Scott Rouse, a Nashville-based body language expert who has trained alongside members of the FBI, US Secret Service, and the Department of Defense, is in demand.
He usually spends his time on "Dr. Phil" analyzing cases, such as the last video of the Petito family, or advising US special forces at Fort Campbell on how to handle enemies and adversaries.
He was the perfect person to weigh in on the relationship between Vice President Harris and Pete Buttigieg, who are now administration allies.
The relationship came under scrutiny again Thursday, as the duo embarked on a joint appearance to Charlotte, North Carolina, to sell the benefits of President Joe Biden's new $1.2 trillion-dollar infrastructure law, amid speculation that the two could square off in a 2024 primary. Jen Psaki said that Biden'stention is to run again.
It was their first big moment in public since Harris presided over Buttigieg's swearing-in ceremony. Buttigieg helped her prepare for the vice presidential debate in 2020, playing the role of his fellow Hoosier, Trump's vice president and former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Harris's husband, Doug Emhoff, has a friendship with Chasten, Buttigieg's husband.
Buttigieg, the first openly-gay Senate-confirmed Cabinet official, went out of his way to be respectful to Harris. Buttigieg's advisers told Insider last month that he would be reluctant to challenge Harris, the first Black and first woman vice president, as well as the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office, and someone who has struck a genuine friendship with Buttigieg.
The duo toured a public transit facility at the Charlotte Area Transit System's bus garage Tuesday and made remarks about how the law will benefit North Carolina. Chasten and Doug were in DC and picked up bagels from Call Your Mother Deli. In April, Emhoff visited North Carolina with Pete Buttigieg to talk about infrastructure.
I asked Rouse to analyze photos of Harris and Buttigieg's interactions and speeches to assess how the event unfolded.
December 2, 2021.
The two embraced on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. The hug was awkward. He told me that the woman's feet are pointed toward him. His left foot is pointing away from her. When you want to focus on a person or something in a room, or in your surroundings, your feet will point toward that person. He seems a little bit ill at ease because he's leaning forward.
The space between them is more than that. He told me that if you are happy to see someone, you will hug them and pull them towards you. He said that he was trying to make space from her where she was more into it.
Harris sat in the driver's seat as Buttigieg looked on, as they arrived at the bus depot and light rail garage, according to a vice presidential pool report.
When asked by reporters if he and Harris are mounting their own presidential campaigns, Buttigieg said, "It's 2021." When campaigns and elections go well, you get to govern. We are focused on the job at hand. I am excited to be a part of a team led by the president and the vice president and I think the teamwork that got us to this point is just beginning.
A reporter asked if the visit represented a united front with Harris.
"As transportation secretary, I get to be the face of a lot of these investments that we're doing, but we would not be here without the leadership of the vice president as well as the president," Buttigieg said. I am happy that we were able to shine a light on that.
Buttigieg praised the vice president's role in getting the infrastructure law across the finish line. He said that her message was not to get lost in the details of the politics, but to remember the unique nature of the opportunity. She was correct. It helped shape the conversation.
Rouse told me that he was struck by Buttigieg's respect for Harris.
December 2, 2021.
"Her eyes are wide open, you can see he's not very comfortable in that seat, you can tell that by the way," he said. She's like a child there. Let's take a look at him. Let's take a look at his feet. His feet are not pointing toward the door.
The main thing we're seeing is his hand in his pocket. When you see someone with their hands in their pocket, and you don't see their thumbs, that shows that they don't feel dominant in that situation.
A Democratic strategist told Insider that they didn't think the joint appearance would put to rest talk of a Buttigieg-Harris rivalry.
I don't think it's because of anything that happened today. This person said that it's just generally speculation season. Pete and Kamala both did what they had to do to make the American public aware of which party's agenda they wanted to support in the upcoming elections.
