Obama Bows Towards Japanese Emperor

[GrumpyOldLady]

As i said ... a little head bob and a 'bow' from just the shoulders or so would have been appropriate.
He went overboard .. because he's an idiot.
The Saudi bow was much worse. There was NO EXCUSE for that. NONE.

[NJCardFan]

Another facepalm incident. The President of the United States isn't suppose to bow to anyone. This man is a tool.

Bowing to Chinese or Japanese people isn't a sign of subservience. However, Obama did bow way to low. We see him shaking hands here. When shaking hands to slightly bow at the waist is permissible, however, it is customary to bow as low as the person bowing to you. Since we don't see how low the emperor bowed, we really don't know Obama's motives for this extremely low bow.

[AlmostThere]

Someone should tell Zero that this is the right way for world leaders to greet one and another.



NOT

[Rockntractor]

Maybe he was just trying to put his head back up his ass.

[AlmostThere]

Bowing to Chinese or Japanese people isn't a sign of subservience. However, Obama did bow way to low. We see him shaking hands here. When shaking hands to slightly bow at the waist is permissible, however, it is customary to bow as low as the person bowing to you. Since we don't see how low the emperor bowed, we really don't know Obama's motives for this extremely low bow.

On Fox News Sunday they showed the clip of the greeting. What you see the emperor doing in this picture is the extent of his bow.

On edit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kyD_e0Y7FQ

[Big Guy]

Maybe he was just trying to put his head back up his ass.

Now, that explains a lot.:D

[Sonnabend]

I thought the pic might be faked when I saw it.

Indulging in conspiracy fantasies, are we?

[Gingersnap]

I thought this was a recycled story when I heard about it this morning.

It doesn't make one bit of difference what ordinary Americans citizens should do when greeting heads of state in foreign countries. We represent ourselves and we can elect to follow to local custom or not. We aren't governed by protocol and we don't have answer to people whose interests we represent because we don't represent anything outside of our own interests.

The President of the United States is the leader of a sovereign country. A country that conducts diplomatic protocol according to republican values ( the philosophy, not the party). American presidents have no obligation to bow, kneel, curtsy, kiss, or otherwise demonstrate an inferior rank in front of an elected or hereditary leader. The handshake is the republican token of respect given out among equals and for American presidents, there are no superiors nor inferiors. Equality is demonstrated to all.

What a freaking tool.

[AmPat]

Obumble just doesn't know any better. He means well enough but he is stuck on apologizing and taking a subservient role wherever he goes. It's in his nature. He feels inferior and believes his country is also. No surprises here.

[Gingersnap]

Now the Japanese press are so embarrassed by Obumble's faux pas that some aren't printing the pic. :p