THE BODY LANGUAGE OF POLITICS: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE READING IN THE GOP AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, AUGUST 7, 2015.

This paper focuses on the use of body language as an effective tool on audiences especially in the field of political discourse. In more specific terms, it investigates the nonverbal communication strategy followed by the American candidates running for 2016 presidency of the United States of America. As a first-class democratic state, the USA is witnessing a period of competitive debates, full of wins and fails, among presidential candidates. What makes a difference to the American people is the body language through which a candidate can win the trust, confidence and emotion of his/her audience. This paper is going to analyze how each of the candidates included in this analysis functioned body language to achieve and win in this Grand Old Party (GOP) debate as judged here by body language experts, political consultants, nonverbal communication experts, senior advisers and CNN contributors. The paper ends with the recommendation that nonverbal body language communication counts more than we may realize in achieving trust, confidence and success in public speaking.