Body language expert says JD Vance was 'smooth and confident' and vice presidential debate - while Tim Walz off human but 'flawed'

JD Vance showed a 'smooth, charming confidence' at his vice presidential debate with 'human and flawed' Tim Walz, a body language expert said.

Judi James told DailyMail.com that the debate could be encapsulated at the end when Vance and Walz attempted to shake hands with a 'very well-mannered battle for power and status.' 

She said that Vance walked over to Walz and did a 'drop-dig hand gesture to register a hearty strength.'

This was in contrast to the presidential debate, where James said Kamala Harris 'grabbed the initiative before the debate even began with her assertive handshake with Donald Trump.'

'Political leadership power-pats become a competition to see who can look most in charge by getting the most or the last pat in,' James said. 

Vance got the upper hand by patting Walz's arm before Walz did the same in return, in an attempt to laugh it off. 

James echoed what many on social media saw as a refreshing geniality to the debate, citing the moment where Vance had a knowing laugh at Walz admitting he can 'miss-speak' like Trump. 

'The split screen showed moments when the men nodded in agreement with each other and Vance verbally picked out points they would agree on,' James said.

She added that during the debate, which became 'warmer and more amicable' as time passed, Vance would often create moments of community between himself and Walz.  

'Phrases like ‘Tim and I’ came from Vance’s mouth and ‘as Tim said…’ to make this a gentlemanly debate despite odd moments where they clashed head-to-head,' she added.

James was hugely complimentary of the Hillbilly Elegy author and Ohio Senator, who looked polished and had an easy charm. 

'It was Vance who had the charisma here, projecting a calm, charming confidence that was smooth enough to have come from a Brylcreem ad.' 

She even noted similarities between Vance and Vice President Harris during her tussle with Trump. 

'A faint smile never left his face and he adopted the Harris technique of watching his opponent on split-screen with a sense of what looked like mild amusement before glancing round in frequent non-verbal eye-asides to the camera,' she said.

She also was taken with how Vance talked about his wife and children and use of the word 'beautiful.' 

But on substance, his body language was able to take the debate where he wanted it to go against Walz. 

'He steered and he led the points although he also swerved direct questions several times. His eye expression was calm while Walz’s eyes looked startled and his voice sounded nervous and breathless at times,' James said.

In contrast, James believes that Walz took too much time to become comfortable with himself for the debate and did not succeed until his final remarks, when he was 'freshly powdered.'

She cited his attempts to name check Taylor Swift, a 'politics of joy' and an almost 'hippie-like' optimism that showed a much less nervous candidate than she saw at the top of the show. 

At the start of the contest, though, Walz's movements 'suggested agitation, frowning, a rounded staring eye expression and pleading hand gestures.'

She also had his mouth 'clamped shut' and also looked unhappy as he furiously wrote in his notes, which Donald Trump mocked throughout the debate. 

James called out the Minnesota governor for pointing and staring at the camera, as if he was 'angrily attacking the voters.' 

Ultimately, despite her preference for Vance, it may come down to where voters stand on the issues to determine who won. 

'The winner of this debate would have been Vance on technique and technical points but a lot would depend on voter taste, whether they would be attracted to his calm charm or prefer Walz’s unpolished-looking passion.'

The two vice presidential hopefuls sparred over abortion, immigration and the economy. 

They also went after each other for differing approaches to foreign policy - as the Middle East is at the brink of all-out war after Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel.

Hosts Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan were accused of being biased after cutting Vance's mic when he hit back at a fact check on his claims on Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio.

Megyn Kelly led the fury by posting 'How Dare You! on X on a night where Vance have a strong performance and Walz had a stumbling start.

That prompted an angry response from Trump's running mate, who fired back and then had his mic cut, sparking outrage by viewers accusing CBS of 'bias.' 

Walz, 60, also disclosed that his own 17-year-old son witnessed a shooting at a school community center, in a harrowing tale about nationwide gun violence. 

It sparked a rare moment of consensus on behalf of both candidates, who agreed schools must be safe havens for American children. 

And social media users swooned over Vance's 'gorgeous blue' eyes as he tackled the questions posed by the moderators. 

Neither candidate plans to debate again, leaving this potentially the final such event with Donald Trump refusing to debate Kamala Harris a second time prior to the November 5 election.