Bowing obama

Does it really matter if he was supposed to bow or not?? I mean seriously, folks. Why the hell does anyone care?!?!?!

If America's image can be tarnished with an out-of-place protocol breach with an ally, then maybe it wasn't that strong to begin with. Otherwise, it's not going to hurt us in the long run and it may actually help.

ETA - I'm glad to know I'm not the only one whose posts are being posted out of order. What gives?!

teh...
maybe there'd be less hysteria if obama had an m-16 tucked in his pants.

leslie

google it.
it matters indeed...
according to right wing conservatives.
hundreds of thousands of them, all up in arms.

and i sit here shaking my head, stupefied that it has resulted in such histrionics.

so much going through my head, none of it constructive.
(let it go, leslie...let it go)

leslie

Bohica! LOL....that's exactly what goes through my mind every time I look at the pic of Obama bowing.

Something weird is going on . . . I posted on the GM thread about it, responding to Halinja's thread . . . . where it says we are supposed to wait 20 seconds and we have 536 seconds to go . . .

steph

The NYT's cared in 1994. (From my previous link)

."Here, let the New York Times explain it. In 1994, the Times gently rebuked President Clinton for "almost" bowing to the Japanese emperor. "It wasn't a bow, exactly," the editorial chided, "(b)ut Mr. Clinton came close. He inclined his head and shoulders forward, he pressed his hands together. It lasted no longer than a snapshot, but the image on the South Lawn was indelible: an obsequent President, and the Emperor of Japan. Canadians still bow to England's Queen; so do Australians. Americans shake hands. If not to stand eye-to-eye with royalty, what else were 1776 and all that about?". . . .


I'm wondering if the difference NOW is that we can't criticize Obama?

And heron . . . ."baboon"? Come on . . . . Please let's not go down that road.



steph

There are many reports about this from more than the right-wing Christian right wackos . . . . . Let's start with ABC

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpu...are-wrong.html


On President Obama's Bow to the Japanese Emperor, An Academic Friend Writes That Both the Left and the Right Are Wrong



"This picture shows two things," my friend writes.
"1) The 'right' is wrong about Obama's bow.
"2) The 'left' is wrong about Obama's bow.
"His bow is neither (1) unprecedented nor (2) a sign of cultural understanding.

Here is the original article from the NYT about Clinton:

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/19/we...a-bow-bow.html

"IF I see another king, I think I shall bite him," Teddy Roosevelt once growled. Offered that opportunity with the Japanese equivalent last week, Bill Clinton turned out to have had quite something else in mind.

It wasn't a bow, exactly. But Mr. Clinton came close. He inclined his head and shoulders forward, he pressed his hands together. It lasted no longer than a snapshot, but the image on the South Lawn was indelible: an obsequent President, and the Emperor of Japan.. . . . ."

The LA Times:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/wash...-akihito-.html

Top of the Ticket

Politics and commentary, coast to coast, from the Los Angeles Times




Obama's wow bow II: Turns out Japan's emperor is just fine with simple handshakes (video)

November 17, 2009 | 6:04 am

Among the thousands of comments left on the Ticket in recent days, most dealt with our item: "How low will he go?" about the awkward bow that President Obama gave Japan's Emperor Akihito over the weekend.
Apparently improperly briefed about accepted procedure in Japan or perhaps having a time zone mind melt, Obama stuck out his hand for a shake. Which was fine. And friendly.


He then proceeded to simultaneously bow. Which was not.

And take his eyes off the person he's greeting. Which was not.
And, worst in the eyes of many, the over-enthusiastic president of the United States bowed way down at a 45-degree angle, indicating in that culture, and apparently in the eyes of many others, subservience to the emperor, son of the man who authorized the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.. . . ......"