Official: Reaction to Japan Bow Left Obama "Speechless"

See BS ^ | 11/23/2009 | Brian Montopoli

[markomalley]

President Obama's bow to Japan's Emperor Akihito in Tokyo earlier this month ignited anger from some conservatives who complained, in the words of blogger Donald Douglass, that the United States "now willingly prostrates itself before the rest of the world."

Now the president is responding – kind of. The Atlantic quotes "a US government official who was on the trip" who says the president was left "speechless" by the controversy.

"Obama's attitude was, this is an elderly gentleman in a country where this kind of greeting is customary," said the official. "It does not seem extraordinary to show this kind of gesture to him."

"The Fox News poll said that 67 percent of Americans thought [the bow] was a good thing for him to have done," the official continued. "When the president heard that some people had complained, I'd characterize his reaction as: The notion that the United States is somehow humbling or humiliating itself by showing respect for a local custom, when it is transparently the most powerful country in the world, leaves me speechless."

As criticism of the president for the bow bubbled up, media outlets noted that anger over what some see as excessive presidential deference to a foreign leader is nothing new. President George W. Bush was criticized for holding the hand of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, while Presidents Clinton and Nixon took heat for bows or near-bows to the Japanese emperor. Mr. Obama has also been criticized for genuflecting to Abdullah.

[autumnraine]

You go and bow as Barack Obama, don’t you go and bow as President of the United States you moron.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

You said “Nixon bowed”. Well, no one said he didn't. In fact, it was widely talked about how it was such a scandal when he did that back in 1973 (I believe).

But it has been used by liberals to say “Well, no one complained when Nixon did it.”

That's a lie. They did complain.

And what is even worse about saying “Nixon bowed” is that the degree of the bow, the response you get when you bow, and the circumstances of the bow are all taken into account in Japan.

Nixon's bow was “polite” and the Japanese people took it that way. Obama’s bow was “subservient” and it has horribly embarrassed the Japanese people.

If you think that was insulting, then you need to stop yawning and get a thicker skin. And if you think the Nixon bow and the Obama bow are comparable, you have no chance of understanding Japanese culture.

[trisham]

I find it difficult to believe that Obama has ever been speechless. He loves the sound of his own voice.

[Servant of the Cross]

Jake Tapper has a good take on the weak boy who would be king.

"The bow as he performed did not just display weakness in Red State terms, but evoked weakness in Japanese terms....The last thing the Japanese want or need is a weak looking American president and, again, in all ways, he unintentionally played that part."

[devistate one four]

Why is it I just don’t believe this liar.

[maggief]

“When the president heard that some people had complained, I'd characterize his reaction as: The notion that the United States is somehow humbling or humiliating itself by showing respect for a local custom, when it is transparently the most powerful country in the world, leaves me speechless.”

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This narcissist is not mentally fit for office, IMO.

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/obama-bemoans-criticism-of-date-night-20091029-hlss.html

Obama added: “The notion that I just couldn't take my wife out on a date without it being a political issue was not something I was happy with.”

[narses]

You really think a lot of yourself, don’t you?

Yawn.

[Bob]

I’ve seen the picture. Both men are either bowing to each other at the same time, eye to eye and hands properly at sides or they are leaning toward each other in order to hear the other speak. Either way, neither looks subservient to the other.

That's my recollection of photos of the Nixon "bow" as well. Obama's bow was far different.

Nixon's bow was slight and respectful. It was returned in kind by the emperor. Obama's bow was one of subservience and seemed to be totally bemusing to the emperor.

[NathanR]

In a country where how far one bows is calibrated to the degree, Obama’s bow was not a bow between equals, but a grovel. It may not have been a full Kow Tow (kneeling on floor and touching head to floor), but it was bad enough.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Here's the picture of Nixon bowing.

IIRC, that bow is roughly 30-45 degrees, both are doing it at the same time, and their hands are at their sides: this picture is one between equals.

Leagues away from the faux pas Obama committed, bowing at the waist...and simultaneously shaking the hand of the Japanese Emperor, who remained standing.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Because I won’t let a “yawn” go by? Defend your position or quit the field would be my suggestion.

[skeeter]

Not quite.

But thanks for playing.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Leagues away from the faux pas Obama committed

Thanks, also noted is the eye contact

[grey_whiskers]

Ummm, err...ah....how..err, ummm, can you TELL, er, uhh, ummm, ahh, ummm err, the difference?

Barack H. Obama, putting the "African" in "African-American" since Jan. 20, 2009.

Cheers!

[pallis]

Obamao speechless, ...if only that would ever happen. He can’t stop dribbling drivel. Why do you think Michelle always looks so angry? The drivel dribbler dribbles drivel in his sleep. She has to sleep with the teleprompter to get any rest.

[TexasFreeper2009]

A small nod of the head isn't exactly the same as a 90 degree almost servicing the man bow.

[supremedoctrine]

Once again, Obama shows just who he is with EVERY move he makes: his bow might have been acceptable for a tourist who
is meeting a friend of his’s Japanese grandfather, and that’s in one sense who Obama tries to pass himself off as, while the larger part of him thinks that bowing to virtually EVERYBODY is what he was elected to do> Obama sees himself, as do significant parts of the rest of the world, mainly Islamic, as the embodiment of the kind of “leader” they want to see for the United States. He’s
THEIR President, not ours.

[narses]

You remain clueless. And boring. Yawn.

[narses]

So? Both bowed. One more than the other. If this is the best we have we are toast.

[Eagle Eye]

Then Obama said...Owha...tafooo...liam...