Harris’ handshake: Why her power move threw Trump off

One of the biggest surprises of what is likely the final presidential debate came at the very beginning, when Vice President Kamala Harris walked toward former president Donald Trump’s podium for a handshake.

University of Delaware experts can provide analysis of this unexpected start to a historic debate.

Erin Cassese, professor of political science and international relations, said the move exuded confidence, especially given that President Biden and former-President Trump did not shake hands at the outset of their July debate.

“Harris’s pursuit of the handshake showed off the bat that she would engage in this debate on her own terms, Cassese said. “It also had Trump on the back foot, as he seemed not to expect the gesture.”

Cassese said the handshake also offset any advantage Trump might have gained due to the podium setup, which could have highlighted their height differential.

“But the handshake showed that Harris was not intimidated by the difference in stature,” Cassese said.

“It was a clearly planned move on Harris’ part intending to assert some dominance over someone whose entire schtick is about being dominant. And it was successful, and I think it discomforted Trump,” said David Redlawsk, professor of political science and international relations.

Cassese explores the behavior of women as voters and candidates for political office in the United States. Her areas of expertise are gender, abortion, public opinion, campaigns and elections.

Redlawsk is a political psychologist who studies voter behavior and emotion, focusing on how voters process political information to make their decisions. He has written several books on politics, worked behind the scenes on campaigns and ran for local office.