July 7, 2017

Let's analyze the Trump-Putin handshake.

Video.

Trump comes up to Putin, who notices and extends his hand. Trump moves forward quickly and gets his hand more outstretched than Putin's. The hands meet solidly without either man seeming to be pulling the other or gripping. There's eye contact, both heads lean forward. Trump brings his left hand in for 3 pats to Putin's right elbow, and Putin then points at Trump as if to say: Yes, it's you!

After an edit we see the 2 men standing in the same spot — next to a high table that has a plate of chocolate cookies on it. Putin is smiling and has his hands on the table — the classic gesture of demonstrating that you're not reaching for a weapon.* It's not necessarily friendly. In fact, it might be rather hostile. One hand rests on the other, signifying: I'm giving you nothing. But the hands are on the table and restrained, a demonstration of the intent to remain peaceful.

Trump at this point has his right hand down at his side and reaches his left hand over and pats Putin on the back 3 times. This patting seems friendly — or faux-friendly, pushing intimacy. It seems to say: Of course, we're old friends. That's almost taunting his critics back home, who've been accusing him of being pals with Putin. Let them think: What an outrage — he's acting as though he's pals with Putin! I predict Trump fans will jump to his defense: That's Trump being Trump, that's how he treats everybody.
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56 comments:

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Meanwhile, the collective leftwing left are hearing racist dog whistles everywhere.

according to the pant-wetting anti-free speech left, The word "West" = white Christian nationalist.

Do not say "west" anymore.

David Begley said...

Question. Did the press pay such close attention to every move and handshake of Obama and foreign leaders?

Looks like a diversionary tactic by Trump. Air time gets eaten up by this. Less time to criticize on substance.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Top seekrit footage of Poot and Trump doing a *high five* *we schnickered the voters into hating Hillary* - will be admitted as evidence to Mueller and the investigation @ 11.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Trump brings his left hand in for 3 pats to Putin's right elbow...

Knock three times on my elbow if you want me...

MAJMike said...

Y'all have way too much time on your hands.

Get outside. Hike somewhere. Go swimming. Check out the art museum. Get lost in a good book. Volunteer for a worthy cause.

Are we back to analyzing who's standing next to who on Lenin's Tomb?

Fabi said...

Ignorance is Bliss has already won the thread.

tcrosse said...

It's not like either of them wiped his hand off afterwards, because cooties. Like with a cloth.

rhhardin said...

Pussy riot.

traditionalguy said...

T's elbow control move by a bigger man was accepted by a smaller man. Dominance at first touch. But will he respect him in the morning? Puttie has been betrayed by so many American CIA hand puppets actors playing US President that he has real commitment issues.

Wince said...

"Enough of this modern German Bauhaus, comrade. These interior lines are too simple, compared to my Kremlin and your place at Trump Tower."

Ken B said...

The patting seems patronizing actually. But ... reading such tea-leaves is a fruitless endeavor.

LilyBart said...

Since we're talking handshakes: I would like to say that I'm ashamed of our American media who, in their childish rush to say Trump was dissed by the First Lady of Poland, actually ended up embarrassing this poor lady. Which is, in fact, a greater breach of etiquette: calling out ladies for a slight mistake they may or may not have made!

What a bunch of ignorant, bullying, crass, childish people. They make me feel ashamed to be an American!



roesch/voltaire said...

Yes let's focus on Putin/Trump hands while "hackers," it could be Russia, it could be somebody else, have penetrated the computer networks of our nuclear power stations and were attempting espionage or destruction, who knows? Judo at its best.

pacwest said...

Looked pretty normal to me. It even looked like some mutual recognition of each other's circumstances. But that's reading a lot into a little.

I watched Fareed on CNN the other night talking about the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting. It basically boiled down to 'If he would only follow our advice in these matters he could be a good President.'

Trump won't, and he will.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG - This is CNN

Dave from Minnesota said...

Get outside. Hike somewhere. Go swimming. Check out the art museum. Get lost in a good book. Volunteer for a worthy cause.

Governor Walker has a couple of stalkers on both his personal and Governor Facebook pages. He'll post some minor item...say 4 PM on a Friday afternoon, and the stalkers go nuts in the comments section. I feel sorry for them in a way. Instead of enjoying a Friday afternoon with friends (if they have any) or family (if they will have anything to do with them), they are on their computers or iPhones waiting to attack the Governor.
Kind of a sad life when hate is your main driver.

Big Mike said...

Since we're talking handshakes: I would like to say that I'm ashamed of our American media who, in their childish rush to say Trump was dissed by the First Lady of Poland, actually ended up embarrassing this poor lady. Which is, in fact, a greater breach of etiquette: calling out ladies for a slight mistake they may or may not have made!

What a bunch of ignorant, bullying, crass, childish people. They make me feel ashamed to be an American!


@LilyBart, I don't feel ashamed to be an American, however I am ashamed to admit that I used to subscribe to the Washington Post and I used to watch "NBC Nightly News."

rehajm said...

These high stakes greetings are always awkward unless the protocols are negotiated beforehand either by an advance team or through the experience of previous greeting(s) having ironed out problems and/or established traditions.

Matt Sablan said...

Did either eat the cookies?

Were they good cookies?

I have cookies at home and, if after the dentist says my wisdom teeth sockets have healed enough, I'm having cookies after a non-macaroni or soup dinner. I want cookies.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

News that will be disappeared by PRO-d HACK msm.

House Dem IT Suspects Wanted Untraceable Payments — And Sure Enough, Millions Disappeared

A Pakistani family under criminal investigation by the U.S. Capitol Police for abusing their access to the House of Representatives information technology (IT) system may have engaged in myriad other questionable schemes besides allegedly placing “ghost employees” on the congressional payroll.

Imran Awan, his wife Hina, and brothers Abid and Jamal collectively netted more than $4 million in salary as IT administrators for House Democrats between 2009 and 2017. Yet the absence of signs of wealth displayed among them raise questions such as was the money sent overseas or did something other than paychecks motivate their actions?

Capitol Police revoked the Awans’ access to the congressional IT system in February 2017 after a major data breach was detected. Their access had allowed them to read emails and files of dozens of members, including many serving on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.


It's almost like the democrat party is corrupt, or something.

David Begley said...

Trump handshake analysis has reached the level of analyzing photos of USSR Msy Day parades.

alan markus said...
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Unknown said...

He bowed.

Rocketeer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ralph L said...

We're safe as long as Trump doesn't look in Putin's eyes. See W.

Did the press pay such close attention to every move and handshake of Obama and foreign leaders?
They pretty much ignored his disgraceful bow to the Saudi King. There was also video of him saying the same "punching above your weight" to a half dozen leaders of small countries.

Bob Boyd said...

I'm sure there will be a Putin pattin' expert on TV to 'splain us that Trump apattin' Putin was exactly the wrong thing for a President to do and to expound on the dark pathologies Putin pattin' reveals to a trained expert about Trump and those who support him.

Rocketeer said...

That's not a bow, Unknown: This is a bow.

alan markus said...

@ LilyBart: Since we're talking handshakes: I would like to say that I'm ashamed of our American media who, in their childish rush to say Trump was dissed by the First Lady of Poland, actually ended up embarrassing this poor lady. Which is, in fact, a greater breach of etiquette: calling out ladies for a slight mistake they may or may not have made!

What a bunch of ignorant, bullying, crass, childish people. They make me feel ashamed to be an American!


The President of Poland tweets about "fake news" too!

Polish president knocks 'fake news' over wife's Trump handshake

wildswan said...

Advance Satire of boringly predictable CNN coverage. But will CNN [The most rusted name in news] dare analyze the handshake after this?

MountainMan said...

"Get outside. Hike somewhere. Go swimming. Check out the art museum. Get lost in a good book. Volunteer for a worthy cause."

Good ideas. Right now you could also be enjoying on TV the Tour de France, the world's most beautiful,sporting event.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

"It's almost like the democrat party is corrupt, or something."

Have you seen this doozy:


http://nypost.com/2017/06/22/dems-give-politically-connected-judge-six-figure-gig-shes-too-obese-to-do/

"Aside from the alleged cronyism, court workers were also troubled by a more immediate concern — a severe gastric distress problem that made itself apparent on the few occasions the judge made it into court.

“She would come in and we would see the diarrhea running down her leg and to the floor,” one court worker said. “She would soil the chair and then ask for a new one.”

Another court worker said Shollenberger astounded staffers by acting with “complete arrogance” following the awful accidents.

“She would just say, ‘There is a mess over there. I think someone should clean it up,’ ” the source said."

She's the perfect Democrat! Gets a cushy job due to cronyism, not merit, craps all over and makes a mess, and then expects the little people to clean up after her.

George M. Spencer said...

Large physically intimidating man meets gnomish goblin-faced man whose hands are neatly clasped on top of desk like school boy, and big man intrudes in his space patting him three times.

Team USA Wins Again!!!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Exiled - OMG! More news the MSM will ignore.

h said...

In one of Derren Brown's shenanigans, he convinces a subject to "want" what Derren Brown has already decided to give.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwCMX5sUQU

Notice how much Derren Brown touches the subject's arm. I don't know all this, but I think the arm touching and hand clasping is an integral part of the conversational hypnotism.

Let's get Scott Adams and other experts in persuasion to chime in here.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

She's the perfect Democrat! Gets a cushy job due to cronyism, not merit, craps all over and makes a mess, and then expects the little people to clean up after her.

LOL - jeeez no doubt.

wildswan said...

Maybe the point was the plate of cookies [Sometimes Russians use a special ingredient, polonium, in their cooking.] Did Putin by hand position try to force a cookie on Trump? But then Trump came around on Putin's right (right, y'know) thus nowhere near the cookies, meaning "I've been warned about your Commie tricks."

Or maybe the cookies were another of their signals - you know, a quiet inside reference to Russian hacking: "Ve haf cookies for everyone, hahahahahah."

tcrosse said...

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Fernandinande said...

Trump dominated Putin with a double handed first pump. If this shake were a prize fight I would have awarded a points victory to Trump, but it wasn't a prize fight.

The gap was a sure sign of the pressure felt by both men at that moment but as Putin raised an almost, but not quite, wary-looking hand for the shake Trump leaned forward with an outstretched arm and offered his hand palm-up.

This is an infamous power-trap and Putin had no option but to put his hand into the clamp except to not put his hand in the clamp. Once there he suffered an underarm-patting from Trump that made him look like the dominant leader, so much so that Putin responded with a pointed finger, which is the body language equivalent of drawing a weapon or indicating a direction even though Putin is an adept power-patter, adding a paternal pat to his shakes with world leaders in a bid to register dominance.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

MountainMan said...

Right now you could also be enjoying on TV the Tour de France, the world's most beautiful,sporting event.

Two possiblities:

1) MountainMan has never seen women's beach volleyball.
2) MountainMan is not, in fact, a man.

glam1931 said...

Geez, they're all over each other!

RMc said...

Let's analyze the Trump-Putin handshake.

Let's not and say we did, okay?

M Jordan said...

Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle applies to body language. If observed, the meaning of it changes. If the object of observation is aware of the observation, the meaning changes further. Body language conveys more authentic communication than verbal messages but interpreting it is a real bear.

Fernandinande said...

Rob McLean said...
Let's not and say we did, okay?


If your post were a prize fight I would have awarded a points victory to you, but it wasn't a prize fight.

As a Social behaviour expert, I just make up a buncha shit and then people give me money!

Rit said...

The missing dialogue: Hello, little man. Boy, I sure heard a bunch about you.

tcrosse said...

Vlad, buddy. I got your collusion right here.

FullMoon said...
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Seeing Red said...

I have to say the article a couple of weeks ago in I think it was the Daily Mail analyzing T's handshakes was hilarious.

Has this ever been done with a president before?

Seeing Red said...

I guess Modi pulls everone in for a hug and they analyzed that.

Seeing Red said...

Speaking of Lenin's tomb, you are or weren't allowed to walk thru with your hands in your pockets when we visited.

Seeing Red said...

What's going on with the hacked server? I see the posts at Insty but I'm not reading. In short it was bogus and the DNC is running for cover?

Seeing Red said...

Yes let's focus on Putin/Trump hands while "hackers," it could be Russia, it could be somebody else, have penetrated the computer networks of our nuclear power stations and were attempting espionage or destruction, who knows? Judo at its best.




Hasn't that been going on for years? Blame #43 and Barry. Maybe instead of giving the Black Turbans money, and it seems they're turning off their ship locators or going dark before delivering oil, we could have used that money to harden our infrastructure. I was hoping T would make that a goal.

FullMoon said...
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HoodlumDoodlum said...

Althouse said...Putin is smiling and has his hands on the table — the classic gesture of demonstrating that you're not reaching for a weapon

The handshake, as a gesture, allegedly evolved from a formal mutual verification that the person you were greeting was not carrying a weapon.

What does the (unlinkable) OED have for "handshake" Professor? It's kind of a silly compound word for the act if you think about it. I mean, we say "kissing" and not "lip press" or something like that...although probably the German term is more literal in both cases.

Alex said...

Rumor has it Trump is going to lift sanctions re: Ukraine and give Putin everything he wants in exchange for hacking the DNC. Quid pro quo.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

roesch/voltaire said...Yes let's focus on Putin/Trump hands while "hackers," it could be Russia, it could be somebody else, have penetrated the computer networks of our nuclear power stations and were attempting espionage or destruction, who knows? Judo at its best.

It's nice that smart folks care about cyberwarfare again. I remember back when the biggest breaches of US government systems, ever (the OPM hacks), were deemed "no big deal" and definitely not a "scandal." Seems like the narrative is that the under the last administration our nation got its ass kicked repeatedly in that arena but that wasn't a problem back then but somehow is a big deal now.

I'd respect you guys a lot more if you just said "Obama was so focused on getting a (shitty) deal with Iran that he let all sorts of Russian cyberwar slide, and he was so worried about not getting blamed for a genuine failure and/or scandal that we all pretended like China penetrating highly sensitive gov. files (and compromising an incredible number of files) was just business as usual." Instead it's just another problem that magically started the moment a non-Democrat became President. Hard to take your complaints seriously now, man.

Hackers? 1995 called and wants its misunderstood crime panic back, or something.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Alex said...Rumor has it Trump is going to lift sanctions re: Ukraine and give Putin everything he wants in exchange for hacking the DNC. Quid pro quo.

Rumor has it Scott Walker's getting indicted any day now.
Rumor has it the Marshall of the Supreme Court has already notified Trump of the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Trump.
Rumor has it.