from Politico.com
by Ben Smith
April 8, 2009
The White House is denying that the president bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at a G-20 meeting in London, a scene that drew criticism on the right and praise from some Arab outlets.
"It wasn't a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah," said an Obama aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
BS - start watching at about 50 seconds - this comment explains exactly what happened:
That was a bow...and an outright lie from the White House if they are denying it was... They say he was shaking hands with 2 hands...but he didn't extend his second hand until he was fully upright again, you can see his second hand at his waist level. A total lie from the White House!!!
Posted By: Sean April 08, 2009 at 04:16 PM
The Washington Times called the alleged bow a "shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate" and said it violated centuries of American tradition of not deferring to royalty. The Weekly Standard, meanwhile, noted that American protocol apparently rules out bowing, or at least it reportedly did on the occasion of a Clinton "near-bow" to the emperor of Japan.
Interestingly, a columnist in the Saudi-backed Arabic paper Asharq Alawsat also took the gesture as a bow and appreciated the move.
"Obama wished to demonstrate his respect and appreciation of the personality of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, who has made one of the most important calls in the modern era, namely the call for inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue to defuse the hatred, conflict and wars," wrote the columnist, Muhammah Diyab.
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Political correctness and proper protocol is another thing which has outlived it's usefullness, if it ever had any. It's a new age.
ReplyDeleteObama is young and he might have been showing some respect for an older person. It certainly looks like a a bow, but so what? Does that make him a bad guy? Grow up! I love that Mrs. Obama, too, was affectionate with the queen of England, who is basically an old woman. Get over it, and get together. Stop this rabid bashing, or direct it at the moron who only opened his mouth to change feet. Know who I mean?
If that was a bow, Obama needs a choreographer to show him how it is done. To me it looked like a respectful nod, accompanied by putting his hand forward too soon on approach.
ReplyDeleteOn the question of protocol, an American citizen is free to bow to whomever he likes. One is simply not required to do so with royalty where their own subjects would be expected to.