2024 Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates
what their handwriting says about them
Kamala Harris
Vice-president Harris’ signature (noting that this is just her first name) is showy and elaborate, suggesting that her image is important to her. The final stroke extends outward in a long, straight movement, which tends to keep others at arm’s length. When we compare it to other writing, though, we find a capital I that looks like a large numeral two, and that is generally made by someone who puts themselves second–the job of a VP (which she was not at that time). The writing has large loops, some quick, efficient letter designs, and moves to the right. This all adds up to someone who, despite her need to protect herself, is an inclusive people person with a sharp, incisive mind.
Donald Trump
Having observed Donald Trump’s handwriting since the 1990s, I can say there has not been a great deal of change. Most of the time (although not in the handwriting I’ve used here–which I picked because of its recency) he uses a heavy felt tip pen and writes at a diagonal slant to the paper. His signature is profoundly different from the writing, which indicates someone whose private inner life is different from what he shows to the world. The squarish shape of the writing (not the signature) points to a strong need for security in someone who never felt secure, despite all the properties and monies he has amassed. The signature is sharp and aggressive, and looks like a fence. The final letter, ‘p’ bursts up, then plunges down like a knife, cutting through his name in a self-destructive manner. It would be impossible for him to back away from a power struggle because he insists on being the most important person in the room.
JD Vance
A signature reveals what the writer wants us to know about him. In this case, it is very little. The signature is extremely simplified and only partially legible. Not knowing the writer’s name, a reader would be hard pressed to guess what the last name was intended to be. The capitals are extremely large, which suggests self-confidence to the point of conceit. At the same time, the illegibility hides his true self. The rest of his writing reveals a severely damaged ego, emotional deprivation in the earliest part of his life. He is able to make quick changes of direction, doesn’t trust easily, but can be a charmer when he wants to be.
Tim Walz
In some ways, his handwriting reminds me a lot of Jimmy Carter’s, which is not a bad thing. The hasty, illegible signature says that he feels he has better things to do than sign documents. He is impatient to get things done, and the way it is done is less important than the results. The capitals are moderate, even small in his last name, suggesting modesty and “what you see is what you get.” There is some inner conflict between being an emotional person and wanting to strip away the emotions and get down to basics.
There is, of course, much more, but consider these thumbnail sketches.
(p.s. As a non-US citizen, I don’t get a vote, so none of these candidates is likely to benefit from what I say.)