooked Hillary, Low IQ Walters, Chicago, California, ethnic Mexican judge, immigrants, Muslim parents of soldiers, GOP loser McCain. 

Not servicemen in active duty. 

There is an unspoken message here for people trying to act Trumpishly: Pick your targets.