It is either a failure of an ability to project the United States of America properly when behaving abroad as our national representative (i.e. he is too green or ignorant or embarrassed of the United States), OR it another phenomenon at work: it is something I have seen some stupid, ignorant F-O-B Americans and other foreigners who have never been Japan, (who are in very senior positions, awkwardly confused about how to bow) on their first visit here think they will put in an extra 25 degree angle for good measure, trying to outdo the Japanese, and they end up looking rather foolish--both to the Japanese themselves, and to long time observers in Japan who are foreigners and never go that "native" or overboard. The US Embassy here should have had this scripted for the POTUS on these fine points. Maybe they did and he disregarded them, or maybe struck with a sick sense of "client-itis", the State freaks who are a bunch of weenies by the way, on purpose suggested he make a fool of himself like this. Wait till the Chinese and the North Koreans get ahold of this picture.
If AmericanInTokyo had the privilege of meeting the Emperor (I did when he was Crown Prince) I would have conducted such a bow.
But. I am not President of the United States.
Others who have been around here might have a different take; I am afterall just one opinion.
Personally I can not help but suspect that he did this intentionally.
There is a pattern developing with this loser. He likes to disgrace America. He seeks a more submissive and apoligetic America.
He is a disgrace to All Good People who respect and admire freedom and the American way.
” If AmericanInTokyo had the privilege of meeting the Emperor (I did when he was Crown Prince) I would have conducted such a bow. “
Really ? I just showed this photo to my Japanese wife and she said there isn’t a Japanese person alive who would bow that low to the Emperor . I know I , as an American , would not .
As someone who spent 28 years as a Foreign Service Officer and had the opportunity to shake the hand of King Fahd and several other heads of state, what Obama did is ridiculous and it reflects poorly on the United States. Obama is not a private individual. I am certain that no one in our Embassy in Tokyo advised him to do this.
I agree with you.
I have had ocassion to be around Japanese nobility.
The manners are quite exquisite, and designed to invoke a profound feeling of respect and even love.
This is a bizzarro bow, an false bow, deceitful.
And I had not thought about it, (thank you for the reminder) , but you are right about the Koreans and the Chinese.They will be quite sure now that they are dealing with a psychopomp, a narcist from whom they can get anything they want by stroking him just right.
Obama is about to be pimped all over the Orient.
Thank you. That is pretty much what I was thinking, although I figured it was his staff who set him up to be the fool, not State. You’re probably right about that.