Bow down to me, Obama, bow down to me.
Posted on 11/14/2009 8:09:57 PM PST by myknowledge
Standing at over six foot in height, Barack Obama had to bow deeply as he paid his respects to the diminutive Japanese Emperor Akihito.
But the comical sight, which saw the President bend almost double, will no doubt earn him nods of approval in Japan, where a low bow is a sign of great respect and deference.
Obama met the emperor and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace today, a stop on his nine-day Asian tour that will also see him take in Singapore and China.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Bow down to me, Obama, bow down to me.
Emperor Akihito smiles in the lower part of his face, but in the upper portion, his eyes and forehead project immense embarrassment, same for the Empress. This is the famous Japanese polite, tatemae, "nervous" smile.
Everyone is looking at the myriad of file photos of the Emperor greeting visiting Heads of States to Tokyo over the years, and NONE of those foreign leaders did this idiotic type bow as Obama freelanced yesterday. But what is interesting is the standard expression in the face of Their Majesties. Almost the same in each photo because diplomatic protocol is adhered to by visiting President, Prime Ministers and royalty...except when you come to the greeting by Obongo. Then, their expressions are very different, because of their surprise and confusion.
Way to go, Senator Obama!!
A deep, well-turned bow is the first step in sticking one’s head up one’s posterior - I’m not at all surprised BO is so good at it.
Good to hear from you, we were wondering about your thoughts on this subject.
When I visited Japan on business, a simple nod of the head was acceptable, therefore I thought this very odd.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
Is it asking too much to have somebody in charge of protocol AND dressing Moose-chelle? I guess so.
Had that been someone else, you know they'd be laughing about it, it'd be a comical moment, where laughter is used to cover national embarrassment. Other nations would be laughing at us, but instead, the press tries to cover for the O.
I still want to know if this, like the ‘gifts’ the O has given to heads of state that were an embarrassment, is with the consent or voracious objections of the White House protocol office.
I really am starting to wonder if The Hillary is orchestrating these embarrassing moments to use later in a campaign to unseat the O.
“First Pacific President” indeed.
Mightn’t that be FDR for having actually led the liberation of the entire area with much USA treasure and blood.
HA! Even Millard Fillmore holds much better claim having sent Commodore Perry to open Japan in the 1850’s.
BHO, you are a flaming narcissist who is FOS.
AND YOU, BARRY SOTOERO ...
I KNEW MILLARD FILLMORE. MILLARD FILLMORE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE. YOU ARE NO MILLARD FILLMORE.
Obama did none of this--i.e. what was advisable, but instead, oddly scrunched up his face, furrowed his brow, closed his eyes, tensed his jowls, stuck his head downward, lost eye contact, and looked like he was in some kind of agonizing apology of some sort. This is what we say--if we are not afraid of losing our jobs--in the taxi after someone from "head office" in from the States, a cultural newbie, does this in Japan on his/her first visit: "Uh, guess what boss. You just made an ass of yourself."
And yes, I have been mouthing off on the STARWISE THREAD on this topic (nearly 10,000 hits since yesterday), on FR, in detail--along with many others who are in Japan or have been in Japan.
But bottom line is, Japan has a set of rules for Japanese (they are strict) and one for visting bumbling, ignorant foreign fools (they are incredibly forgiving and tolerant) when it comes to "wafu no manaa" and "shikitari" (Japanese manners). Nevertheless, unless specifically skilled for years in this art of detailed, complex and strict Japanese manners and etiquette in Japan, Obama or ony other such visitor is wise and would be well-advised NOT to attempt it, and nearly all foreign visiting heads of state also follow this advice and give an equal-level handshake to The Emperor of Japan upon greeting as general protocol. It seems more and more plausible the US State Department had this advice as well, but Obama chose to freelance his way and as a result ended up putting his Florsheim's squarely in a pile of cultural dog poop. Obama went WAY overboard and looks like a fool in the process. Or, it may have been Rahm Emmanuel political-tact at the expense of diplomacy and international image, to somehow plaster over their kowtow to the King of Saudi Arabia. I have heard this angle.
This is OK if it is the visting President of Mozambique to Japan but it was the United States of America for crying out loud.
I was hoping for you to see this. Thank you for your insight.
There.. bow completed...
Obama is used to kissing foreign ass ... wasn't hard for him to do it !
Just a little bit farther down Barry, and you can kiss his feet.
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This matches his ratings in the National polls upon his return to the U.S.A.
These people are such oafs when it comes to international diplomacy.
Mr. Embarrasment at it again, I see.
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