If he was ignorant of this, or if it did it intentionally, in both cases it’s disturbing…and I voted for him.

The reason people here are hostile to this post is simple: it’s about symbolic BS that nobody will care about next week. Scratch that, it’s symbolic BS nobody but you has ever cared about.

We have a $Trillion deficit. We have a health care crisis that, if not fixed, will make that deficit look like Monopoly money, the economy sucks, and our troops are risking their lives for us right now.

I come to Donklephant to hear substantive debate on those important issues, from reasonable people who disagree with me. If I wanted to hear dumbassess bitch about “disrespect” I’d talk to street people. At least they’re good at it.

I am not “of the right.” hard to get your head around the notion that someone who doesn’t toe the party line without deviation is a wingnut, eh?

You don’t need an “expertise” to figure this out, not when there are literally thousands of photos of American Presidents, other heads of state, a wide assortment of lesser folk and just plain Japanese people who just shook hands with Akihito. To defiantly resist an obvious truth to shield any politician even from mild criticism is , well, wierd.

I think it is quite questionable what expertise is possessed by John Burke or any of the rest of the right on this issue. I also doubt how strict any of these “rules of protocol” are.

The second I saw the picture of Obamna, I knew something was wrong, because I know, if you clowns don’t, that NO Chief of State bows to another Chief of State — not “in their own house,” not on account of protocol or custom.

It wasn’t hard to find photos proving it. Hirohito met with Nixon, Ford and Reagan and none of them bowed. Ahkihito meets many more people from abraod and travels more. I’ll kiss your ass if you can find a picture of anyone — anyone — else bopwing to him.

What’s wrong with you people? I’m a Democrat, albeit one not about to drink any Kool Aid for any politician. Grow up — and face up to the fact that for whatever screw-up reason, Obama made himself look like a fool to the Japanese public and people around the world.

The President of the United States, as Chief of State, EMBODIES the nation; wherever he goes, whatever he says and does, respresents the nation, not just himself or his party or even his administration. Perhaps Obama has not yet internalized that imperative.

When on a mission to repair our severely damaged credibility which would not have been necessary but for the aholes that just left the White House, perhaps it might be nice to reflect on the fact that he is in fact repairing yet another mess that your side caused. If the countries appreciate the gesture, great job Mr. President.

What is wrong with you? This isn’t proof Obama screwed up, it’s proof you’re an asshole.

Everyone knows that when you’re in someone else’s house you play by their rules. Period. You take off your damn shoes if the lady of the house asks you to. Thus video of the Emperor’s visit to Hawaii is irrelevant — as Gov. Lingle’s guest he played by her rules. She says no bowing, that means there’s no bowing.

What are you gonna do the next time you visit somebody and they ask you to take your shoes off? Claim that since you have video of some guy wearing muddy shoes, whole jumping up and down on the couch, they have to let you do the same in their house?

Heck you can’t even get the Emperor’s name right. His family name is Yamato. His personal name is Akihito. This means he is not Mr. Akihito anymore than you are Mr. John.

BTW, in international protocol you always call their leaders by the names they ask you to use. This means he is Emperor Akihito to you. Especially in posts where you’;re trying to claim somebody else screwed up the protocol.

Here are more photos of world leaders greeting the emperor. Perhaps Obama does believe in American exceptionalism after all – that America is to be exceptionally submissive.

I certainly don’t agree with Doug on this, either, but I have to say that I appreciate that he posted the video of this, which is much more telling than a still image.

And you linked to crackpot Malkin on this issue?

Fail. Major Fail.

Agnostick
agnostick@excite.com

http://thepurplecenter.blogspot.com/2009/11/white-house-busted-obama-bow-to.html

Outrage, apologies and sarcasm.

This is a big sentence though:

Nor, as this video shows, what it a situation where Obama and the inbred son of the guy who authorized the attack on Pearl Harbor that resulted in the deaths of 2,000 Americans were exchanging mutual bows

We dropped two bombs that killed more than 200,000 Japanese civilians – women and children.

We’re even.

Obama should do what ol’ W’s dad did at a state dinner and simply throw up on the floor. Now that was class!

How dare Obama respect the customs and culture of other countries.

Anyone here ever hear of the term “ugly American?”