A video clip from Usha Vance's “Storytime with the Second Lady” podcast has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. The clip features Vice President JD Vance joining his wife on her book-reading podcast for a special Father's Day segment. After the second lady welcomes her husband with “Thanks for joining us today, honey,” he replies, “Of course, good to see ya,” and pats her knee.
Social Media Reactions: 'Cry for Help' and 'Train Wreck'
Social media users and MAGA critics are calling the interaction a “cry for help,” a “train wreck,” and “so bizarre.” The “good to see ya” and knee tap reminded some of how you'd “pet the dog.” Body language experts agree the exchange is strange for multiple reasons.
Why 'Good to See Ya' Makes No Sense
Patti Wood, a body language expert and author of “SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma,” is perplexed by the vice president's greeting. “It's his wife's show. Didn't he just see her before the show? It doesn't make sense for a husband and wife,” Wood said. “‘Good to see you’ — do they not see each other? It's not intimate, it's what you'd say to a stranger.”
The Knee Pat: A Non-Reciprocal Touch
Denise Dudley, a clinical psychologist and behavioral expert, explained that a knee pat is a “non-reciprocal touch,” unlike a handshake which invites both parties. “If I shake your hand, you shake my hand, but when somebody reaches out and pats us, it's not mutual,” Dudley said. “One of the reasons we see a pat as demeaning is that it's rarely one where the other person feels they can touch you back.”
Dudley noted that children get patted more than adults, students more than teachers, patients more than doctors, and women more than men. “Who touches whom is a function of who has the power in the situation, so it also is a power move,” she added. In this case, touching her on the knee “definitely is a way you can show who has the power.”
Stopping Flirtation: A Directive
To Wood, the interaction was friendly and flirty on Usha's part and a directive to stop flirting on JD's part. “She does two things that are flirty,” Wood said. “The foot close to him in the heel, she moves in a flirty manner towards him, and she does a head tilt. But his response is first, his right leg bounces up and down, and then he goes to stop her—that's what the pat's about.”
Wood described the pat as a “How's it going, grandma” motion or a parent to child—“Now, now.” “The downward motion, the quickness, and the fact he pulls and squeezes on the knee to stop her leg that was flirty… it's a stop motion, an admonition, a correction.” If it were friendly, there would have been caressing, a rounded movement, and eye contact.
Mismatched Intimacy: Feet Tell the Truth
Wood explained that feet are the most honest body part because they are under the least conscious control. Usha's feet and legs are crossed toward JD, which is normal for her and says “I'm including you.” However, JD's feet are together, indicating stress, and not pointed at her. “We're not seeing a matching level of intimacy at the feet, which are the core part of relationship context,” Wood said.
Usha's Recoil: A 'Cry for Help'
Social media users called Usha's reaction a “cry for help.” In the video, she pulls her head and neck back and her shoulder goes up, said Traci Brown, a body language expert. “So, there's something a little bit uncomfortable there for her,” Brown noted. Dudley also noticed wincing: “I think she was recoiling from this touch. It sure looked to me like she did not want him to touch her again.”
Expectancy Violation: Why It's Awkward to Watch
Dudley explained that the interaction feels awkward because of an “expectancy violation.” Our brains predict what will happen next based on context, but when it goes differently, it jangles our brains. “We expected certain behavior from the vice president, but didn't get it. That expectancy violation is what got everybody chatting,” she said.
