Obama's bow to the Saudi King

PhiGam · #1 04-10-2009, 09:25 PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/dead...apr/09/usa-g20

How does everyone on here feel about it? I know the White House claims that he didn't bow but watching the video I just can't see any other explanation for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEUif...eature=related

The bow itself doesn't offend me nearly as much as the White House blatantly lying about it and saying that he was bending down to shake the hand of someone shorter. Either he was shaking the left hand of a midget who is invisible in the video while simultaneously shaking the right hand of the Saudi King or we were all lied to.

I simply don't understand why the White House has lied about this and two days ago angrily dismissed a reporter's question about it. Bowing to a foreign dignitary violates State Department protocol but I don't think that's serious enough to lie about.

DaemonSeid · #2 04-10-2009, 09:30 PM

Hard to really tell from the angle but I don't see the big deal.

This is as bad a Michelle hugging the Queen...I mean really, people, is it that deep!!!

What we should be mad about is that for an Ipod full of (hopefully DRMed) music all he got in return was a picture!

Hehe!

LucyKKG · #3 04-10-2009, 10:29 PM

Umm he definitely bowed, and his left hand was nowhere near the floor. I guess I can understand how it violates protocol, even though other countries would see it as a sign of respect. That was a definite bow, though...

Kevlar281 · #4 04-10-2009, 10:33 PM

We don’t dip our flag to other countries and our president should not be bowing to “royalty.”

KSigkid · #5 04-10-2009, 10:45 PM

Eh, not such a big deal to me. But, people have always made big deals of little mistakes by Presidents; heck, people were all over the last President Bush's verbal gaffes. It's just what comes with being President, everything's under the microscope.

honeychile · #6 04-10-2009, 11:23 PM

An American citizen does not bow to any foreign leader; the American Flag does not dip to any foreign power.

In response, no one touches the Queen of England. Have you never seen when Prince Charles was a child, and bowed to his mother, as she disembarked from a plane? It's just not done. The bob of the head that the Obamas gave to the Queen were, IMHO, appropriate and not over the top.

In all honesty, I have serious doubts about the current Protocol Office. I think Big Bird has a better idea of protocol than they do.

The only other option is that the Protocol Office's advice is being steadily ignored. If that's the case, maybe we should save some money and fire them all.

PhiGam · #7 04-11-2009, 01:17 AM

I agree that he definitely bowed but WHY did the White House LIE about it?

That is what bothers me more than the bow itself (which bothers me). I mean of all of the foreign leaders to bow to... the King of Saudi Arabia shouldn't be anywhere near the top of the list for so many reasons.

DaemonSeid · #8 04-11-2009, 06:46 AM

wait...didnt they do a bow before the Queen last week?

where was the outrage then?

The only people I see getting seriously bent out of shape over this are the conservatives

maybe a shoe throw will balance things out a bit

Time's explanation

You want to talk about a real snub?

Obama will not throw out the first pitch at the Nats opener next week as he is 'preparing' for a trip...and is a White Sox fan.

This is a great insult to the "Nation's Team"

RU OX Alum · #9 04-11-2009, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

wait...didnt they do a bow before the Queen last week?

where was the outrage then?

two posts above yours

and PhiGam, the white house lies because the white lies

You notice it because it's not your guy in there, so you're more objective now, but soon you'll learn that they all lie.

DaemonSeid · #10 04-11-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

two posts above yours

and PhiGam, the white house lies because the white lies

You notice it because it's not your guy in there, so you're more objective now, but soon you'll learn that they all lie.

Thanks as per usual...

And in the article it stated how Bush gave an inappropiate handshake to Abdullah years ago...so...?

What's the problem?

BTW approx 20,000 fewer people applied for unemployment last week

PM_Mama00 · #11 04-11-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Thanks as per usual...

And in the article it stated how Bush gave an inappropiate handshake to Abdullah years ago...so...?

What's the problem?

BTW approx 20,000 fewer people applied for unemployment last week

That's cuz people are moving out of Michigan and finding jobs in flourishing cities/states. Our unemployment increases by the thousands. I still don't see anything happening with that, just more foreclosures.

KSigkid · #12 04-11-2009, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Thanks as per usual...

And in the article it stated how Bush gave an inappropiate handshake to Abdullah years ago...so...?

What's the problem?

BTW approx 20,000 fewer people applied for unemployment last week

Like I said, people get bent out of shape when they think the President wasn't following proper protocol or tradition. They've done it with past Presidents, and they're going to do it with the current President.

People were all over Bush when they thought he made a verbal gaffe or breached custom in another country....I think you may have even posted in a couple of those threads.

Unfortunately, it just comes with the job.

As for the unemployment figures, that's great; at the end of the day, President Obama will get more credit than he deserves or more blame than he deserves for the economic cycles, just like every other President.

agzg · #13 04-11-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

You want to talk about a real snub?

Obama will not throw out the first pitch at the Nats opener next week as he is 'preparing' for a trip...and is a White Sox fan.

This is a great insult to the "Nation's Team"

Obama's a White Sox fan? Seriously? For whatever reason I would have pegged him for a Cubbies fan.

preciousjeni · #14 04-11-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiGam

Bowing to a foreign dignitary violates State Department protocol but I don't think that's serious enough to lie about.

If that's the case, he should be reprimanded in some way. However, I don't have a problem with an American actually showing some deference and respect.

PM_Mama00 · #15 04-11-2009, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

If that's the case, he should be reprimanded in some way. However, I don't have a problem with an American actually showing some deference and respect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeychile

An American citizen does not bow to any foreign leader; the American Flag does not dip to any foreign power.

In response, no one touches the Queen of England. Have you never seen when Prince Charles was a child, and bowed to his mother, as she disembarked from a plane? It's just not done. The bob of the head that the Obamas gave to the Queen were, IMHO, appropriate and not over the top.

In all honesty, I have serious doubts about the current Protocol Office. I think Big Bird has a better idea of protocol than they do.

The only other option is that the Protocol Office's advice is being steadily ignored. If that's the case, maybe we should save some money and fire them all.

.