That Little Voice

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By now we all know that President Bush gathered our only living former Presidents to the White House for lunch with in-coming president-elect Obama this past Monday. There was a brief "live" moment recorded on video (seen below), but for the most part all we have is a photo-op of this rare occasion that may not happen again with this many presidents for many decades. (The sad truth is: the next time we see four of them together will likely be at one of their funerals.)

So here are some observations--just for fun. First, let's look at postures. Based on every text book I've ever used in a speech class, Jimmy Carter is modeling the best "speaking stance" of all five men with his outside ankles plumb with his hips. [Technically speaking: Bush 41 is too relaxed with hands in pants; Obama is in what they call the "fig leaf" position; Bush 43 is rolling his ankle like an "awe shucks" nervous kid during show and tell; and Bill Clinton is in second-best form. Below the waist, he is at attention (in both military and Oscar statuette standards) and above the waist he is "at ease" with hands behind his back--not bad for a non-military man.]

Second, let's look at facial expression (in this split-second of time). I think Obama looks most comfortable, followed closely by President Bush in the center. The other three look slightly out of place and time.

Don't you wish you could hear the little voices in their heads. You know what I mean... that inner dialogue you have when you are in a totally unique one-of-a-kind moment and your wife is not there to whisper social etiquette suggestions in your ear. Men will never admit it, but we need that sweet whisper (or gentle kick under the table) when we are in public moments like this. Otherwise we may slip and say the wrong thing like Clinton did.

When most of the cameras had been turned off, Mr. Clinton was caught looking at Mr. Bush, then the floor, then Mr. Bush again. Very somberly, in his broken way, he said: "I ... love ... this ... rug."

I wish that exchange were on video so we could see if the other four men had the same "double-take" cough moment that hit me when I learned that Bill Clinton made a comment about the carpet in what looks to be the oval office (where a similar carpet in 1998 was searched for DNA samples). I can assure you that if Hillary had been there--that little voice would have stopped him from smiling in any direction in that room. That's how "that little voice" works.

It's that little voice that would tell OJ not to make TV infomercials for cutlery.... It's that little voice that would tell Michael Jackson that he should not sign up to be a Big Brother or Big Sister; it's that little voice that tells Senator Larry Criag to refrain from tapping his foot at a square dance. Don't you think that little voice in Bill Clinton's head should have told him that he, of all people, should note make comments about the carpet in that part of the White House?

Enough about that little voice. Here's all we actually have on tape:


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