D Politicians, Pundits, and Stars 221
He kept at her, pushing until she finally burst out: “You’re get-
ting testy with me...awwww.” Arousing the audience with that
remark (and probably dividing the audience) marked the beginning
of an attempt to boomerang back into control. Her body language
invited her admirers to close ranks around her in a virtual sense.
Even the best strategies do not work all of the time.
George W. Bush
Contrast Hillary Clinton’s rarely off book style with President
George W. Bush’s often critiqued shoot-from-the-hip style. He swag-
gers when he walks, as any good cowboy would. He is often work-
ing without a net and says things that the media finds worth mocking.
Whether you actually like him, or just listen for what he will say, his
body language projects a genuineness, and generally remains on track.
His style also fails him. Uncertainty as to how a specific point
will be received, or whether he may have flubbed a fact, causes an
involuntary response that I call the goofy country-boy smile. His
face—not his mouth—is asking, “Does that sound okay?” Time
after time, I see him search his head for the right words—the pre-
pared words—in response to questions. When he is on the hot seat,
he starts to rummage though his mental files to access the words
some expert on his staff gave him. The result is a somewhat halting,
often piecemeal-sounding response. Most of the Bushisms come as
a result of a “right church, wrong pew” kind of statement. He has
researched and prepared a great response and it is filed neatly in his
head; unfortunately, he put it in the wrong drawer. When he realizes
his goof, he feels the pressure increase, and leaks the stress with