Posted on 05/25/2011 6:07:49 AM PDT by markomalley
President Obama’s lack of experience with royalty was on full display today in England as he mistakenly began a toast to the Queen of England at the wrong time, resulting in “God Save the Queen” blaring over his words and no one getting to drink what was in their cups. Awkward.
“And now I propose a toast to the Queen,” President Obama began in London today, but only got as far as “To the vitality of the special relationship” before “God Save the Queen” cut him off. He kept reading the toast, however, and finally raised his glass to her. No one drank out of their glasses afterwards, however. The Queen herself looked over at him with a hint of contempt (confusion?) in her face, while the other members of the royal family stood stoically around them.
Many may see not knowing the tedious etiquette of proposing a toast to an ornamental political figure a “gaffe,” but isn’t the entire point of America not bothering to care about royal etiquette? Allahpundit at Hot Air has some (rare) praise for the President:
Protocol, apparently, requires the toastmaster to wait until after “God Save the Queen” plays and then begin the toast. But the almighty O waits for no sovereign, so he launched straight into his shpiel. To which I say, good for him. What else was the American revolution about, if not the right of the president to half-ass some formulaic niceties about the British monarch? He should have punctuated it with a weary “whatever” and downed the glass in one gulp.
Video via ABC News below: (video at link)
As much as this is embarrassing to Obama and, by his representation, our country - I do not expect him to know all international courtesies and formalities.
However, I *DO* blame him for either not having a protocol adviser and/or not consulting his protocol advisor and/or disregarding/ignoring his protocol advisor. It’s one or more of those issues.
For crying out loud, if by some weird, incomprehensible series of events I was to find myself in the same situation, I would have known to do a little homework beforehand and ask someone what I should/should not do and then followed their advice. And I’m a garden-variety idiot!
It just reinforces that he’s far out of his element and really has no business “playing” POTUS.
OOPS. Death wish back on.
And I'm coming to eat your children, too.
"Barry, we were kind enough to supply you your hideous 'crack' cocaine, and your gay lovers. Could you have please just NOT used any of the drug prior to this affair?"
We are only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. The Hussein Obama link is made out of paper. Whether you want to admit it or not, it is just more evidence of how low the United States has sunk since this ignorant, narcissistic piece of trash was elected by the media.
Americans worry more for protocol than the British public.
The Queen is very protocol orientated because of her age. For that she is tolerated and loved, but the next generation like William and Kate are very touchy-feely.
Each reign has to adapt or die.
I think Her Majesty carried, it was classless. His actions reflect poorly on the USA.
I get more worried about the opposite. That Americans will see the protocol as needless.
Perhaps if he spent more time rehearsing and memorizing his speeches and less time on the golf course he wouldn’t be seen as such a lightweight fool.
You're too new here to defend O'Dumbo and last for very long...
They were too busy coaching Michele to keep her hands off the queen.
I understand...
so if this were Wm and Kate, they would have just clinked their glasses with O’Bozo during “God Save the King” and let him finish his toast? Or maybe just not play the tribute at all because there might be a glitch with the Prez of the US?
How, in your opinion, do you think THEY would have handled it - being touchy feely and adapting to “new ways”?
Love it!
LOL Camilla at least to me is a refined lady.
I don't think he could get the corners of his mouth turned down any more....Bwahahahaha!
He probably thought it was Yankee Doodle Dandy or some such thing.
If the truth is a hostage then so be it.
I don’t like Obama one bit. His administration’s insults were bad enough, but his “Malvinas” policy was disgusting.
However, I don’t tell lies for no reason. The truth is that the band messed up by starting GSTQ before he had finished. I’m sure it would have gone down well in America if GSTQ was played mid-toast and the American President jumped to attention?!?
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