The New York Times reports:
Mr. Johnson shut down reporters’ shouted questions with a silent cue, like a cab light switched off, signaling he was no longer available: He held his smartphone phone to his ear and speed-walked out of sight. It is a ploy that Mr. Johnson has used frequently to dodge questions since the fall when he won the position of speaker, and with it the tricky job of governing with a deeply divided and shrinking Republican majority in the House.
The “on the phone” gesture serves as a shield against the unwanted hallway interrogation, an all-purpose nonverbal rebuff that conveys busyness without seeming to stonewall, and carries with it the possibility of extreme awkwardness if ignored. (Is it a fake phone call, a sick kid or the president of the United States? It’s hard for journalists to tell who, if anyone, is on the other end of the line — and that is the point.)
Read the full article. I watched Johnson do this to CNN’s Manu Raju just yesterday to avoid questions about the proposed border deal.
Mr. Johnson shut down reporters’ shouted questions with a silent cue, like a cab light switched off, signaling he was no longer available: He held his smartphone phone to his ear and speed-walked out of sight.
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) February 2, 2024