Political talk shows have played and replayed the moment from the second day of Obama’s week-long Asia tour, which set the blogosphere on fire and chat show tongues wagging.
“I don’t know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it’s not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one,” said conservative pundit William Kristol speaking on the Fox News Sunday program, adding that the gesture bespoke a United States that has become weak and overly-deferential under Obama.
Another conservative voice, Bill Bennett, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” program: “It’s ugly. I don’t want to see it.”
“We don’t defer to emperors. We don’t defer to kings or emperors. The president of the United States — this coupled with so many apologies from the United States — is just another thing,” said Bennett.
Some conservative critics juxtaposed the image of Obama with one of former US vice president Dick Cheney, who greeted the emperor in 2007 with a firm handshake but no bow.
“I’ll bet if you look at pictures of world leaders over 20 years meeting the emperor in Japan, they don’t bow,” Kristol said.
Oh the horror. Republicans unite!
Not idiots. America is superior to all other nations it’s citizens should bow to no one, especially not our elected representatives.
How refreshing to see an American leader who is not an arrogant a-hole.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/11/on-president-obamas-bow-to-the-japanese-emperor-an-academic-friend-writes-that-both-the-left-and-the-right-are-wrong.html
Hah, Hah. Excellent McCullough==good call.
Is this really causing a “stir” anywhere? I’ve seen it reported 4-5 times in a very flat matter of fact tone.
If this were a matter of international protocol, I would think “everyone” would be following it or reported as a violation of same.===and its not. SO, I can only assume it is a matter of personal preferences how P, VP, etc relate to one another. Should our female politicians where head coverings, take off shoes in shrines etc?
OR, just kiss them on the lips and take their money in the name of Patriotic American Capitalism?
I don’t see the problem here. Japan people of all kinds bow. Its a type of greeting. But its this petty whining that makes Republican’s look stupid.
Their are plenty of legitimate complaints about Obama I agree with . But this is not one of them.
I’m more concerned about his ass kissing to Wall Street than his bowing to a Japanese Emperor.
He just try to rook him in eye
At this point in time, bowing to the Japanese emperor is no big deal. I’m more concerned with how he sucks up to Chavez, Ortega, and the like.
Respecting a host country’s cultural customs isn’t a sign of weakness whereas disrespecting your president and elected leader is.
If this was no issue, why did the White House LIE about it when he bowed to the Saudi King?
No has to unite, actually, Obama is well on his way to becoming the worst President since Carter and will be serving or should I say apologizing for just one term. Anyone want to take that bet?
Note to Obama: The next time Michelle opens her purse, reach in there and retrieve your balls.
“Oh look! A penny!”
What was groveling for?
Bows have a very, very well defined meaning:
The etiquette surrounding bowing, including the length and depth of bow, and the appropriate response, is exceedingly complex. For example, if the other person maintains his or her bow for longer than expected (generally about two or three seconds), it is polite to bow again, upon which one may receive another bow in return. This often leads to a long exchange of progressively lighter bows.
Generally speaking, an inferior bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior. A superior addressing an inferior will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist.
Bows of apology tend to be deeper and last longer than other types of bow. They tend to occur with frequency during the apology, generally at about 45 degrees with the head lowered and lasting for at least the count of three, sometimes longer. The depth, frequency and duration of the bow increases with the sincerity of the apology and the severity of the offence. (source: wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiquette_in_Japan#Bowing )
You don’t bow and shake. It’s just WEIRD. And, if you do, you do it to the side…not like President O’bozo was doing there. The whole body language says “I am weak, I am sorry, and I am below you.”
MORONIC!
Simp
The question is: who bowed first: Obama or the emperor. If the emperor bowed first and Obama was returning the bow fine.
Under rules for bowing (similar to rules for saluting) the lower ranked person bows first, then the higher ranked person politely exchanges the bow. There is a order of precedences based on treaties and the outcome of wars. The US is at the top of that list.
Bowing is not just from Japan. Many Asian cultures bow, including ours. One one refuses to do so in return is beyond me. Might as well not shake anyone’s hand here or bother saying hi.
Utterly ridiculous.
Can’t help but laugh that Obama’s first instinct is to bend over when meeting world leaders.
Good thing Arafat in no longer around or Barack would run the risk of becoming his boy-toy.
When in Rome…..
The outrage stems from the fact that in the US, all men are supposed to be equal. We may have different customs and methods of greeting, but there is nothing that requires us to follow those customs.
If Obama wants to bow, then he is free to do so. But he must realize that it’s not just a slightly different cultural greeting – it’s deference to a “superior”.
Now let’s say, hypothetically, that the next time Obama visits Russia, the protocol office in Russia lets his advance team know that they have a new “custom” that requires visitors to dance the hokey-pokey before the Russian leader. Will Obama say “no” or will we have the “leader of the free world” dancing the hokey-pokey on youtube ?
News Flash:
Obama is Polite – Right-wing outraged.
Okay, since nobody else will put it so bluntly:
If Americans and Republicans in particular weren’t obsessed with gay sex, bending over to show respect to another world leader, in a country where bowing is a normal greeting, wouldn’t even make the news.
But, here in the good old USA, if you are a man and you bend at the hips, it means you want IT.
Sickos!
#21 Mike…
You got that right!
MikeR, f*ck y*u! It’s nothing to do with Republican or Democrat, you idiot. Maybe when you grow up you’ll see that a.) there is not difference between the two parties any longer (one party, all politicians), and b.) they don’t represent US, as in you and me.
Next, perhaps you’ll consider the wonderful way we’re being presented to the world….first crappy Walmart gifts (in the wrong DVD format for the UK leader) and now, bending over like he’s getting the soap in a men’s prison for the Emperor. Great.
We’re looking more and more like bozo’s every day. First Bush, now Obama….. if there was any doubt in anyone’s mind it is dispelled. We ARE a bunch of illiterate, greedy, lazy trailer trash. Quick someone, write a new national song..
#20 Chuckles – The hokey-pokey is hardly traditional in Russia. If a particular gesture is reserved for the leader of a country, like kissing a ring or some other crap, I could see deferring on it. But if the custom is practiced as a greeting between all persons in a country then the best decision is to do as in Rome.
#21
No.. it’s Obama being a noob. Making the emperor feel out of place with your incoherent actions is not a show of politeness.
A deep bow, looking down and extending your hand is a show of submission/shame/apology, which is true not only in Japan but many parts of the world.
What would have been better for the President would have been a bow of fifteen degrees, eyes up and front, and hands by his side. After his bow was received by the Emperor and returned, then an according handshake. This would have signaled to all of Japan with a bunch of pomp and extra steps, the exact same message that was conveyed by the Emperor with his partial-bow-shake hand at side. Strength and humility, all at the same time. Emperor-1 Obama-0.
Obama was trying to be too cool for school and screwed it up. Nothing more nothing less. Amazing what gets play in the press.
It’s just how you show your shag rug to foreign leaders, baby. No need to get your willie in a knot.
Dale, #11 is entirely correct.
The Emperor of Japan, rates a bow.
There are not enough manners or respect in this world.
If this bothers you I think you have a self esteem problem.
And yet, Presidents and Prime Ministers from other countries who attended the same summit managed to get through their greeting without bowing (or at least not appearing to bow).
Obama was photographed and it became a big news story because he was the only one to bow and shake hands so ridiculously. BTW, the usual process is: shake hands first, then (after disengaging handshake) bow. Or don’t shake hands, just bow. Or just bow. Or don’t do anything.
#24 – meetsy
I’m not an American.
I thought all the men who died in the American
Revolution did so that we don’t have to bow
to anyone. We should be polite to just about
everyone, but I have a bad back when it comes
to this crap.