Conservatives, WH Spar Over Saudi "Bow"

CBS News ^ | April 9, 2009 | Brian Montopoli

[Plutarch]

Did President Obama bow to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at last week's G-20 meeting?

Conservatives say yes – and some aren't happy about it. The White House, meanwhile, says the president did nothing of the kind.

Ben Smith has the story. As he notes, the president met Abdullah last week in London and appeared to bow to the Saudi leader, prompting outrage from some conservative quarters.

"The President of the United States executed a bow to a monarch so deep that he literally had to take a step back to balance himself," wrote Hot Air.

"No American President should ever make such an obsequious display to any monarch — ever," added the blogger.
(Memeorandum has links to much more reaction here.)

[...excerpt]

[TheCipher]

He may not be kissing his ring, but is doing something to the hand. Here are 4 screen shots I just made ( quick ones since I don't have time- got to get to bed ) He clearly has the handshake while standing straight ( contrary to what the White House says ). Then proceeds to bow while still holding the hand. Follow the eyes of the King. He is doing something to the hand

[dynachrome]

You may email hotshi’ite and gently chide them here(the video is on site now, also)

hotsheet@cbs.com

[CodeToad]

Just to keep the story alive: Obama Claims He’s Visited 57 States.

[Snickering Hound]

"If Obama bowed, I want to be the one to break that story..."

[King Moonracer]

Follow the eyes of the King.

Just Damn! I wish those 50 million useless idiots that voted for BO could live in Riyadh for a few days. Especially the women.

[roses of sharon]

(THE CAPTION THAT GOES WITH THE PIC)

From Getty Images: US President Barack Obama (3rd L) bows to Saudi Arabia King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (2nd R) as French President Nicolas Sarkozy (3rd R) and South Korean President Lee Myung -Bak (L) look on before a family picture with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (not pictured) at Buckingham Palace, in London, on April 1, 2009. World leaders wrangled Wednesday on how a London summit could fix the global economy as demonstrators attacked a bank in an anti-capitalist riot in the British capital. Demonstrators laid siege to the Bank of England and smashed the windows of a nearby bank that has become a symbol of the financial crisis rescue carried out by the British government which will be discussed at Thursday’s Group of 20 summit in the city. AFP PHOTO/John Stillwell/WPA POOL (Photo credit should read JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images)

[Uncle Miltie]

Q: "Since when is it necessary to put one foot further back in order to just bow one’s head?"

A: When curtseying.

[BARLF]

Ben Smith has the story. As he notes, the president met Abdullah last week in London and appeared to bow to the Saudi leader, prompting outrage from some conservative quarters.

obama bowed, no APPEARED about it.

[Billthedrill]

You’d figure CBS might deign to give this the same scrutiny they give, oh, say, one of Sarah Palin’s kids’ boyfriends, wouldn’t you?

[AnAmericanMother]

There's a clear distinction between handholding and bowing to be drawn.

In arab culture, handholding is something that occurs between equals. From a protocol point of view it does not send a bad signal to the middle east, although Americans think it is less than 'manly'.

The bow, and especially the "salaam", where the person bowing lifts the hand of the other and may kiss it, is the gesture of an inferior, a dhimmi or a slave, to his master.

That 2nd pic looks like a bad photoshop, btw.

[reagandemocrat]

I did NOT bow to that King, Abdullah Lewinsky.

[roses of sharon]

It is a photo-shoppe from DU and the KOS kids.

Looks like we have a few of those on FR.

[P.O.E.]

Saudi monarch was just playing an April Fool’s joke. He said “You’re shoe’s untied” and Obama fell for it.

[Canedawg]

The page you linked shows the bow on video.

Not that i doubt that See BS would try to manipulate the story against Cons, but the page you referenced does have the vid embedded.

[NRA2BFree]

I never saw anyone shake a persons hand by bowing their head as they bent their knee. Look how far down his head is dipped. He's not even looking the king in the face. He's clearly kissing his hand or his ring.

[what's up]

He kissed his ring an/or his hand as well

I've seen that mentioned a couple times but have seen no proof of that.

The bow is bad enough.

[what's up]

Conservative Power Line says the bow is less the issue than the White House's denial, which the blog deems false.

Well, is it false?

C'mon CBS...do some reporting for a change.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Brother pissant's all over it here