THE STUDY JANUARY 26, 2012
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Believe it or not, President Obama and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer don’t like each other very much—or so their acrimonious meeting yesterday would suggest. When the president landed in Phoenix for a post-State of the Union event, he was confronted by Brewer on the airport tarmac. Brewer brought up her recent book, Scorpions for Breakfast: My Fight Against Special Interests, Liberal Media, and Cynical Politicos to Secure the Border (foreword by Sarah Palin!), in which she criticizes Obama and accuses him of being “patronizing” during an Oval Office meeting. Obama evidently bristled at that characterization, and the exchange produced a great photo that’s now gone viral. Brewer, leaning in towards the president, appears to be shouting; Obama looks irritated, as if he’s trying to defuse the encounter. But the most notable element of the picture is Brewer’s index finger, pointed right in the president’s face. What is the communicative significance of pointing?
It turns out that scholars are actually unsure of the origins of the pointing gesture. It’s a remarkably diverse movement: Think, for instance, of someone pointing at a dog. The gesture can be declarative (that is a dog); imperative (look at the dog); or interrogative (What color is it?, where the pointing gesture indicates that “it” means a dog). In conversation, pointing not only focuses attention on a particular object, but it serves a communicative purpose—in many cases, to signal aggression. Some experts identify it as part of the “combative” stance, wherein one person leans forward and points at another to indicate active disagreement with them. A look at Brewer’s posture in that photograph seems to indicate which of those two politicians was acting aggressively—and it raises doubts about the governor’s account of just who was rude to whom in that White House meeting.
8 comments
I think, just judging from the photo, that the esteemed Governor of Arizona was being rude, aggressive, and disrespectful and now I like her even less than before, if possible.
- Sophia
January 26, 2012 at 4:22pm
Actually, they really have the hots for each other -- it's the classic syndrome, where a man and a women argue contentiously and they don't realize why at first.
- ironyroad
January 26, 2012 at 5:01pm
When I point to myself, I point to my chest. I had a meeting with a Japanese businessman and when he pointed to himself, he pointed to his forehead. I asked if that was the way it was done among the Japanese and he said he thought so. When you point in someone's chest you are attacking them. But Brewer is pointing at Obama's left ear, which only means that it needs cleaning.
- Nusholtz
January 26, 2012 at 5:14pm
She is showing Obama a sign of the arthritis that has plagued her for several years now. The president is saying that his grandmother was similarly afflicted and recommended a doctor in Hawii.
- paskunac
January 27, 2012 at 6:29am
She's almost singlehandedly delivering every latino vote in the American southwest to Obama come November. If you look really closely and read her lips, what you pick up is her saying, "would it KILL you to show a little gratitude, Mr President?"
- Tristan
January 27, 2012 at 10:10am
Damn. As much as I like to add a little humor to the comments, the competition here is just too tough. Well done folks. But I guess I can't resist adding a little. Isn't it strange that in the conservative moral cosmos, it's okay to attack poor Latinos - and not racist in the least, my God, how could you ever think such a thing? - but not okay for a president to be perceived as "talking down to" a freakin' governor of an entire state? Oooh, poor, poor, pitiful Jan.
- GeoffG
January 27, 2012 at 11:02am
Although I have somehow managed to stay married for 46 years to the same person, for some reason or other, it is difficult for humans to stay paired for long periods of time (whether they are "strait" or "gaily crooked." Thus, even though the Obamas seem to be fairly firmly married (even though they unwisely chose to live in a pressure cooker), they may one of these days decide to go their separate ways. So I am just wondering if perhaps Jan Brewer was just flirting a bit with Mr. Obama. Perhaps the entire episode was just her way of communicating, "Hey, big fellow, if you are ever available, and have your genuine passport with you, give me a call sometime."
- skahn
January 27, 2012 at 3:07pm
"Genuine passport," lolz skahn.
- Sophia
January 27, 2012 at 10:24pm