You know, he is getting better at this sort of thing. Practice makes perfect. This one has to go straight into the Obama Scrapbook section, "My Greatest Achievements."
While a normal, well-brought-up American knows that free men do not bow to monarchs, it is interesting to read Miss Manners on the subject of bowing to foreign monarchs, not that manners is what we expect to see in this case.
UPDATE: Below the fold, HotAirPundit collects photos of other world leaders greeting the Emperor of Japan. Not really a bow in the carload.
Update: A commentor notes it doesn't cut it from the Japanese point-of-view either:
Foreigners are not expected to bow, as they lack the requisite knowledge of the elaborate etiquette governing this for at least 1000 years.This BHO bow, because of its degree of declination and the shamefully rounded back, is in Japanese eyes the bow of a crippled toilet attendant to his supreme master.
Posted by: Takuan Seiyo at November 14, 2009 12:19 PM
Update: AD commentor JD contributes this first of what may well grow to be thousands of photoshops:
Top headline on this groveling moment is currently How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow
Power Line sums up the inner meaning with "Why is this man bowing?"
Obama's breach of protocol is of a piece with the substance of his foreign policy. He means to teach Americans to bow before monarchs and tyrants. He embodies the ideological multiculturalism that sets the United States on the same plane as other regimes based on tribal privilege and royal bloodlines. He gives expressive form to the idea that the United States now willingly prostrates itself before the rest of the world.
Was the bow returned by the emperor of Japan? Let's go to the videotape!
[Note: At present the video is getting slammed pretty hard and may not load. A more direct link is HERE.]
Personal preen: This item, posted at 2009-11-14 00:29:19, Top of the Ticket @ Los Angeles Times (November 14, 2009 | 3:38 am) and Matt Drudge (Some hours after Top of the Ticket.)
Posted by Vanderleun at November 14, 2009 12:29 AM
King of Morocco
Dick Cheney
Prime Minister Slovenia
President South Korea
President Kazakhstan
Prime Minister India
Vladimir Putin
President Obama...
The only abasement he hasn't performed is crawling on his belly like a reptile to kiss Imadimajob's feet.
Posted by: St. Thor at November 14, 2009 4:41 AMWhile a normal, well-brought-up American knows that free men do not bow to monarchs
Bringing up at least two questions:
1) Is Barack Obama a free man? (Or is someone else holding the strings?)
2) Does he see himself as American, or is he above that sort of distinction in his own mind? This is a primitive concept for those who see themselves as transnational.
Posted by: mezzrow at November 14, 2009 4:55 AMI thought that one would either bow, or shake hands, or whatever, but not both at the same time. He can't even submit properly.
Posted by: dr kill at November 14, 2009 5:00 AMIt's not just fact of the bow, it's the ridiculously over-the-top depth of it and the utter incongruity of shaking hands and bowing *at the same time*. Akiboy's thinking 'My... how the world does turn...I can die happy now'.
There's a very fine art to picking the correct gradation for bows in Japan (not to mention wais in some SE asian countries)... one almost has to be born there and raised in it to get it right. Everyone else is better off just 'acting white polite'. Oops... wait.
But I digress. It's just shameful for the President of the United States to be not just a buffoon but a groveling ignorant buffoon.
What a girly-boy. Why doesn't he just roll over on his back? Blechhhh.
Posted by: ahem at November 14, 2009 5:14 AMWhen events in the war turned about in a flash, and his former tormentor bowed low to him, the American POW said, "He bowed to me and I kneed him in the face!" Here, Obama knees himself in the face. While wearing his asshat, (asshat, credits to Rachel Lucas.)
Posted by: kerry at November 14, 2009 6:19 AMThere you have it; surrender of the American benign hegemony - in black and yellow.
Posted by: Frank P at November 14, 2009 6:51 AMhttp://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m165/t17o76m/Obow.jpg
Posted by: JD at November 14, 2009 6:57 AMIt's not just WWII... we had a war 230 years ago so that we wouldn't have to bow to monarchs. Blah.
Posted by: AK at November 14, 2009 7:08 AMOh for fuck's sake. Does Ears not have anyone at the White House to clue him in?
(Actually, in Japan, you do bow and shake hands at the same time. But that's the bow of an excessively devout Shinto priest. See how the Mikado is bowing about 10 degrees? That's what Obama should be doing; maybe 15 degrees, seeing as he's the guest.)
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) at November 14, 2009 7:10 AMThis palate cleanser brought to you by America.
Posted by: Gagdad Bob at November 14, 2009 7:10 AMJD,
THAT was not what I needed the first thing in the morning.
Posted by: vanderleun at November 14, 2009 7:51 AMAnd especially NØT with Gagdad's soundtrack.... arrgh.
Posted by: vanderleun at November 14, 2009 7:52 AMCharlie is right...I've been to Japan dozens of times, and went through "charm school" as well. Two days were spent on the proper bow, and no one other than children and priests bow that low, even to the Emperor. It is doubly submissive by his downcast eyes.
Posted by: Patvann at November 14, 2009 7:58 AMWow...he really is SO much smarter than Bush!
Oh, man...we are screwed.
Posted by: Mumblix Grumph at November 14, 2009 8:05 AMVery sad. Bowing improperly, which is what you see here, is considered highly insulting in Japan.
You can see the strain in the Emperor's face. He is embarrassed for 0bama.
Yeah, he he has that "WTF-?" look.
Posted by: ahem at November 14, 2009 8:48 AMThere's a trend here (not in particular order).
1) Obama bows to Abdullah
2) Brian Williams bows to Obama
3) Obama bows to Akihito
The message seems to be that the White House would like bowing to be the new norm between master and subordinate and a form of greeting between monarchs and monarchical presidents.
Posted by: mrp at November 14, 2009 9:06 AMThank you, JD!!
Posted by: Cathy at November 14, 2009 9:32 AMHey Prez: STAY DOWN. DON'T TRY TO GET UP
Posted by: Mizz E at November 14, 2009 9:46 AMCan hardly wait for his meeting with Native American tribal elders when he raises his hand and proclaims "How".
Posted by: westsoundmodern at November 14, 2009 9:58 AMI've spent my morning up 'til now fuming about this. Your headline, dark humor though it is, was good for my first laugh about it. Thanks! And thanks to WestSound for my second laugh about it.
Posted by: Erik Wingren at November 14, 2009 10:25 AMIs he just used to that position while waiting in the Oral Orifice (named by Bill "Penisnose" Clinton) waiting for Rahm, George, and Andy Stern to show up to "party"?
Posted by: JD at November 14, 2009 10:58 AMWhat a complete idiot! I guess Ol Hopy Change just can't get off the plantation. Still bowing down to the masa. God help us if this horses ass remains in office 3 more years. The sad part is we need to go more than three deep before there is anything better.
Posted by: marvin Mattingly at November 14, 2009 11:12 AMNot Jack Bauer, rather it is Barack Bower, all American Boy. Well, actually...somewhat less than an all American boy.
Pete
Posted by: Pete at November 14, 2009 11:16 AMRaises ALL kinds of questions, and they're disturbing.
Gerard, you obviously need a good "fact-checking" from CNN or the AP.
Posted by: Morgan K Freeberg at November 14, 2009 12:12 PMBravo, Gerard,
This kind of bowing is atrocious not only from the American point of view but from the Japanese one as well. First of all, you don't bow and shake hands at the same time. It's a contemptible faux pas in Japanese eyes.
Second, you don't bow unless you have been taught how to bow. Foreigners are not expected to bow, as they lack the requisite knowledge of the elaborate etiquette governing this for at least 1000 years.
This BHO bow, because of its degree of declination and the shamefully rounded back, is in Japanese eyes the bow of a crippled toilet attendant to his supreme master.
Posted by: Takuan Seiyo at November 14, 2009 12:19 PM"Can hardly wait for his meeting with Native American tribal elders when he raises his hand and proclaims "How"."
westsoundmodern,
I think President Obama did HIS version of "HOW" when he did the shoutout to Dr. Joe Medicine Crow at the news conference on the day of the Ft. Hood terrorist attack...
Posted by: Another Old Navy Chief at November 14, 2009 12:39 PMHis head nod and handshake with the Empress seemed to be about right. It's what he should have done with the Emperor.
I am always perversely pleased whenever President Gooftard McNinnypants and his bunch do or say something stupid enough for a lot of people to notice.
Posted by: Don Rodrigo at November 14, 2009 1:17 PMIncidentally, was Michelle Antoinette there? You know, maybe wearing a neon-green kimono thingie or something?
Posted by: Don Rodrigo at November 14, 2009 1:19 PMIncidentally, was Michelle Antoinette there? You know, maybe wearing a neon-green kimono thingie or something?
If she was, you can bet she was also wearing one of those weird-ass belts of hers.
Posted by: Mumblix Grumph at November 14, 2009 1:52 PMSpeak respectfully. Those are not ammo belts, they are dildo belts.
Posted by: vanderleun at November 14, 2009 2:14 PMMore ObaMao fashion notes here with:
Mao's Jacket for Oba-Mao @ AMERICAN DIGEST
Posted by: vanderleun at November 14, 2009 2:15 PMMan, I bet the Queen is pissed, all she got was a stupid iPod.. I don't think the O even gave her a fist bump..
Posted by: DanO at November 15, 2009 1:05 AMSpeak respectfully. Those are not ammo belts, they are dildo belts.
Gerard! My, my.
Posted by: RattlerGator at November 16, 2009 3:43 AMAhhh Sooo, barack-san!
You rike my new shoes?
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