A body language expert who analyzed Vice President Kamala Harris' first media interview as the Democratic presidential nominee told Fox News Digital that she “lacked confidence in what she was saying” and lacked a presidential bearing.
The vice president has largely avoided press interviews since rising to the top of the Democratic field, but in an interview on CNN Thursday night alongside his running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, he frequently appeared to look down while answering questions.
“When you look at her overall demeanor, it doesn't have the confidence or presidential presence that you'd expect from someone in that position,” body language expert Susan Constantine told Fox News Digital. “So from everything I saw last night, she definitely needs to change her body language a little bit to look more confident.”
“She's looking down a lot of the time, which takes away a lot of the fluidity and authenticity,” she added.
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Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz speak to CNN.
Earlier in the interview, Harris was asked twice about her “day one” agenda, but she gave general answers rather than specific executive orders or directives.
“When she's struggling, you'll see her shaking her head. You know, she's shaking her head because she's thinking, 'What part of my subconscious files do I pull out? What's the answer?'” Constantine said of Harris. “She doesn't have a clear answer, and that's why she's shaking her head.”
“When you give a vague answer like that, it's another sign that she's not really ready,” Constantine continued. “She's not really confident in her answer.”
“Looking away is a form of evasion,” Constantine says, “so by looking away or not making good eye contact, she's letting me know that she doesn't believe in what she's saying.”
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Harris was seated next to Waltz during the interview in Savannah, Georgia, and Constantine said Harris “consistently sought approval” throughout the interview.
“She's waiting for a cue from Waltz to know if he's in favor. When we see him, he often has his lips pressed together, which often gives him a more serious, more stoic look,” she said.
The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital about Harris' performance in the interview.
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Savannah, Georgia on Thursday, August 29. (AP/Stephen B. Morton)
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“Generally, as a woman, I would say if you're going to be a woman of power, you have to look like a woman of power,” Constantine said, “and she's not that at this point.”
Fox News' Emma Colton and Matteo Cina contributed to this report.
