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.

epchick · #8 04-12-2009, 01:36 AM

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.

I have a question, are you being serious with this remark? My sarcasto-meter has been off lately, so I don't know if this is some kind of joke, or if you seriously think that an American citizen shouldn't bow to a foreign leader.

PhiGam · #9 04-12-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

I have a question, are you being serious with this remark? My sarcasto-meter has been off lately, so I don't know if this is some kind of joke, or if you seriously think that an American citizen shouldn't bow to a foreign leader.

That is actually protocol... while I'm not sure how I feel about ordinary citizens, I definitely don't think that the President should bow to any foreign leader.
To me a bow is a sign of subjection and submission... so bowing to such a horrible man is disgraceful. Saudi Arabia enforces sexist Shari'a laws, if Obama did not bow to the emperor of Japan or the leaders of the EU nations then he definitely shouldn't have bowed to this asshole.

epchick · #10 04-12-2009, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiGam

That is actually protocol... while I'm not sure how I feel about ordinary citizens, I definitely don't think that the President should bow to any foreign leader.
To me a bow is a sign of subjection and submission... so bowing to such a horrible man is disgraceful. Saudi Arabia enforces sexist Shari'a laws, if Obama did not bow to the emperor of Japan or the leaders of the EU nations then he definitely shouldn't have bowed to this asshole.

Well I can understand it being protocol for the President (although there are times that I don't agree with it). I was more concerned cause honeychile said "citizen" and that is what I don't agree with.

AlphaSigOU · #11 05-01-2009, 07:41 PM

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.

Except between naval ships of two countries passing each other; the ensign is dipped as they pass, but naval protocol requires the 'dip' to be returned.

Kevlar281 · #12 05-01-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaSigOU

Except between naval ships of two countries passing each other; the ensign is dipped as they pass, but naval protocol requires the 'dip' to be returned.

The keyword there is 'returned.' Without actually looking it up I believe the Naval regulation allows US vessels to acknowledge another vessels ensign being dipped. It's just a way of communicating that they've been recognized. In short they dip to us, we don't dip to them.

nate2512 · #13 05-03-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevlar281

The keyword there is 'returned.' Without actually looking it up I believe the Naval regulation allows US vessels to acknowledge another vessels ensign being dipped. It's just a way of communicating that they've been recognized. In short they dip to us, we don't dip to them.

Right, I would think it would be similar to a subordinate saluting a superior. Subordinate salutes, superior acknowledges the salute by returning the same.

starang21 · #14 04-13-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSigkid

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.

pretty much.

the dems had a field day with bush for 8 years.

the reeps will do the same with obama.

there are bigger things in life, and he's still the president.

"September 4th 2001. I stood in the ruins of the twin towers. It is a day i will never forget."

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."

no amount of bowing will EVER make up for these two gems.

PhiGam · #15 04-13-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starang21

pretty much.

the dems had a field day with bush for 8 years.

the reeps will do the same with obama.

there are bigger things in life, and he's still the president.

"September 4th 2001. I stood in the ruins of the twin towers. It is a day i will never forget."

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."

no amount of bowing will EVER make up for these two gems.

Bush's verbal gaffes were funny, this is not.