Slog - Comments on Re: Um. What? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what The photos of McCain's weird lizard tongue Eli posted below are completely creepy, for sure. They're also a known "tell" called the Tongue Jut. Professional poker players look for this behavior. Tongue-jutting behavior is a gesture used by people who think they have gotten away with something or are “caught” doing something. I have seen this behavior in flea markets both in the United States and in Russia, among street vendors in Lower Manhattan, at poker tables in Las Vegas, and in business meetings. In each case, the person made the gesture – tongue between the teeth without touching the... Copyright 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:39:44 -0800 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:08:34 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Stefan I despise McCain, I really do. But McCain's tongue thing, while totally bizarre, was a "whoops" moment - he went to his right to shake Bob Schieffer's hand, and Bob moved the opposite way. Then they reversed. It was a little dance, and the tongue was, I believe, an "oops we look like idiots" face of exasperation. Weird? Yes. Stupid looking? Yes. A tell? I'm not convinced.

]]> Stefan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176372 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176372 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:45:55 -0800 Comment by John Bailo
The dumbest moment of the debate had to be the question about "By how much would you reduce dependence on foreign oil?"

McCain delivered a succinct specific answer: cut out the midEast and Venezuela.

What does Obama do? Start off his response by saying "cut own the midEast and Venezuela"?

Obama spends his life just copying everything McCain says!

]]> John Bailo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176397 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176397 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:53:47 -0800 Comment by K Bah, he just needs chapstick.

]]> K http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176408 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176408 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:58:41 -0800 Comment by HURRRRK GUYS I REALLY LIKE THE TONGUE GAG SHOTS. IT MAKES ME FEEL CLOSE TO MCCAIN. WHAT A GOOFBALL, Y'KNOW???

]]> HURRRRK http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176413 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176413 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:01:27 -0800 Comment by glen keenan what freaks me out re: mccain is all his quick blinking. w/ all his tongue-jutting, is he part reptile?

]]> glen keenan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176414 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176414 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:02:21 -0800 Comment by Chris in Tampa Stefan, the tongue jut issue is not what's going on in the picture.
Although, I'm not sure I buy it either.

]]> Chris in Tampa http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176430 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176430 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:07:31 -0800 Comment by max solomon ick. i couldn't watch that.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176432 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176432 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:08:40 -0800 Comment by carrma Leave Senator McCain alone! He can't help it--the tongue flick is just the way he smells.

]]> carrma http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176440 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176440 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:13:11 -0800 Comment by Cookie W. Monster Okay, I confess, it's all my fault--I fed McCain peanut butter right before the debate.

]]> Cookie W. Monster http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176480 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176480 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:36:17 -0800 Comment by Judith Michelle Obama tongue-juts a lot, too. I remember noticing that during her last Larry King interview.

I really don't buy most body-language theories -- John and Michelle probably just have dry lips.

]]> Judith http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176482 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176482 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:37:54 -0800 Comment by Andy Niable I just thought it was an indication of the lower-brain (lizard) source of most of McCain's "policies."

Maybe he's a sleestak?

]]> Andy Niable http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176496 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176496 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:46:13 -0800 Comment by Amy the man is talking on and on and on
i think the tongue thing is just a moistening of the lips b/c all the hot air coming in and out

as much as i can't stand the man, i don't think his juts are secret "oooh i get away with everything" movements

he's just parched

]]> Amy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176550 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176550 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:17:50 -0800 Comment by Fnarf If you look closely, Amy, most of the tongue jabs never touch his lips. He's not moistening, he's communicating.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176580 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176580 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:41:21 -0800 Comment by douglas this is a pretty asinine topic for discussion, people lick their lips all the time when their speaking. if mccain were just sitting there constantly flicking his tongue it would be weird, but public speaking takes the moisture out of your mouth. plus he's really old.

]]> douglas http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176595 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176595 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:49:55 -0800 Comment by Just an observation... Obama drank water during the debate. McCain didn't.

]]> Just an observation... http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176617 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176617 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:03:39 -0800 Comment by Betsy Ross Is it something to do with his dentures?

]]> Betsy Ross http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176630 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176630 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:12:13 -0800 Comment by EmilyP Fnarf, if that were true, why did he do the telling tongue jut while he was simply thanking the university for hosting? There were plenty of those examples where he wasn't giving anything away, and a quick lip-lick was more likely. It's also a much, much more common tick than tongue jutting. I've never even heard of tongue jutting before this post.

]]> EmilyP http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176654 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176654 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:31:09 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I'll turn it back to you, Emily, and ask, if your theory is correct, how you explain the many, many tongue juts McCain executed that did not touch either of his lips? Just straight out and back in. Maybe it's not a tell. But what is it, then? Carrma @8 has the obvious answer.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176720 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/re_um_what#c1176720 2008 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:08:34 -0800