At the G-20, President Obama embarrassed most of us here at home when he bowed down to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. The funny thing is, the New York Times had a very different view of this breach of protocols when it was someone other than The One.
It wasn’t a bow, exactly. But Mr. Clinton came close. He inclined his head and shoulders forward, he pressed his hands together. It lasted no longer than a snapshot, but the image on the South Lawn was indelible: an obsequent President, and the Emperor of Japan.
Canadians still bow to England’s Queen; so do Australians. Americans shake hands. If not to stand eye-to-eye with royalty, what else were 1776 and all that about? …
Guests invited to a white-tie state dinner at the White House (a Clinton Administration first) were instructed to address the Emperor as “Your Majesty,” not “Your Highness” or, worse, “King.” And in what one Administration aide called “some emperor thing,” an Army general was cautioned that he should not address the Emperor Akihito at all as he escorted him to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
But the “thou need not bow” commandment from the State Department’s protocol office maintained a constancy of more than 200 years. Administration officials scurried to insist that the eager-to-please President had not really done the unthinkable.
Got that? The Times scolded Clinton for the mere thought of bowing. Obama practically touches Abdullah’s toes, and the Times remains silent.
April 4th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
If I did not allow for domestic drilling, thus increasing reliance on the Saudi’s to keep our economy running, I would be bowing (bending over) a lot more.
April 4th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Definitely an embarrassing moment for our country.
April 4th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Meh. Does anyone really care?
April 4th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
That’s because NYT at least used to try to pretend to have some objectivity in the 90’s. Now they don’t even bother to fake it.
#3,
The United States of America should bow to no one. Then again Obama is just an affirmative action pick president that got elected in a time period where the stars aligned because of certain factors. He never really represented what America is all about.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
What really gets me is the unspoken snipe at Reps by Dems that THEY are the party of sophistication and worldliness. It was certainly obvious when Sen Kerry ran, and to a slightly lesser extent when Sen Obama ran. Sen Clinton was supposed to also be very knowledgeable when it came to foreign leaders, which was one of the reasons she got such an easy time in confirmation. This is just one more instance in a long line of foreign miscues, and we aren’t even 3 months into this administration! I am utterly embarrassed by these clowns not just because they want to usher in a new socialist state, but because they’re flying by the seat of their pants in dealing with other countries, adn confirming the opinion of people around the world who consider the US unsophisticated and ignorant.
April 4th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
5 – merci beaucoup
April 5th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Obviously, he knows how to bow, he just does not know when to bow. And they called Mr. Bush a moron. Hahahhahahha. Hey, at least the new administration is entertaining. Perhaps we should not have referred to Mr. Limbaugh as an entertainer; it is getting pretty difficult these days to beat Mr. Obama in the hilarious department.
April 5th, 2009 at 9:16 am
King Abdullah, Prince Bandar, and the other senior Saudi royals must have been amused. They like to believe they have a close, collegial, and quietly informal relationship with US leaders. From what I heard last year they were rather wary of Obama in part because of his politics and in part because he was unknown to them. I would like to have heard their private comments amongst themselves.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Since when does the POTUS bend over to someones crotch level? More toubling than the fleeting embarassment is who he did it to. It wouldn’t be as bad if it was to the Dalai Lama or the Pope where a little humility is warranted. Saudi royals are ‘colleagues’ and should be treated as such, and worst of all, are anti-West except when it comes to fattening their pockets. What we saw is that Obama loves these anti-West types. Obama will continue to show submission to what he percieves as alpha men as he tries to emulate them and give America the change he promised.
On another note, I expect presidents/diplomats to practice formal ettiquette/manners. Learning this stuff is one (minor) aspect of their job. At the same time, if they mess up, it’s not worth embarassing the US further by printing it as if it’s a big story.
As for the New York Times…no bailout!