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.
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
According to the White House it was all because Obama is tall. Obama is taller than most people he meets how come we have not seen this bow before? And Politico (above) calls the bow “alleged.” Cripes.
Gibbs acting like he didn’t see the video or knew that much. With a snarky remark to top things off.
#62 Dvorak,
I cant and also don’t wanna argue with you Mr. Dvorak, as I am your biggest fan and that’s why I am here on your blog.
I am just saying chill out people, we have more things to worry about than fighting over who bowed for who….
Learning on the job is the pits…Cut him some slack. Sure he told the Arab world the other guy is his boss. He doesn’t know his butt from a hole in the ground yet though Clinton should have sorted him out but maybe he forgot to check? He’ll learn.
@51 jbenson2 “#48 – Try to evade the issue as much as you want. ”
What issue?
He bowed. Oops. End of the world! This is bloopers and practical jokes material.
Like you noted, Obama has made many mistakes since taking office.
I view the president’s most important aspect as being a role model.
I view the president’s second most important role as having his own approach to solving problems versus a standard issue “political party agenda”.
I like the leadership he has shown so far and this bloopers and blunders don’t bother me a bit.
I have to agree with the closeted wingnuts on one thing, he shouldn’t have denied it. He should have said “I’m a new leader on the world scene, he is an old and established one, as peers I wanted to give him respect” or something like that. It’s always the denying that comes back and bites you in the butt, not the action itself. Hopefully he’ll learn from this.
So keep up the wailing, moaning, rending of garments, and gnashing of teeth, wingnuts. We want the world to see what a terrible, dreadful thing the Republicans think this is. 🙂
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=16327
President Barack Obama’s bow in front of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz during their meeting at the sidelines of the G20 conference in London has aroused suspicion once again over Obama’s religious identity. Gary Bauer, a former Republican Presidential primary candidate said that “he [Obama] is courting the Muslims in a way that arouses suspicion” and this makes clear that Obama’s opponents are omitting a lot of facts when interpreting this bow.
Obama lived part of his childhood in Indonesia and in his meeting with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques attempted to evoke this. For bowing is an expression of affection in Indonesian culture and in East Asia in general. And so 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. And so the American right-wing –and the media which is sympathetic towards them- is reading too much into Obama’s bow.
In truth, Obama and his wife Michelle have won over the European press with their charisma, spontaneity, and intelligence, since their arrival in London prior to the G20 Summit. Never have the European press been so enamored of an American President and his wife in the way that they were towards Obama and his wife Michelle. They stood in the spot-light and attained the same level of admiration as experienced by former US President John F. Kennedy, and his wife Jackie. But there is a price for this level of stardom, and it certainly raises the ire of those that dislike them, and draws the eyes of those that lie in wait.
The wingnuts just can’t stand when Obama does something successful… they want him to fail. Why do you hate America so much, wingnuts, that you’d want the president to fail?
the denial
The majority of new leaders say, “I’ll be deferent, I’ll be open, I’ll always tell all” none do. Any one who really thought this sort of damage control spin was a thing of the past needs a wake up call. I’ll save my disappointment for a spin crafted denial of a genuine issue, so far he just being the president I thought he would be when he won.
Obama will be to the left of Bush II and to the right of FDR the country will survive as it always has. If his plans don’t work out, if he goes to far left for the masses the GOP will win back control and roll back his changes. The country will survive as it always has. The hot button issues of guns, god, abortion, capital punishment, and gays will be with us for along long time. If you really care about the stuff that matters try not to vote on these issues (clue for Republicans to get us independents back look to the model of GOP moderates like Eisenhower)
#74 You forgot that they have lots of oil that we want. So we gotta play nice.
Bush was a ham-handed f*ckup, saying to the Arabs, “You’re either with us or you’re with the evil-doers”, “We’re going on a crusade to get rid of Saddam”, etc., etc.
Obama’s using diplomacy. Not surprised if you don’t recognize that, it hasn’t been used by the U.S. executive branch for 8 years or so.
Perhaps his bow was an apology for having buildings in the airspace that Saudi pilots need to maneuver in.
I couldn’t care less if Obama bowed, the thermometer setting of the White house, the hugging og the queen or the iPOD gift.
This is just more bullshit annoying and useless crap from the GOP sewers to distract from the real issues at hand.
The fact that Obama and his handlers continue to deny this obvious lie confirms the Obama administrations complete lack of respect for the people they serve. If they will lie about this they will lie about more important life and death matters. Resign now you great pretender!
Protocol. A President bows graciously to a King. A King to an Emperor. It’s called, getting along.
#79 I dunno, Pedro. When you figure out if Obama bowed or not, let us know. That can be your project over the Easter holidays.
In the mean time, I need to get back to work so I can pay my taxes for a seven year trillion dollar elective war and also worry about my family’s future.
How is this important? He flexed his abdominal muscles, so what?!?
This is like thĂ© definition of “real news”.
The era of showing fealty to “royalty” is long gone.
No one should bow, especially a US president and especially to leaders of medieval governments.
ok guys switch sides looks like he was insulting Abdullah
from that river of information Wikipedia on Bowing
“Bowing to other human beings is frowned upon in Muslim cultures as all human beings are considered equal and bowing is only supposed to be done to God in Islam.”
guess that makes Obama a bad Muslim to those of you silly enough to think he is a Muslim
if it was ring kissing i guess that is a step up from the ass kissing the bush boys would do.
#19, brm,
I hope you’re not an American. If you are, learn the proper protocol or relinquish your citizenship. We do not bow to royalty.
Where do you get “we” asshole?
Proper protocol is to follow local customs. If the local custom is to remove your shoes at the door, then take ’em off. If local custom is to cover your head, then cover your head. If the local custom is to shake right hands, then you shake hands. If the local custom is to bow to the leader of their country, you bow. If the local custom is to kiss the ring, you kiss the ring.
And if you violate local custom and the locals end up tossing your sorry butt out the door, you were warned.
How many days left? Has the countdown clock restarted?
But, Hey he’s the president… He can do WTF he wants!
Oh, Boo Hoo!
I bet the King got a kick out of it.
Would wonder-boy bow before ME? I doubt it. Why the hell should he bow to a rag head?
Mr Fusion, you are very rude. But then, if you know every-fucking-thing, I guess you can be.
That was it? Looks like he’s doing the Japanese thing. The way the news sounded I had expected him to be kneeling down or something.
Oh no, Obama bowed to an Arab! He bowed to the ENEMY! Arabs are this weeks enemy, right? Or was that last week and its the Korean’s turn to be the enemy. I kinda lose track sometimes.
Oh that’s right, Somali pirates are this weeks enemy. So I guess the bow was Ok after all. I mean, America has been fellating the Saudi’s for years. What’s the big deal?
It is a gaff filled White House. They are having to hire actors to fill positions.
The next movie will be Harold and Kumar go to the White House.
I’d bow too if I was the American president. With all the American debt that the Saudis own. Bush probably kissed his feet (in private) or maybe even something else.
I am just so amazed the right wing nuts have their undies in such a knot over this. Their kind allowed the economy to fall into ruin and they complain about whether or not the President “bowed to a foreign leader”. Last week it was the First Lady “touching the Queen of England”. Next week it will be the President’s Aunt wipes her ass with her right hand.
Instead of trying to get jobs for the 25 million unemployed and underemployed in this country they can only argue about trivial matters. And they want to lead this country?
#95 Hugh Ripper said. Obama bowed to an Arab! He bowed to the ENEMY!
Really? Where were you when Bush shoved his tongue in the Saudi Kings face (twice)? Seems bowing was less pro-enemy by comparison.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OAAIOoG_JOA
I never knew Americans were so self conscious.
Yeah, no bowing! Pretend they don’t hold us by the gonads. However, it’s OK to kiss and hold hands in public (Bush) and then kiss their asses in private.
Was that a bow or did he drop his blackberry?
I think he was just trying to suck the oil out of his dick is all. Nothing unusual to see here.
Holy Cow — This Is Important!!