White House: No bow to Saudi King

[one...two...tree 2,762]

From personal experience I can tell you - if you are invited to meet the queen you will be coached before the meeting takes place ... and this coaching is done regardless of your status or rank. He will have advisors who are more than aware of what is expected - and the possible repercussions. He isnt meeting a crowd of well wishers .. he is on the world stage representing his country - it is part of his job to get this right - if he can't get something like this correct ........

I agree. If I were his staff - I would have prepped him by showing him several video clips of other heads of state greeting one another. I think watching others would have ingrained in him what to do better than just telling him, "Now if the King nods, you nod back. But if he extends his hand, you kiss it." Knowing Obama's public persona, I'd say he was just trying to respectful while winging it because he was caught off guard. Maybe he'll get a chance to elaborate just what was going through his mind when he greeted the King.

Elaborate? #### me, I hope not. He should remain silent and dignified, as befits his godly status.

MC, you can almost bet that someone will ask him about it in his next press conference.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

MC, I don't think you get it. This isn't about him. This is about the Presidency of the United States. If you believe in American exceptionalism (I do) then you must believe our Presidency shares that exceptionalism. No American President should ever be bowing, unreciprocated, to any foreign leader.

[GaryC 7]

MC, I don't think you get it. This isn't about him. This is about the Presidency of the United States. If you believe in American exceptionalism (I do) then you must believe our Presidency shares that exceptionalism. No American President should ever be bowing, unreciprocated, to any foreign leader.

Nailed it.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Just a question, what would the reaction be if the Queen bowed like that to a head of state? Not just the few UK'ers here but in the press in the UK?

I doubt many people would care - outside of the Daily Mail (there was a "how dare he" bit a few years ago about former australian PM John Howard putting his arm near the Royal posterior - but there wasn't some national outrage over it). Noone studies the footage that closely IMO.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The UK and Australia are just run of the mill regular countries. They are not America.

Edited April 9, 2009 by Randomizer

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's rather like viewing one's president as a god, in my opinion - one that can't be seen to behave like a human.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an American President to have the instincts befitting a man in his position... and that would include not wanting to bow to any man.

Remember, this is the President of the USA. Not the PM of some podunk country like the UK.

How do you "measure" instincts on the basis of a silent video part of which is obscured?

I'd like to think you're not being serious about this, as I honestly can't imagine how anyone could be.

Again - have you ever stepped back and looked at all these little scandals that have popped up ever since Obama threw his hat into the ring for President.

Everyone flits from one to the next - but if you take a step back and really look at this stuff from a distance it really does look ridiculous.

The UK and Australia are just run of the mill regular countries. They are not America.

This wouldn't make the news in the UK that's for sure.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Didn't Mayor Julianni of NYC on 911 get knighted by England as well? He had to bow in front of the queen.

[truffles 2]

The UK and Australia are just run of the mill regular countries. They are not America.

With all due respect..."trashing" other countries with this kind of remark merely points out your lack knowledge regarding both aforementioned countries.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Didn't Mayor Julianni of NYC on 911 get knighted by England as well? He had to bow in front of the queen.

Yeah you couldn't really accept it without going through the proper procedure.

[Ban Hammer 13,651]

Didn't Mayor Julianni of NYC on 911 get knighted by England as well? He had to bow in front of the queen.

he's not the president, so who freaking cares?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The UK and Australia are just run of the mill regular countries. They are not America.

With all due respect..."trashing" other countries with this kind of remark merely points out your lack knowledge regarding both aforementioned countries.

He is right. There's nothing extraordinary about the UK or Australia. They are hardly a blip on the map.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Didn't Mayor Julianni of NYC on 911 get knighted by England as well? He had to bow in front of the queen.

he's not the president, so who freaking cares?

It's kneeling, not bowing, not that it matters.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Didn't Mayor Julianni of NYC on 911 get knighted by England as well? He had to bow in front of the queen.

he's not the president, so who freaking cares?

It's kneeling, not bowing, not that it matters.

England is prejudice towards Asians. Have anyone heard an Asian getting knighted?

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

MC, I don't think you get it. This isn't about him. This is about the Presidency of the United States. If you believe in American exceptionalism (I do) then you must believe our Presidency shares that exceptionalism. No American President should ever be bowing, unreciprocated, to any foreign leader.

Nailed it.

'

11 pages later.... Right on AJ !

[truffles 2]

The UK and Australia are just run of the mill regular countries. They are not America.

With all due respect..."trashing" other countries with this kind of remark merely points out your lack knowledge regarding both aforementioned countries.

He is right. There's nothing extraordinary about the UK or Australia. They are hardly a blip on the map.

Really... please tell that to the British and Australian troops who have in the past and are currently in combat zones with American troops....