re: #238 Barefoot Grin

To be honest, I have long since stopped watching anything Trump does. If he comes on TV I mute or change channels. I can barely watch “sassy” Trump because I cannot fucking stand his hand gestures (had the same problem with Bill Clinton, actually). It has been a long time since I’ve seen evidence either way of whether he effectively tele prompt. I will not know.

I had my computer muted when I came across a video of Trump speaking to the Air Force the other day. His mannerisms are almost robotic. He turns his entire upper body when he addresses one side of the room and then the other, never to the center and never just by turning his head. My son remarked that Trump maybe can’t turn his head for some reason. Either way, his upper body looks stiff, like someone wearing a back brace.

Then, there’s the hand gestures. He has a limited repertoire: the OK signs, the slices in front of him, the palms up at shoulder height. Again, it’s like watching an animatronic figure at Disneyland, but closer to the uncanny valley of robotics.

Like you, I find watching him disturbing. If I were still teaching public speaking, I’d use his mannerisms as an example of what not to do.