AP Photo. President Obama bows down 90 degrees to Japan's emperor. Is this the most powreful man in the world?
How low can you go? New photos taken during President Obama's trip to Asia are creating quite a controversy in Washington. The pictures do not lie, and the tale they tell is one of an American president stooping to new lows, literally.
In what is seen as nothing but a position of subservience, President Obama bowed practically to Japanese Emperor Akihoto's waist during his visit to the country over the weekend. Hardly the picture that, according to many, the most powerful man in the world should seek to create. To many, this is just he latest in a string of incidents where the new president has damaged America's image by projecting a picture of weakness and deference to the world opinion. The incident is eerily reminiscent to one in April when Obama did practically the same thing to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Political opponents of President Obama were quick to jump on the photos, comapring these photos to ones taken in 2007 when then Vice President Dick Cheney greeted the emperor. Cheney greeted the emperor as an equal with a handshake instead of a bow. Political analyst William Krystol pointed out that “if you look at pictures of world leaders over 20 years meeting the emperor in Japan, they don't bow.” Another pundit, Bill Bennett, was much more pointed in his comments, referring to the pictures as “ugly” and stating that “I don't want to see it.”
On the other hand, Donna Brazile said that the pictures represented “a gesture of kindness.”
However, not all criticism is political. Pamela Eyring, head of the Protocol School of Washington, called it “inappropriate” for one head of state to bow to another, observing that “they're peers.”
So what was it? Was this bow an example of a president just trying to be respectful or was it just the latest incident in a long line of a president making America look weak to the world? What the camera captures images in a fraction of a second, leave it to people to debate for days.
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FOX News: Protocol expert weighs in
Comments
The bow was probably ill advised and not appropriate. But our President is accomplishing more accidently than Geaorge W. did on purpose, so I attribute it just to a gaffe. Its not like this is an act of war or that it is going to affect anything.
A September 2, 1959 Associated Press photo shows President Dwight Eisenhower bowing his head while meeting French President Charles De Gaulle. At their 1971 meeting in Alaska, the first visit of a Japanese Emperor to America, President Nixon bowed and referred to Emperor Hirohito and his wife repeatedly as 'Your Imperial Majesties.'... A June 19, 1994 New York Times article reported of President Bill Clinton's meeting with Akihito: "It wasn't a bow, exactly. But Mr. Clinton came close.
the emperor of japan is a reverent figure to the japanese people, just like the pope is to catholics. there are plenty of pictures of presidents bowing to the pope, why can't he do the same for the japanese emperor? it's courtesy for one, but obsequious for the other?
I think it is respectful to respect other peoples customs and Traditions so high five Obama for doing what you did. I would have done the same thing if i was in that position. =)
Nothing wrong with the bow, respect to you President Obama, doing great for our country! 2012.........
Do you ever run spell check on your articles?
not as bad as when bush held the sudi dudes hand
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