Bow-ow-ow: Obama's painful missteps

Video of obama bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia?

OMG - please tell us it isn't so, but there it is anyway ...

article with video

Obama's staffing problems are blatant -- from that bleating boy of a treasury secretary to what appears to be a total vacuum where a chief of protocol should be. There has been one needless gaffe after another -- from the president's tacky appearance on a late-night comedy show to the kitsch gifts given to the British prime minister, followed by the sweater-clad first lady's over-familiarity with the queen and culminating in the jaw-dropping spectacle of a president of the United States bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia. Why was protest about the latter indignity confined to conservatives? The silence of the major media was a disgrace. But I attribute that embarrassing incident not to Obama's sinister or naive appeasement of the Muslim world but to a simple if costly breakdown in basic command of protocol.

But please read the entire article. The author is not anti-obama, but is amazed at the mistakes being made.

[edit on 4/8/2009 by centurion1211]

I don't get it. Why is this a blunder? Is it a cultural no-no to Saudis or did he think he was supposed to or did it look like groveling. I don't get it. The article doesn't explain it.

reply to post by Moonsouljah


Basically, obama went to a couple muslim countries and it did appear like he was acting subservient - grovelling if you will.

reply to post by centurion1211


Mmmm, respecting other people's cultures instead of screaming "USA USA, what are you gonna do about it?"

What's wrong with him?

[edit on 8 Apr 2009 by schrodingers dog]

reply to post by centurion1211


its called custom, all presidents have done it before

there have been plenty of bush moments of that

groveling with a bow? come on




Why is this flagged?

[edit on 8-4-2009 by MurderCityDevil]

reply to post by centurion1211


Did any other president has bowed to the Saudi King before?

I mean don't get me wrong but in America we we do not hold monarchies that is one of the reason America became separated from England.

So is not reason for the leader of the US to be bowing to any king around the world.

I mean is still the protocols of respect, but bowing should not be one.



[edit on 8-4-2009 by marg6043]

Thanks for the clarification.
Lol- I think Obama is just so used to being a top he decided to bend over and play receiver for a change.
It's like we're living in a porno and he's the hung dude and we're the drugged-up chick who is begging for the scene to be over.

Here's a related thread on obama's Turkey visit. In this one in a speech to the Turkish parliament, he admits to being a muslim, which has been hotly debated since he started his campaign over a year ago.

thread


[edit on 4/8/2009 by centurion1211]

reply to post by marg6043


Are you offended if he bows to the Prime Minister of Japan?

I'm sure its not the bowing itself (and its different connotations) is it that it was to someone who was a monarch? Or that they follow Islam? Both?

reply to post by centurion1211


Why the heck can't you people lift yourself out of the gutter and join the rest of humanity? Do you really like stench that much?

Let me ask you guys this ...

Which is more subservient?

Performing a customary bow out of respect of the nation that is hosting you be it SA or Japan, or ...

Being in the pockets of the Saudi royal family and a slave to their oil, fighting two wars on their behalf, and not holding them responsible for their part in 9/11.

Please, enough with this nonsense.

reply to post by awake_awoke


I don't think our president should be bowing to anybody but us the American people that elected him and pay his salary, don't you think?

I watched the video, and he is clearly bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia. I saw a link like this in respect to the Queen of England, but I thought that in that video it was more about the President being much taller than the Queen.

However, here that is a clear bow. Its not like meeting with a Japanese diplomat that bowing is the formal greeting and they bow back to you. Mr. Obama's bow to the King of SA was completely a subservient gesture. I think that Barak isn't bowing to be subservient, I think the man is completely clueless; however, as the President of the USA, he should have people telling what the proper protocol is.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


He has to bow to Japan too and China after all he does represent the nation that always have an open hand to begging for money first China and then Japan, with UK third.

Still the President should not be bowing to anybody.

Maybe a swift kick to the nuts would have been more appropriate?

Originally posted by Irish M1ck
Maybe a swift kick to the nuts would have been more appropriate?

I knew it was bound to happen.

We actually agree on something ...

reply to post by marg6043


That's right I forgot, we're no. 1.

Bow Obama Bow. It's a beautiful thing.

Ok.

#1. Please show some originality. You literally copied the headline from drudgereport.com

#2. Can you please (and seriously...in your own words this time) tell us how this matters? Michelle touched the queen! Obama bowed to the Saudi!

It's called cultural differences.

It's called respect for those differences.

You see, outside that narrow hallway called your world-perspective, American really isn't #1 in everything who makes all the rules that everyone else must subside to.

I hate to break it to you ... but respect and toleration is the direction this country is headed.

If you don't like America...get out.

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by awake_awoke

 

I don't think our president should be bowing to anybody but us the American people that elected him and pay his salary, don't you think?

Why should a free man of any stature be obligated to bow to anyone?

By your statements, fire fighters, police officers, and White House interns should bow before us as well.

Seems awfully full of one's self to request such a thing.

[edit on 8-4-2009 by Fremd]