Pirro's Puffed Up Power Finger

One day after declaring that prosecuters would no longer seek felony charges against people carrying rifles in Washington DC, the US Attorney Jeanine Pirro ordered federal agents deployed in Washington DC to "maximize charges" against those they arrest. Coming during Donald Trump's declaration of a crime emergency in Washington DC, these back-to-back conflicting decrees from the tough talking Pirro should be no surprise once you know what her hands say about her relationship with power.

Hands Speak

You don't have to know anything about palmistry to understand what someone's hands have to say. Gesture, hand shape, finger length, finger width, and finger set speak volumes. I love looking at images of public figures to see what their hands can tell me. This image from a recent press conference of Pirro's palms spread wide really caught my eye.

When assessing a hand from photographs I like to look at multiple images to confirm what I'm seeing is actually in the hand, and not a result of lighting or camera angle. After hours of internet searching I could not find another image of Jeanine Pirro with open palms. In almost every image where one or both hands was prominent, Pirro was making a fist with just her pointer finger extended.

In and of itself, that says a lot. An open palm conveys, "I have nothing to hide." A closed fist with index finger extended, especially if accompanied by a stabbing or wagging motion, is considered to be a gesture of aggression.

A Show Of Power

Named for Jupiter, Roman king of the gods, the index/pointer finger is the finger associated with power, confidence, and leadership. As head of all the gods, Mythologically, Jupiter was the defender of principles and protector of the state and its laws.

You can see in the image above that Jeanine Pirro's pointer finger is fatter than her other fingers, and it also appears short. (The line I drew at the top of the fingers shows where textbook pointer and ring fingers should end.)

A short pointer finger is seen as a lack of power, challenges earning respect, and issues with authority. A wide pointer finger says, I want the world to see me as powerful.

So what does it mean that Pirro's finger is both short (powerless) and wide (look at my power)? This combination is often seen in the hands of someone with a Napoleon Complex.

Pirro has often been described as combative. Her pinky flies out at an almost 45 degree angle, the mark of someone who says exactly what they are thinking. In combination with her wide power finger, her words are more likely to be surly than sincere.

In addition, her Mound of Mars lacks firmness, a condition I call Marshmallow Mars. Mars in the hand represents initiative and courage. When it presents as soft and hollow, as seen in both of Pirro's hands, it hints at a lack of backbone and the inability to follow through. Add this to the short but wide combo of her power finger, and we have the markings of the classic bully, a tough talker who, when confronted about their menacing, is more likely to stand down than to strike back.

Hiding In Plain Sight

The sunken set of her pointer finger is another indicator of not feeling respected, one more disconnect between what she presents in front of the camera, and what goes on behind the scenes.

Speaking of the camera, Pirro's ring finger is exceptionally long. This is the finger of appreciation and applause. Persons with long ring fingers like being in the limelight. With a ring finger almost as long as her middle finger, it's no surprise Pirro ended up becoming a television personality.

And while a strong ring finger typically points to someone who is willing to take personal risks, the way hers clings to her middle finger reveals that her on-screen audacity may be a cover-up for deeply instilled insecurity. Pirro's pull-no-punches persona and reputation for controversial declarations are no substitutes for genuine power.