Body Language Expert Reveals What Pete Buttigieg Really Thinks Of Kamala Harris
Despite Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shutting down rumours of a feud between him and Vice President Kamala Harris, that hasn't stopped body language experts from analysing how the two act around each other. This was especially the case when they made a joint trip to Charlotte, North Carolina in December 2021 to promote the infrastructure law (via NPR).
The pair seemed to put on a united front when meeting transportation workers at various locations throughout the city, and Buttigieg was all to happy to quash the rumours whenever they were mentioned. Speaking on an episode of NBC's "Meet The Press" (via the Independent), the Transportation Secretary said that his working relationship with Harris was where it should be. "[S]he and I are part of a team that is disciplined and doesn't focus on what's obsessing the commentators," he said, adding that they're "too busy with a job to do."
Buttigieg went on to say that "there's no room to get caught up in parlour games" and that he is "proud to be part of the Biden-Harris team." But according to body language expert, Scott Rouse, this is far from the truth.
Pete Buttigieg's body language suggests deference towards Kamala Harris
As footage of the two arriving in and travelling around Charlotte began to circulate on social media, it was only a matter of time before the body language between Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg started to be analysed. "I'm sure that it will be dissected aplenty," Elaine Kamarck, former aide to Vice President Al Gore, told the Los Angeles Times. "Whether it means anything is anybody's guess."
Well, according to Scout Rouse it means quite a lot. Speaking with Business Insider, the Nashville-Tennessee-based body language expert noted somewhat of a deference from Buttigieg towards Harris. First as they were getting off Air Force 2 at Joint Base Andrews, then during a visit.
Analysing an image of the pair embracing on the tarmac (via Twitter), Rouse commented that Buttigieg seemed "a little bit ill at ease because he's back and he's leaning forward," in addition to his feet pointing a bit away from the Vice President. As for the image of Harris sitting in the driver's seat of a bus (via Twitter), Scott Rouse noted that "neither of his feet are pointing toward her. One is pointed toward the door a little bit" and that his hand is in his pocket. "When you see someone with their hands in their pocket, and you don't see them, or their thumbs, that shows they don't feel dominant in that situation."