White House: No bow to Saudi King

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

Two men kissing and holding hands might also be a sign of being gay. Its all in how you interpret it, which also has to do with individual preconceptions.

Whether you personally think the bow is subservient, it doesn't change the simple fact that the President of the United States is not subservient to the Saudi Monarchy.

[GaryC 7]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

Two men kissing and holding hands might also be a sign of being gay. Its all in how you interpret it, which also has to do with individual preconceptions.

Whether you personally think the bow is subservient, it doesn't change the simple fact that the President of the United States is not subservient to the Saudi Monarchy.

The kiss and hand hold are common in SA. It has nothing to do with individual preconceptions. There is something you must remember, our country was founded on opposition to a monarchy. No president should ever bow to a monarch. It has nothing to do with which president bowed or to which monarch he bowed to. My reaction would be the same if Reagan had bowed to Queen Elisabeth. It just isn't done.

[rebeccajo 14]

He dropped the ball, although unintentionally. We will get over it.

Exactly.

Now moving on to more important national issues...........

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

Two men kissing and holding hands might also be a sign of being gay. Its all in how you interpret it, which also has to do with individual preconceptions.

Whether you personally think the bow is subservient, it doesn't change the simple fact that the President of the United States is not subservient to the Saudi Monarchy.

Boys and even grown men hold hands crossing the street in the Philippines. My father-in-law was squeezing my leg sitting next to me in a restaurant. For some cultures, touching between men is not as homophobic as it is in America.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

Two men kissing and holding hands might also be a sign of being gay. Its all in how you interpret it, which also has to do with individual preconceptions.

Whether you personally think the bow is subservient, it doesn't change the simple fact that the President of the United States is not subservient to the Saudi Monarchy.

Boys and even grown men hold hands crossing the street in the Philippines. My father-in-law was squeezing my leg sitting next to me in a restaurant. For some cultures, touching between men is not as homophobic as it is in America.

Plenty of pandering to cultural differences goes on in international relations.

The kiss and hand hold are common in SA. It has nothing to do with individual preconceptions. There is something you must remember, our country was founded on opposition to a monarchy. No president should ever bow to a monarch. It has nothing to do with which president bowed or to which monarch he bowed to. My reaction would be the same if Reagan had bowed to Queen Elisabeth. It just isn't done.

But even if it is done - it means nothing.

[GaryC 7]

But even if it is done - it means nothing.

From your POV I agree. But to me it does mean something. Lets just leave it at that.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

are you sure? No president bowed to the Japanese prime minister? or the British queen? or does a bow mean something else for them?

it's amazing how Bush supporters are so suddenly SHOCKED and APPALLED about the promiximity of the American president to King Abdullah.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

are you sure? No president bowed to the Japanese prime minister? or the British queen? or does a bow mean something else for them?

it's amazing how Bush supporters are so suddenly SHOCKED and APPALLED about the promiximity of the American president to King Abdullah.

I find it very difficult to believe that this is some sort of world shattering precedent. In 200+ years of history no US President has done anything like this...

Of course its easy to say it isn't the case - because lets be honest, who would keep track of a thing like that...

[GaryC 7]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

are you sure? No president bowed to the Japanese prime minister? or the British queen? or does a bow mean something else for them?

it's amazing how Bush supporters are so suddenly SHOCKED and APPALLED about the promiximity of the American president to King Abdullah.

Don't make this a "Bush supporter" issue. It isn't. And yes I am sure that no president has ever done it before. A bow that is returned doesn't count because it is a mutual thing. Prove me wrong if you can.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

are you sure? No president bowed to the Japanese prime minister? or the British queen? or does a bow mean something else for them?

it's amazing how Bush supporters are so suddenly SHOCKED and APPALLED about the promiximity of the American president to King Abdullah.

Don't make this a "Bush supporter" issue. It isn't. And yes I am sure that no president has ever done it before. A bow that is returned doesn't count because it is a mutual thing. Prove me wrong if you can.

So why is it not the King's fault that he didn't return the bow? Or that they didn't coordinate their spontaneous social gestures to take place simultaneously?

[GaryC 7]

You think nothing like this has ever happened before?

I highly doubt it.

6, I cannot remember any incidents like this..... Maybe you remember one?

I can't, but then again this doesn't strike me as being any halfway important. So if it has happened before - its not something that I would have taken notice of anyway.

Honestly - I think people are getting way hysterical over this. It would be funny if only people weren't so stone-cold serious about it.

Colbert showed pictures of Bush holding the Saudi King's hand and giving him a kiss.

So yeah, this sort of thing has happened before.

The kiss and holding hands is a sign of friendship among equals. The bow is a sign of subservience. Big difference. No, it has never happened before.

are you sure? No president bowed to the Japanese prime minister? or the British queen? or does a bow mean something else for them?

it's amazing how Bush supporters are so suddenly SHOCKED and APPALLED about the promiximity of the American president to King Abdullah.

Don't make this a "Bush supporter" issue. It isn't. And yes I am sure that no president has ever done it before. A bow that is returned doesn't count because it is a mutual thing. Prove me wrong if you can.

So why is it not the King's fault that he didn't return the bow? Or that they didn't coordinate their spontaneous social gestures to take place simultaneously?

The king never bows back to anyone. Ask William if you don't believe me. He worked in the diplomatic corps and is our resident "expert" on this.

[Peikko 1,575]

The internet and other rapid news sources have focused the spot light like never before on the actions of political leaders (well, everyone really, but attention focuses on those perceived to be important, of course). Any gesture can be reviewed and given whatever significance someone wants to give it.

We can't possibly know what faux pas took place in the past, documentary evidence does not exist.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

We've had a fair few politicians who are fixated on how things appear (as to how they actually are) - that applied to Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, and it would seem to apply to equally to Obama and Bush.

Quite why members of the public are concerned about that stuff is another question. We're not talking an international incident here...

[GaryC 7]

We've had a fair few politicians who are fixated on how things appear (as to how they actually are) - that applied to Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, and it would seem to apply to equally to Obama and Bush.

Quite why members of the public are concerned about that stuff is another question. We're not talking an international incident here...

I will admit that it is symbolism only and has no real effects in the real world. But you must understand that in America symbols mean a great deal to us. Things like our flag, the bald eagle etc are in our hearts and bring out strong reactions when they are violated. Because you are not a natural born USC I don't expect you to understand but trust me, it does mean a great deal to a lot of us. The sight of our president bowing to anyone ignites something inside that is hard to explain. I guess its called National Pride.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

We've had a fair few politicians who are fixated on how things appear (as to how they actually are) - that applied to Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, and it would seem to apply to equally to Obama and Bush.

Quite why members of the public are concerned about that stuff is another question. We're not talking an international incident here...

I will admit that it is symbolism only and has no real effects in the real world. But you must understand that in America symbols mean a great deal to us. Things like our flag, the bald eagle etc are in our hearts and bring out strong reactions when they are violated. Because you are not a natural born USC I don't expect you to understand but trust me, it does mean a great deal to a lot of us. The sight of our president bowing to anyone ignites something inside that is hard to explain. I guess its called National Pride.

I'm not sure that's what it is. I have national pride but I'm not particularly invested in individual politicians and heads of state.

But I really wouldn't overstate that this is somehow an "American" thing - I suspect there are a fair few USCs who don't give a ####### about this.